Sunday XI v Ruislip Victoria - 16th June 2013

M & B in the end knocked off 218 to bear Ruislip Victoria by 4 wickets in an enjoyable game, where all the M&B players got the opportunity to contribute. Despite the early drizzle the game remained at 40 overs and as soon as play commenced the rain was gone and a warm and sunny afternoon ensued.

After losing the toss M & B were asked to bowl and Ruislip Victora(RV) got off to a good start posting 31 for the first wicket with few alarms, before Joe Blackett dismissed the RV opener, cutting at a short ball and providing keeper Simon Ball with a catch, which proved to be the only one of the day, as once again the M & B catching was woeful. Number 3, Kapoor showed aggression from the start and opener Bailey became more aggressive the longer he stayed at the wicket. For the second wicket running the opposition's running between the wickets was good and M & B were unable to stem the flow of quick singles, which left skipper Armstrong pulling out, what hair he had left! The second wicket partnership eventually posted 126, placing RV in a good positon with wickets in hand. Young spinners Sachin Moudgil and Tom Noakes finished off proceedings and managed to stem the run rate once the two set batsmen were dismissed, pace off the bowl proved to be the winner for M & B in the end, as what was looking like a score of 240 + was eventually pulled back to 218. Moudgil finished with figures of 7/0/40/1 and spin twin Noakes 6/0/33/2, which bearing in mind were the closing overs, were excellent figures.

Before going out on the field the RV skipper reckoned they were 20-30 runs light, and so it proved albeit a good start was required. Luckily for M & B they had two fat laddies for the job, in messrs. Ball and Wilding, who posted not 88 but a more than useful 78 for the first wicket in 11 overs, which gave the other batsmen time to play themselves in. Tom Wilding continued his form from the previous day to score 39 with his usual drives and cuts, one lofted drive clearing the net to earn him the " over the net jug" for the time being. In the end he was caught on the boundary, going for another six, over cow corner, but he didn't have the power to reach, although he claimed he toe ended it! At number 3, making his debut for the season was experienced OAP Saquib Qureshi, who batted sensibly with Ball to post another good partnership of 48 for the second wicket. Simon Ball carried on his good early season form before declaring on 60, when he should really have gone on and posted another century. He was fluent driving through the covers and through the mid-on and midwicket region as well as pulling and flicking to leg. Qureshi having played himself in became more fluent playing lofted drives and his trademark cuts. Two moments of madness from Qureshi though gave RV a sniff of victory. Having run out twelve year old Josh Wallace, Qureshi then contrived to get stumped off a bowler delivering dolly drops. 126 for 1 suddenly became 136 for 4 with two batsmen on 0 M & B were floundering. Luckily the Moudgil's, Sachin and Umesh, steadied the ship posting 20 for the fifth wicket before Sachin and Noakes saw M & B almost home with a decisive 6th wicket partnership of 46 in 9 overs. Once again Sachin Moudgil batted extremely well, driving and cutting the ball fluently for 42 and combined with his bowling had an excellent all round game, if only he could catch, he would be even better! Fielding is a basic criteria and currently poor Sachin can't even catch a cold! Sachin's spin twin Tom Noakes matched Sachin's all round performance seeing M & B home with 31no, mainly through pushes and drives in the cover region. In the end Noakes and his drinking buddy, Joe Blackett, saw M & B home with 3.3 overs to spare.