27th August Hayes League
With the last two weekends washed out, we approached this top of the table clash slightly ring rusty. The narrowest of margins separated the two teams 0.2 of a point, so there was everything to play for. Stockie got the day of to a great start winning the toss and inserting Hayes she really needs to give Beth Morgan some advice on tossing, when she gets back from England duties.
Sarah Bartlet was given the honour of opening the bowling sheıd been out of action for a month with a dislocated knee cap, and everyone was on tender hooks as to how she would stand up to bowling. We neednıt have bothered her first 3 overs went for only 5 runs for one wicket - that of the Aussie opener, who, in her own words after the game, having hit one to keeper Meobs Thorose, straight out of the middleı, and refused to walk, was out LBW two balls later. Dishonesty doesnıt pay. Meanwhile, at the other end we welcomed back Radhi Nanalal, who proceeded to show the current Indian team just how to bowl 9 overs, 4 maidens 1 wicket for 6 runs 2 of which were wides!! Iım not the only one who thinks England wouldnıt have had it quite so easy, in the recent one day series, had the old maestro been playing.
With Hayes on the back foot, at 17 for 2, Lydia Greenway and Robyn Stills really had to get their heads down and work. Lyds took an instant liking to Barts bowling, scoring 17 of 7 deliveries, prompting Stockie to bring herself on. This almost proved a stroke of genius, as Lyds swept Stockieıs first ball to Laura Titchı Gardiner at wide fine leg arms were raised in jubilation, as Titch launched herself at the ball it was in and then it was out, as the batsmen scampered through for 2. Lyds went from strength to strength after that, using her feet to the spinners, placing the ball with precision and executing the most exquisite on drives. She really is a class act. At the other end, Stills was looking as uncomfortable as Lyds was comfortable. Surely it would only be a matter of time before another wicket was on the board. However, whilst the bowling was generally there or thereabouts, the same canıt really be said about the fielding. Danni Warren and Janice Fraser bowled tightly, but with little reward, Danni in particular looking really fired up for the challenge - very disciplined line and length, throwing herself at everything in the field. She was unlucky not to pick up a couple of wickets Iım sure Hawkeye would have reversed an LBW shout, which was quickly followed up by a dropped catch at mid on; Emma Jones walking in with the run rate on her mind, rather than the ball, and then so annoyed with herself, that she was a little wayward with her throw to the stumps, with Lyds stranded half way down the track. This was followed up by a wild overthrow at the other end, to leave Danni not amused, hands on hips having conceded 2 runs when both batsmen should have been out.
Stockie came back on, and should have had Lyds stumped twice in the same over, but such is the turn and bounce she gets, coupled with the slowness of the pitch, that Meobs was scrambling to collect the ball. More than a slight touch of panic was beginning to set in, a fumble here, hesitation there, aggressive running coupled with little or misleading information about which end to throw at the pressure was mounting. Just as it was beginning to look rather ominous, the batsmen having been in for 31 overs, and seeing it like a beachball, Stockie threw the ball to Barts. Her first ball to Lyds, could well be included in a What happened nextı clip. Lyds played the ball, and we all watched as it rolled back towards the stumps; just as it came to rest alongside middle and off stumps, Lyds decided to kick it away, but succeeded only in kicking her bails off, for a wonderful 80. A slice of luck of extra large proportions. With Lyds gone, nerves soon got the better of Still, and she was run out Sue Donaldson doing her best to make it as difficult for Barts to remove the bails, by throwing it as far away as she could!! Hayes ended on 182 it was looking like 220 at one stage. Equally, had Stockie got Lyds, it could have been very different at 29 for 3, with the best bat out, the score could have been nearer 100.
182 is the most runs weıve conceded this season, and some heads seemed to be held low. A disappointing first half, meant that we needed to come out fighting in the second. If we have any thoughts about being in the Premier League nest season, then we need to be able to chase 182 and more, especially against a side without their best bowler (England duties).
Sue and Janice walked out confidently, but came up against a determined opening attack. In a mad 4 overs, we lost 4 wickets, and no doubt in the minds of Hayes, the match. At 16 for 4, with 36 overs left, someone had to dig deep. Meobs and Stockie looked like they were in the frame of mind to do it. The sideline was a mixture of emotion the Hayes end jubilant, the Gunns shell shocked. Could we really throw it away now? Slowly, the pair started to take command they put on 31 in 7 overs, before Meobs didnıt quite middle one, and holed out to long on. With 136 needed from 29, in walked Helena Stolle. Still reeling from her GCSE successes, she proceeded to play like an old pro, inspiring Stockie along the way. It was a joy to watch the pair H pushing for 2ıs at every opportunity, but us on the sidelines knowing only too well that Stockie only runs quickly when a) she wants to get on strike, or b), she wants to get away from the bowling. At times Stockie might be accused of playing a bit too freely, but she showed patience and discipline that one can only envy. She knew it was just a case of waiting for the bad ball, and then making sure it was put away nothing flash or fancy, just good old fashioned eye on the ball at all times. Constantly talking to H, the pair moved smoothly along H growing in stature and confidence with every shot playing some cracking square drives; you could sense the Hayes heads dropping like their catching. Stockie reached her 50 with a sweetly placed late cut.
With the end in sight, the unthinkable happened a long hop down leg side, that Stockie should have sent racing towards the boundary, came off the splice and ended up at backward square leg. The partnership was worth 102 a club 6th wicket record in competitive cricket. Hayes suddenly sensed victory around the corner. In all my years of having the privilege of playing alongside Stockie, I donıt think that I have ever seen her as annoyed at getting out as she was walking back to the sidelines. The normal smile and shrug of the shoulders, replaced by a disappointed shake of the head, the weight of the world on the shoulders.
Whilst stunned silence emanated from our team, H quietly and determinedly cranked up a gear, and took the senior role, with 34 needed, and 10 overs to spare, it was game on. Looking calm and in control all the way, H batted like pressure cooker situations are nothing new to her. A bit of inexperience saw Tor Begg run out, leaving Radhi walking out to the middle. Radhi hates batting as much as she likes bowling, so she wasnıt pleased. Thereıs nothing like the scent of victory to bring out the aggression and competition in Radhi itıs great to see. However, her time in the middle was short lived with the score on 158, it looked like it wasnıt to be our day. We shouldnıt have worried, Danni walked out, feeling more than a sense of déjà vu (see the Mote game and the previous Hayes game). Hayes heads were high, and the chattering had started again; Gunnıs finger nails were non existent, and no one was allowed to move from their seats.
The two calmest people on the park were Dan and H, as they showed no signs of nerves. The runs required kept on coming down, as Hıs score kept on going up. In a bid to break up Stockie and H, Hayes had used up their best bowlers, and were now faced with having to use their less experienced bowlers for the final crucial overs. It was a calculation that back fired. We started the 43rd over needing 7, 3 wides later, with H on 49 she clipped the ball effortlessly to the mid wicket boundary, to bring up her maiden senior 50 as well as score the winning runs. She could hardly be seen under the pile of bodies youıd have thought we had won the league rather than just one game. A game that was far too close for comfort we need to be much more focused and prepared for the re-match. Radhi, Stockie and H have showed that they are ready for the Premier League who else is??