Full Fixture Information

Result Descriptiom

EMCC 191-7 // Vagabonds 189-7

Man of the Match

James Atkinson - 113 not out and a great bowling

Champagne Moment

Andrew - direct run out

Teddy Bear Moment

Ali Wheeler leaving a straight ball whilst being filmed

Full Match Report

It couldn?t have been closer, Vagabonds looked well-placed as we went into the final 20 overs, 109 to win, 7 wickets in hand. The pitch was not doing much, the outfield was its normal lightening-fast, unforgiving concrete bed, and all they needed was just over five an over with two set batsmen.

That we came away with a draw was testament to our tight bowling and tigerish fielding.

Earlier, in the afternoon I?d lost the toss and we?d been invited to bat. I?d have probably batted anyway, so no matter, we had a strong line up batting all the way to 11, but it soon became clear why we?d been put in.

Without doubt, the Vagabonds had the strongest bowling line up we?d faced this season. It was relentless, fast, accurate and after their first two bowlers had bowled 8 overs each, their next two bowled 8 and 11 over respectively with bowler four moving from pace to accurate spin half way through his spell.
Ian and Ali opened ? Ali riding high in the averages (with an average nearly twice his highest score thanks to a series of 70 somethings not out). He spanked the second ball he faced to the cover boundary and proceeded to look very solid and very aggressive, it was something of a surprise when in the 8th over he left a full straight ball that pinged back his off-stump for 19 ? 25-1.

Brilliantly captured on video, it remained a perplexing leave on first, second, third and fourth viewing ? and I?m sure it will be posted and seen many times again.

Ian moved along sedately at the other end ? it was a relief to us all that he chose yesterday to be the first time in 40 years he?d worn a helmet as he edged a ball into his grill ? for otherwise his corn on the cob eating days would have been over.

Having had his cage rattled, he was out in the 10th over bowled ? 30-2 and so Chris Hollis joined James at the wicket. James looked utterly supreme ? fresh off the back of an unbeaten hundred the week before, he drove, pulled, hooked, and nudged his way relentlessly against this very tight bowling. Hollis and he put on 73 together before Chris was caught for 22 and Will joined his brother.

James? scoring chart benefited from two lots of 5 runs, once when a tight single led to four overthrows, and then later when he and Will ran 5 runs to a ball that had been pushed into the offside before more careless fielding had them running for fun. It may have been too much running for Will who was out next ball for 10 looking to get a move on. 143-4 in the 32nd over. Rupert Smith, Andrew and Josh came and went for two runs between them looking to get a move on with the score and James brought up an excellent hundred (113 no) as he single-handedly got the score up to 191 for 7 at tea.

We?d faced 38 overs of high quality bowling and James? innings was as good as any I?ve seen this season.

Declaring at tea, it felt like we might not have enough, if they batted as well as they bowled it would be hard work. 38 overs in 2.5 hours isn?t a lot of bowling and was probably 4-5 overs below what you?d expect.

Tea was great.

The support was great.

Still with them having only bowled five bowlers and four of them for at least 8 overs, I felt entitled to keep my bowlers on for longer than I might normally.
Will opened up from the top end and bowled an excellent spell of 2-31 off 8 overs. Having their opener ct behind for 1 in his 3rd over before Chris Hollis took a good catch in the covers to dismiss their other opener in his 7th over.
Atkinson snr opened from the other end and bowled very tightly to end with 5-1-17-0 and was replaced by James who bowled their number three in his first over. 45-2

Their number three was a familiar face he hits the ball very hard, very straight and it all got a bit much for the doctor as first a ball bounced just in front of him, before going through him for four, the next ball went inches over his oustretched hand for another four before he flung his (expensive) sunglasses at the sightscreen and stomped around for a bit.

With Will?s second wicket it was 53-3 in the 15th over. Josh replaced Will and went wicketless from his four 0-33. A double change of Wayne and Andrew in the 24th over with them needing 75 off 16 saw the run rate dry up a bit ? but it was relief all round when I had their number 4 LBW for 35 in my 2nd over 140-4 and then ran out their number 6 with a direct hit from point in the next over 151-5. Still their number five went on and passed 50 ? it?s worth remembering that he?d been dropped at 2nd slip in the 15th over when on less than 10 ? slip catches are never easy, but compared to the screamer Josh had caught three weeks ago at 2nd slip he?ll be annoyed to have dropped this one.

Wayne 4-0-25-0 and Andrew 4-0-15-1 had bowled well, but with them needing 35 off the last 9 overs I decided to take us both off and back came James and Will to tie things down. James did better than that and had their number five stumped for 58, Will picked up one further wicket and although they had only needed less than four an over going into the last 9 overs it proved too much ? with some great bowling, some conservative batting and some excellent fielding they went into the last over needing 15 to win and could only get 11.

James ? 11-1-48-2 and Will 12-0-41-3 had had the last word and it finished in a draw.

We?d bowled two overs more than them and I think we were pretty surprised not to have lost. Well bowled everyone.