Southwick Wanderers Cricket Club

Mayfield v SWCC - Sunday 21st June 2009

On a glorious sunny Sunday all the Wanderers finally turn up after some less than impressive convoy leadership by Jamie (sorry).

Jamie wins another coin toss and chooses to bat on a wicket that, according to the opposition captain, can go either way for the team batting second. Jamie gives John a break from opening and opens with Dave Noakes and Jeremy Preston. Dave finding it difficult to get the ball away in the first over but Jeremy at the other end blasts the ball away for a certain 4 until we find out exactly how far one of the boundries is and they run three to get himself and SWCC off the mark. In the fourth over Dave gets bowled after miss judging a straight ball which bring John to the crease. Jez then opens his shoulders and with great skill and power alone with John playing the same game. After John and Jez seeing off the 2 openers John falls to a great catch on 33 putting on a solid 80 partnership. While all this excitment happening on the pitch Kim waiting to go in, falls through a bench not once but twice giving all waiting batsmen something to keep a smile on our faces. After his acrobats off the pitch Kim goes in bat with Jez just after he fires his way to a great looking 50. After smashing two 4's Jez is finally caught out for a superb 80 bringing in Jamie, possible fireworks? The normal comments to Jamie of just have a look first ring in his ears, so with that his first scoring shot is a towering 6 over the square leg boundary. Mayfields first change bowler T. Robertson keeping his 'end' tight so Jamie and Kim take the runs from the other end until Jamie gets a ball that gets 2 inches off the ground and bowls him bringing Mark 'two shots' Johnson to the crease. Shot 1 gets MJ off the mark but unfortunatly the same shot leaves his back leg standing and he is given LBW. Paul Lincoln comes to the crease and gets a peach of a ball that lifts and moves leaving Paul in too many minds and he edges the ball to the slips. Luke comes in and tries to smash a ball over the infield but miss times it and is caught. At this point 'leg side' Salerno comes out with Gemma now starting to panic as she is next in bat and it would be her first outing with the willow. Kim adds a further 4 to his total before being caught out for 18. Gemma, now qutie excited, strides out in all of Jamie's batting attire (far too big). Knowing how Gemma hates to be surrounded, they crowd the bat putting extra pressure on the batting debutant. Gemma then proceeds to play some the most technical defensive shots ever seen by any Wanderer. Unfortunatly due to the size of the bat and the clossness of the fielders she is caught by silly mid off and almost batters the fielder with the bat. This brings 'Caribean' Dave to the crease and he sees the over out. Taylor at the other end however decides to clatter the ball all over the park with great effect getting himself to 20 before being run out. Wanderers finish on a good total of 197 all out.

After a lovely tea Jamie decides to open the bowling with Paul and Luke. Paul as normal accurate and quick, Luke swinging and accurate. The openers finding it difficult to get them away. After a few trips down the wicket by the batsman John stands up to both Luke and Paul. Paul catches No.1 LBW and Luke bowls the No.2 beautifully. Paul then gets his first stumping of his adult career and hangs his head as he can't believe it. John standing up is an amazing weapon and puts so much pressure on the batsman as he is so damn quick with the gloves. Jez catches the No.3 off Lukes bowling (danger man gone). Paul then takes another wicket before Jamie brings himself on with great speed and keeping most balls on the off side. Finding not much luck with the pace he slows to the now recognised off spin with the odd shooter. The wicket keeper and No.7 plays a stirling innings keeping out a lot and only playing what needs to be played. Dave field comes on with the win in sight but as Mayfield are now playing for the draw he has 3 maidens but with no sign of taking a wicket Jamie changes to Taylor with his extream variety to try and get a wicket. This works as Taylor makes them play false shots the first of his wickets caught by Jamie and the second caught by Jez. Jamie then goes back to out and out pace setting the field for the short ball out side the off stump, deep backward point, deep wide third man, fly slip, slip and a gully. Taylor at deep third man 'misses' the ball and it goes for 4 leaving the No.11 on strike for the returning Luke Smith to clean up. Luke somehow manages to swing the ball around the opposition captains legs and bowls him with 4 balls left in the match. Another exciting win for the mighty Wanderers.