Another league game, another new home ground.  Shepherds Bush was our venue today – and first impressions looked good.  Many of the team arrived, heads bowed, still unable to take in the enormity of why England are so bad at penalties, and asking what exactly does Sven know about football. 

Cambridge were our opponents and with the temperatures looking set to top 30 degrees, Beth Morgan had decided to put them in and try and get them out quickly.  The best laid plans and all – we ended up batting – but as every cloud has a silver lining, it did mean that we got to sit in the shade, and watch as the Cambridge girls wilted in the heat.  A blistering start from Bethie and Janice Fraser saw us race to 32 from 4, however, another digit was also on the board – one wicket.  The great pace was kept up – runs coming as if we were Sri Lanka facing England.  There, however the similarities end, as we were also losing wickets – 5 down at 16 overs, with the score on 92.  Janice had notched up a typically aggressive half century, before being called for a run that even Thiery Henry would have struggled to make.  Cambridge seemed a little shell shocked – as were we on the sidelines.  

A period of consolidation was called for. Keely Juster joined Sarah Bartlett and the run rate slowed to 4.5 an over, but the wickets remained intact.  Barts is beginning to show what a good bat she could become, watching each ball carefully and punishing the bad one.  With no pressure on the pair, they eased themselves to the next drinks break, with the score on 165.  After a tactics discussion, it was decided that the target was somewhere around the 230 mark, with the final 15 overs being broken down into 3 sets of 5.  Plans are great.  First ball, a big loopy full toss, was pushed wide of mid on and Keely set off looking for 2.  Barts decided that there was only a single, and sent Keely back, only to then start running.  By this time, the bowler had the ball, and we could only look on horrified as Barts turned and headed for her crease, only to see her stumps shattered. 

Emma Jones came out to the middle and two balls after watching a run out, called yes, but remained in her crease.  Keely was half way down, before she realised that Em had no intention of moving and had to high tail it back home, much to the umpire’s amusement!  After that little misunderstanding things moved on.  Some great fielding prevented certain boundaries, and when Sue Donaldson came out to partner Em, she was unlucky not to find the gaps her shots deserved.  Victoria Begg came to the middle, for her first bat in the first team this season, and played a classic backfoot drive for 4, before finding the change of pace in the bowling a little deceiving.  It was left to Danni Warren and Sue to try to take the score to the 200+ mark – one over of 8 wides helped, but in the end we fell one short – 199 all out. A disappointing end to a promising start. 

Barts was given the new ball, and immediately was ‘on the money’, getting movement and lift.  At the other end, Bethie was leading by example, proving very difficult to get away.  We didn’t have to wait long for the first break through – a fantastic take by Anita Thorose (Meobs), in front of first slip, one handed and on one knee, to give Beth her first wicket.  A few overs later, Beth was again in the action – fielding at mid off, she ran round to mid on, picked up the ball and threw it to Meobs who removed the bails – silly run to attempt, really.  We didn’t have long to wait before wicket number 3 was on the board – a straight forward clean bowled from Beth, was followed next ball with a great catch at gully by Chander Kaul, diving forward to scoop the ball centimetres from the ground. The field came in for the hat trick – another great ball saw Meobs stretch out her right glove and the ball land squarely in the pouch.  Behind her at first slip, Stockie was moving to her left for a regulation catch.  Imagine the horrified look on Beth’s face, as the ball popped out of the gloves and sail past Stockie going the opposite direction!  That was the end of the over!!  Still smarting, Beth’s first ball of her next over saw her remove the bails once again – a possible 4 in 4 balls – don’t worry Meobs, we won’t let you forget!!   

With 5 down, very few runs on the board and only 4 more wickets in hand, we started to turn the screw. Danni bowled some absolute ‘corkers’ as they say, the only thing preventing her taking any wickets being the thickness of the paint used on the stumps.  How she didn’t hit them, will forever remain a mystery.  Barts was brought back and was spot on from the word go; her pace and bounce troubling the batsmen, and she picked up a deserved couple of wickets.  One of which saw a piece of sublime co-ordination and timing from the keeper and first slip – Meobs and Stockie taking formation diving to new heights – Meobs finishing up in front of where first slip should be, Stockie hitting the ground at the same time, somewhere behind the stumps!  To put an end to all this, Stockie was given the ball.  If Barts has pace and bounce, our own Spin Queen has turn and bounce in abundance.  She’s even got a doosra!!  It was no match for the last few Cambridge batsmen, as they finished all out for 42.