Bexley 1/6/19

The warm up started with a 5 a side game of football that if the oppo were watching would have filled them with confidence due to our lack of athleticism and sporting skill (albeit the weather was out to get us on Saturday)

After waiting for the Bexley skipper to arrive, c.dot lost the toss for a second week in a row and the Heath were put in to bat on what looked like could be a very low scoring wicket, showing signs of Waring Park.

First over was definitely advantage Bexley. 0 runs 1 wicket of the forever not his fault Jack Woods (this week it supposedly popped like a trampoline and Woods must have been watching Aython at training and decided to give mid wicket some catching practice).

The next few overs were a rebuilding job as Shrenik and Fish stuck at it. Only if Fish was as early to the game today (turned up 15 mins before start time) as he was to the cricket ball, being caught at cover (3 off 18 balls) as he looped one up for yet again some more catching practice. Leaving the heath 9-2 off 7.3 overs, Bexley tails were wagging and it looked like we might make it back nice and early to feast on the bbq at the heath.

Up stepped Harikiran Gayatri, making his debut for the 3s after scoring 74 for the 4s in his last game. Showing his experience he stuck around and guided himself (25 off 43) and Shrendogg to a gutsy 53 run partnership. Unfortunately Harri was the next to fall, as he was struck on the pads and after a very well built innings had to take a walk back to the changing rooms.

It took Bexley all but 1 more ball to pick up another wicket. Up stepped a new bowler, and in the words of Shrenik himself ‘it was there to be hit’ decided to chip one straight down mid ons throat. Another well built innings but Shrenik had to depart on 27 from 53 balls.

The 3s specialist match report author (so good it takes him more than 3 weeks to write and also so in depth he doesn’t actually send them in) couldn’t get himself going, and like 2 of the others bats, chipped one for some catching practice straight to a pair of safe hands at cover and Alistair Barker had to depart for just 3 off 7. Some say he is still hanging now.

Some sweet hitting from Dave Hughes at number 5 going at over a run a ball (22 off 20 balls) got the heath up to 91-6 before the 3s only officer for the day was caught at first slip after trying to cut one off the leg spinner into orbit.

In good form from last weeks 37 and top score for the 3s, Jack Aldred joined the skipper at the crease. The partnership was short lived however 9 runs were scored to get the Heath up to the first target of 100 (100-6 in 26 overs). After his eyes lit up rocking back to a short slightly wide of off stump ball, little legs could only slap the ball straight to short cover.

It was Jake Barkways chance to dig in and frustrate his ex team mates, and he done just that. A 52 run partnership between el capitano and Jake (or Marc to some) consisted of patient batting, rotating the strike with good running between the wickets and the odd hefty blow for a boundary. 150 up, 2 overs to go and c.dot showed that he needs to get himself a gym membership as he tried going big and got caught at mid wicket on the boundary (ok it was more cow corner). Skips inning had to come to an end and he departed for 38 from 39 balls.

Some big hitting (blocks if you’re Jake and misses if you’re Sam) in the last 11 balls managed to take the Heaths total to an above par 160-8 off 40 overs.

Tea was ready and it was finally time for Jack Aldred to sit down for a short while and stop fidgeting with a stump, a football, a windball or whatever he could get his hands on. This also gave Ali a chance to recover from his hangover.

It was time for the Heath to take the field and get the game wrapped up early so the football lovers (and burger lovers) could get back to the club for the Champions League finale/BBQ.

Sam and Ali starting well, Ali seemed to have shrugged off his hangover and picked up a wicket in his first over. Bexleys opener deciding to go after one outside of off and slapped one straight to Jake at point. Unsure if Jake had applied his fake tan in the morning, it was a relief when he gobbled it up.

The outside edge continued to get beaten and the odd run kept the scoreboard ticking over as Bexley moved to 29-1 off 10 overs.

Then a peach of a delivery from Sambo saw the numbers 3s stumps come crashing down and livened up the Heath in the field.

A smart diving forward catch from Woods at gully saw the other opener fall victim to Ali Barker as he built pressure on our good friends at Bexley (assuming Ali wanted to be M.O.T.M and add another match report to his list).

A few overs later Sam got himself another, cleaning up the number 4 with another good delivery that any regional level bowler would be proud of.

Change of bowler saw Jack Aldred come on for Ali and bowl 2 maidens in his first two overs and make it hard for Bexley to score as the required run rate slowly climbed (first spell 5 over for 7 runs.

With Sam bowling his 10 straight through (finishing on 2-17), it was time for winning to be put to one side, and fantasy team points to take over. On come Jake Barkway (picked by many who had not been happy when he didn’t bowl), and he didn’t disappoint. Bowling 6 overs for 16 runs and picking up 3 wickets (even though they were bumping out under 11s, they all count).

At the other end it was Harry Dowling (coming on for Jack) who bowled his socks off for his first 4 overs going for just 7 runs. Like Jack, building pressure even when not picking up wickets.

A change of bowler from Jakes end seemed to be a good decision from the skip, with Ali picking up a wicket (and his 3rd) with the first ball of his second spell. Making the batsmen snick off to the safe fins of fish.

Reward was then reaped for Dowlers as his 5th over was a very well bowled and deserved wicket maiden.

After having to wait 10 overs to come back on, with the second ball of his second spell, Jack Aldred picked up the last wicket of the innings after a top edge was just about taken by Sam at slip.

A top drawer bowling performance, a couple of drop catches that we probably should have taken (not mentioning any names… Sam and Hari. Dowlers’ would have been a great snaffle so not including that one), we managed to bowl Bexley out for 78 in 36.2 overs.

After a good win against local rivals, good contributions in all departments, it was the skipper who was crowned Man Of The Match with 38 off 39 balls seeing us to a defendable total (that is why this match report is longer than the list of things Jake was fined for)