Match report by Colonel Mustard & Junior Reporter Pontifex Maximus – Benedict XVI.
Diplomacy reigned supreme in the minutes leading up to 2pm. Senior Bayshill players (100% anonymous) without guidance from Captain Pierce and Vice Horner, decided to agree with Temple Grafton’s captain. Temple Grafton players were told they’d lost the toss and were fielding, whilst Bays players were told they’d lost the toss and were batting. In truth there was no coin and no toss!
On a placid pitch, Bays lost early wickets relatively cheaply. Capaldi in his second match for the club hit an expansive 29 that included four fours and a well hit six. Pritchard down from his ivory tower, like Horner earlier, just chipped the ball to a fielder and was sent packing to complete one hundred lines by captain Pierce.
‘I must not throw my wicket away!’ X 100
Pierce now steadied the ship with Tom Liley, they took the score from 42 to 124. Pierce finally falling having reached 40. Steve Liley then joined Tom, to push the score to 173, before falling for 15. Tom top scored with a measured 60, caught off Bilbur’s bowling. The total set being 190.
Temple Grafton began with a decent strike rate, reaching 39 off the first five with the loss of just one wicket, bowled by Alex Harding. An inquisitive buzzard had a quick look at the game having drifted in over developing fields of wheat and azure borage. Buteo Buteo came the crack throated cry from the blue, but the runs nevertheless kept coming.
Nobby withdrew his bruised (see last week’s report) hand from a rasping ball. The raptor was gone and only 2 wickets down – the second clean bowled by Paul Soggy Saunders. More runs and more anguish for the Bays. Only 2 more wickets fell to Virtual Pipe Smokers’ catches (Horner and Liley S) one bowled by Tom Liley and one by Capaldi. Temple Grafton cruised home with 4 overs or so left. So ended a competitive but friendly game.
After match drinks were had at the beautiful ground before the players made their ways home. Another loss, another day…no new injuries though.?
Bayshill 190/7
Capaldi 29/21 four 4s& one 6
Pierce 40/49 6&0
Liley T 60/70 8&0
Kirk 7/1/48/2
Russel 7/3/20/2
Bilbur 2/0/9/2
Temple Grafton 191/4
Atherton C 51
Thorpe A 27
Conway J 21
Young I 21
Liley T 2/0/12/1
Capaldi 6/2/24/1
Harding A 4/0/25/1
Saunders 5.4/0/21/1
Horner 1 and Liley S 1 catch