Sunday XI versus The Fiddlers - 30th June 2013

M & B slumped to a disappointing 65 run defeat to The Fiddlers on Sunday, on a glorious day at Bray. Having lost the toss M & B were subjected to 40 overs of hard labour. Opening bowlers Avinash Gossain and Arul Appavoo though kept the scoring in check as well as making early in roads. Appavoo bowled the dangerous Jim Nunn, who always made a stack of runs whilst playing in his Braywood days, in his first over. Gossain proved extremely difficult to get away, bowling a nagging length allied with swing and a clever change of pace, his final analysis of 8/2/27/0, didn't do him justice, in the wickets column. Appavoo though got the rewards by picking up two wickets, including that of returning old boy, chieftan tank Parham, in his figures of 8/0/31/2. Bray's own chairman, playing for the opposition, John Hewitt was kept in check by the opening bowlers but began to cut free by hitting three boundaries off Noakes' first over before he was brilliantly caught by, that man Gossain, just prior to drinks, trying to pull another short ball, whilst scoring 41. Of the remaining bowlers, senior spinner and part time musician, Chris Butler, was the star, bowling his assortment of liquorice all sorts for figures of 8/2/36/3. Mention must be made of Sunday stalwart, Atif Amin, who took a catch at midwicket off Butler's bowling as well as affecting a run out off a difficult return throw from Sachin Moudgil. Overall though in the conditions 212 was a below par score and the target was very attainable with the batting available.

Sadly though the script did not go to plan and indeed after 6 overs M & B were basically out of the game as they slumped to 22 for 3 with most of their main batsmen perished in the summer sun.Of the top order only Thomas Wilding held the innings together, whilst accumulating 55 in 25 overs, mainly through his driving and cutting, Indeed two lofted drives brought him 6's, with the second disappearing over the river net. Together with Atif Amin they put on 56 for the fifth wicket, one of only two meaningful partnerships in the innings, to bring an air of respectability to the M & B score. Indeed both perished in the space of four balls to wily grenade thrower, Nigel Haines. The only other partnership of note was between Gossain and Tom Noakes, which mustered 39 for the seventh wicket. That man, Gossain, was again on hand to show his batting prowess, for the second day running , as well, with his controlled drives and cuts. Alas for Gossain he was the last man out when he deserved to be undefeated for a valiant 38, which in the end brought M & B up to a woefully inadequate score of 147. Skipper Armstrong will look to bolster the batting ahead of next week's fixture.