And what would you say to a nice cup of tea Father?

The day after a baptism that saw Bayshill’s Jimmy Soggy Anderson bouncing like a baby on a bouncy castle.  Bayshill CC travelled up the road, up the hill to Ullenwood and to a bowl of a picturesque ground on Crickley hill.

Ullenwood kindly stepped up to host the Bays this week due to a fixture change, and on a day where many predicted it would be rained off, the cricketing gods smiled down on us.  And the ground remained dry.

30 over game, Bays to bat first with the Chris’s to open with a Crazy Toffee combo. 
Two maidens started the match as the two veterans buckled down in effort to learn how the tricky pitch was behaving.  In the fourth over though, the pitch unfortunately behaved very badly for Crazy.  A full pitched delivery that exploded off the deck and hit the splice of his blade.  The ball squirmed up and found its way to Shan who took a simple catch at midweek.

Angus, (a batter this week – yep you guessed it, youth players featured in Ullenwood’s lineup today) came in at 3.  Getting his head down with elbow high as he played through the V early on in his innings.

At the other end Toffee was digging in too, getting off the mark with a fine four which raced away to the long on boundary.  Angus joined in with the boundaries with a textbook cover drive before hitting a lovely lofted straight drive, back over the bowlers head for four.  Not to be outdone, Toffee hit a majestic six on the leg side and the very next ball, a tenacious four through extra cover. 

With regular bowling changes on a tricky deck these two were building nicely.  However, one bowling change turned out to be a stroke of genius for Ullenwood and new bowler Ross had Angus caught behind second ball.  Departing for 18 with the score 44-2 off 12.2.

Steve P – skipper and founder of the Unofficial Chappers shirts and memorabilia fan club, waltzed in at 4.  Relieved Angus wasn’t able to get a third consecutive 50. “Dinner table bragging rights” is a serious affair. He got off the mark with a boundary further showing that Bayzball is the way to play. 

Old Pritchers and Toffee continued their good form with the blade as they picked up where they both left off last week.  And rotated the strike with good sensible running (as hitting the ball up the hill really was a good tactic for trying to get boundaries).  Toffee moved into the 40s and in ruthless style, hit two consecutive fours to bring up his 50 to retire.

Tom in at 5 this week, his first innings since The Boat Inn where no one even remembers his golden, joined Steve at the crease.  The customary batsmen greeting of “hullo, you a’right, wotz eet doin” was routeingly following and Steve P passed on instruction with how Tom should play. “Hit a boundary or get me on strike.” 

Tom decided the former was more his style, and everyone had already seen enough of Steve hogging the strike anyway.  Facing the last ball of the over, he snuck a single before hitting 3 fours in the next over.

This brought Bays’s hundred up in the 24th over. With ruptuoues applause from the crowd as they had just watched England win at Headingly.  A couple of overs later, Steve P, with one final 4 through mid wicket (cow) brought up his 50.  Trudging off retired and fist bumping the incoming enigma that is AVD.

Tom and AVD saw the innings out fortunately not losing another wicket.  There were only two wickets lost in the innings akin to last week.  What is happening at the Bays?

Final score 159

Toffee 50* off 65 – 4 fours 1 six
Steve P 50* off 50 – 6 fours 1 six
Tom 20* off 12 – 3 fours

After teas (of which a bays player forgot to pack his, which led to a domino effect ending with his great cousin buying emergency food for him. Which was then subsequently abandoned as his mother showed up with his forgotten lunch). The Bays took to the field. After thoroughly testing out AVD and his gloves. Did I mention they were brand new?

Ajit and Soggy were thrown the ball and the two set the standard. Ajit with good pace, skiddy seam bowling that caused many a problem for the Ullenwood opening duo of Mezo and Ashor. Soggy, was also enjoying himself and was getting lots of lateral movement. Both bowlers commonly beating the bat and outside edge.

On the tricky deck and the run rate creeping up, more risks by the batters were being chanced. A couple of skiers which unfortunately were put down in the field could have proved costly.

However, fortune came by way of a fielding wicket for the Bays. Mezo glanced one to square leg. Angus gave chase, the batters opted to gamble for a second run. They were unaware of the absolute cannon of an arm Gus possesses. Straight into the gloves (which are new by the way) and the bails were whipped off. One down for 31 in the 8th over, Mezo departing for 19.

Soggy and Singh (over karaoke duos available) finished their six over spells cruelly wicket less and both going for 17 runs each.

The Liley’s replaced them, the new Uncle Nephew combo that is sweeping the Sunday cricket community. Tom was unfortunate to have his first ball dropped, and Jamie continued his remarkable first ball voodoo by forcing another fielding wicket. It was the same man again, Gus with another accurate throw into the (new) gloves and Shan who came in at 3 departed for 7.

As the old saying goes in that wickets are like busses. You wait long enough and multiple come along. Well that was the case here, the very next over Tom found his mark. A couple of inswingers in an attempt to set the batsman up. 4th bowl and away swinger, found the edge and the ball went safely through to the (very new) gloves. Claiming their first wicket! A nice wicket maiden from Tom. And AVD’s purchase completely justified.

Jamie watching keenly, decided that he also wanted a wicket maiden. And that is exactly what he did. A nagging line, increasing the pressure on opener Ashor. He decided he couldn’t get bogged down, and tried to force a boundary. However, a mis timed shot and the ball went straight to skipper Pritchard at square leg. Momentum was swinging in Bays favour. And it wasn’t long before the next breakthrough where Tom clean bowled L. Savorey for a duck with a mean nip backer.

However, this did bring Ullenwoods danger man to the crease in Stenner. The score was 60-5 off 19 overs. Fireworks were going to be needed for the final 11 overs to get the 100 runs Ullenwood need. And Stenner got to work. After being gifted a life line with an LBW which was hitting middle stump, being turned down. He went on to hit 68 runs. Which included 7 fours and 5 sixes.

Rod was the unlucky bowler to take the majority of the onslaught. As the short leg side was targeted, and also a missed stumping which occurred just before a barrage of sixes.

Stenner was finally caught in the deep by Ajit Singh off Eve Saunders bowling. The score at 126. Bays cheering with a sigh of relief led by Roddy.

Going into the final over with 19 needed Eve started to find her rhythm and only went for 5. And Bays won by 14 and I believe the first time at Ullenwood in many a year.

A drink at the clubhouse followed, before a few went back to The Jolly Brewmaster. The old watering hole of the Bays. Where many topics of conversation was discussed. Including a local Massoasue who is sponsoring one of our players this year. As well as how to cook a Steak.

Crazy opts for no seasoning before the pan. Whilst Rod and Tom season heavily before. Thankfully you’ll be pleased to know that all of them baste in the process.

If you’d like to write in your method of cooking steak please get in touch. We’d love to hear them. Next week we’ll be discussing how to cook scrambled eggs.

So what’s next for the Bays. Why it was going to be a T20 at Naunton. But it got rained off. So a home game on Sunday vs Newton Heath. And it will be played at Winchcombe.

Let’s hope the weather holds out!

As always. Come on the bays!