Detail: 09-07-2010 - Tour
Result:
==Friday==
15:00 Train from Waterloo (10 tickets booked)
18.00 Arrival
==Saturday==
14.00 Match v Alderney
==Sunday==
10.30 20/20 Match
13.30 & 16.00 Departure
Travelling Squad:
Tom Ellen (train)
Michael Corcoran (t)
Guy Freeman (t)
Martin Corcoran (t)
Matt Fitzgerald (t)
Gary Cullinan (t)
Marcus jansa (t)
Tom Jordan (t)
Steve Metson
Richard Mullett (sub George Whelan)
Zubair Ahmed
Nick Clark (t)
Paul Whelan
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Saturday 10th - 40 Overs - Blues CC won by 17 Runs
Sunday 11th - 20 Overs - Blues CC won by 5 wickets
Blues whitewash Alderney CC ........and amaze themselves with numerous
stunning catches!!!!!!!
In Idyllic conditions and picture postcard scenery, the Blues made their way up the hill to the magnificent setting of Alderney CC at 2pm last Saturday for the 40 over edition of the double header over the weekend.
The lads were fresh having just been for a morning swim off Saye beach in the chilly sea and having sampled the delights of Alderney hospitality the night before. Firstly with a great bbq, kindly hosted by Michael and Jane Ellen at their home and then on to the Albert pub, where cider/wine was discovered by the squad for the first time!! This was followed by a late night of singing (don't interrupt me zubee!!) in the 'Lights', which round off a great introduction to Alderney.
Skips, for the weekend, lost the toss and the Blues were put in to bat with Sir Ellen stating this was the strongest "top 6" the Blues could field.......well apart from a patient and cultured 62 from Marcus Jansa and a stuttering 34 from Guy Freeman ......it was not pretty!!! On a wicket/pitch that a par was 250, the blues scrapped to 205, with Zubee (35) cajoling the tail with is peculiar calling/running between the wicket techniques.
With the heat of the day fading, nick Clarke started by bowling 2 overs of half trackers from one end and Guy Freeman bowling 2 overs of full tosses from the other........... and amazingly the opposition were 10 for 3 (great catch by Metto in there)!!!
The Blues renewed vigour slowly ebbed away as the oppo put on 100+ partnership, but then the liquorice assorts bowling of Zubee and the mercurial Mitch Corcoran swung the momentum back the Blues way and with some stunning catches (Mitch hung on to 4 catches, including a spectacular diving one hander on the boundary) Alderney were reduced to 160 - 9. With
victory in sight we almost chucked it away but needless to say the final wicket was taken to much celebration on 188.....a classic 17 run victory!!!
The Saturday night in Alderney will be remembered fondly for sunset beers on the pavilion balcony, orange and green cocktails in Belle Vue, the rocket fuel cider/wine in Alberts, the police taxi service and 'that' bench!!
Most importantly Elton John's timeless classic 'I guess why they call US the Blues' was adopted as our anthem of choice on the juke box in the Albert!!!!
With flights to catch, 10.30am start on Sunday was necessary for the 20 over edition of the double header.......and the squad looked rotten (Jansa never recovered) at 10.29am!!!
With skips winning the toss and choosing to field, meant needing to galvanise the boys into action. So leading from the front Skips took a couple of smart slip catches off clarkey and the Blues were back in the groove. The troops responded brilliantly (except for an unfortunate incident when clarkey walked away from a high catch on the boundary from
their best batsman as he was taking control of the game.......thanks Tom Jordan for saving his blushes with a smart stumping next ball off essentially a wide from Zubee!) with Mitch taking another crucial 3 wickets and Guy (3 wickets) mopping up the tall, Alderney were all out for 133.....
Metto and Tom Ellen launched the response with a solid 45 opening partnership in 6 overs. After a little wobble losing 4 quick wickets, skips (56) and guy (28) steadied the ship and essentially took the Blues to their second victory in two days with 3 overs to spare and winning by 5 wickets....
My personal thanks to Tom Ellen for organising the whole trip (and his folks for hosting the friday night bbq), to the whole squad who were legendary on and off the field the entire time, Alderney CC for being great hosts and the people of Alderney....for putting up with us!!!!
Top touring......
Skips....for the weekend
Fitzy
[updated 15 12 2010]