10th September - Cambridge - League  

There's nothing like a return to school to bring back the cricket weather. Sure enough, the sun was blazing down, as we arrived to see the grounds man cutting the strip. The surprises didn't end there - Beth won the toss! For the first time this season, Hayley Shepperd strolled out of the changing room in full whites, making a welcomed return. With Beth opting to field, we were soon reminded of what we've been missing this summer - Hayley making a fantastic diving stop from the first ball - she really is a class fielder. Barts took the new ball and made it do strange things - behind the stumps, Meobs had her work cut out as the ball was taking off at all angles, and then unexpectedly shooting past at ankle height. No matter how hard she tried, Barts was unable to find that little bit of good fortune - the batsmen playing and missing almost every ball.

At the other end, Emma Rushmer showed that an England cap, doesn't get respect by itself, it has to be backed up with the bowling goods. Beth took a bit of stick in her first 2 overs, before a delightful slower ball dislodged Emma's bails. We were off and running. With new Cambridge Captain Hannah Smith in ultra defensive mode, it was obvious that we needed to get the wickets at the other end. As Barts was having no luck, Binaisha Shah was called upon. She did her already impressive reputation absolutely no harm what so ever, with 3 top order batsmen for 16 runs from her 5 overs. We're thinking of nicknaming her Glenn (as in McGrath) - that should give you a good indication of her height and accuracy! With age at one end, Beth went for experience at the other -and there's no one with more, Stockie. She tried everything in her extensive repertoire to get a wicket, but to no avail - flight, turn, arm-ball, pace, top spin, leg spin, doosra - even money, but Hannah was resolute in her defence. When Hannah did eventually fall to Barts, in the 25th over, it was for a stoic duck, but, had she not stayed there, then Cambridge could have been in some real trouble. With that wicket, Beth brought herself back on, and the last 4 Cambridge wickets fell for 12 runs - Beth turning into a 'bunny bowler' and picking up 3 of them, to finish up with 4 for 6 from 9.

Chasing small targets is sometimes more difficult than chasing large. So it proved. A slight re jigging of the batting order, saw Meobs open with Beth, in an attempt to gain maximum batting points. We were up and running 2nd ball - a typically aggressive pull from Meobs going for 4. Next ball, it was Cambridge's turn, as Meobs got the faintest of edges trying to guide the ball down to 3rd man, and was caught behind. Out walked Chander, watched for only the second time ever by her Mum, so no need to worry (or for Stockie to get changed). 3rd over, a delightful cut for 4 by Chander was promptly followed up by another faint outside edge to the keeper, as she tried to drive an impossibly wide ball. 14 for 2, became 24 for 3 when Beth run out - shame we didn't have the benefit of a third umpire, as the jury from the side was definitely not out.

With panic in the ranks just about to break out, Sue took control and decided that more people should get padded up - away went the sun cream, off came the shorts and on went the whites for Emma, Hayley and Sue. Stockie walked out to the middle, to join a slightly disbelieving Barts. With 40 runs needed from 40 overs, panic should have been the last things on their minds - and experience showed with Stockie calmly leaving balls, that others might have been tempted to go for, and punishing the bad ones - I've not seen her driving the ball like that for years. With composure restored, Barts showed just what she can do, top scoring with 26, as the winning runs were scored in the 14th over. 12 games played, 12 victories - roll on the return with Hayes next week.