Detail: 17-05-2015 - Shackleford Part 1

Result: Won by 5 wkts
Blues 127-5 (Metson 52 No) beat Shackleford 125 all out (Rooke 5-46) by 5 wickets


The Blues maintained their early season form thanks for a maiden 5 wicket haul (all bowled) from Rooke and an undefeated 50 from Stevie M.


Asked to field first in bowler friendly conditions, the Blues did not get off to an auspicious start. Drinky, the current Stallion in the Blues fast bowling stable, pulled a hammy early in his spell, whilst at the other end, coming up the hill into the wind, Rooke - the carthorse - was taking some serious tap from Shackleford's South African opener. The home team were 40-0 off the first 6.

The match turned in the Blues favour when Rooke shelled a regulation catch off his own bowling. Rather than letting his head drop he came back stronger and marginally less slow, bowling an inspired over in which he castled the other opener, the no.3 and the no.5 in the space of 4 balls. At 50-3 the Blues were in the game. The injured Drinky was replaced by Corcoran, steaming in down the hill. The Balham express was bowling to a plan - short and fast - but it was one with which the Shackleford opener was unfortunately familiar, as the netting protecting the new housing development at long leg was submitted to a sustained and brutal assault - the score ticked on.

At the other end Rooke had worked up a real head of steam, now bowling genuine medium pace, he knocked over the No.5 before, joy of joy, finally getting his man from SA with one which moved back up the slope. Now Corcoran joined the party enticing the no 6 in to a wild swipe, the resulting steepler was pouched by Cormac with consumate ease and the Blues were into the tail. Remembering the strength of Shackelford's tail from past experience, captain Ellen made a daring double change, replacing the tiring Rooke with Zubee and bringing himself on for the Balham Bike (who clearly had a puncture). Zubes artfully tied down an end, whilst Ellen was able to extract pace, bounce and movement where Corcoran had found nothing to take 3 quick wickets in a couple of overs. When Appleton spun one through the gate of the No.11 Shackleford were all out for 125 and there was still 45 minutes to go until tea.

Tink and SeaBass opened the batting for the Blues. Tink set out his stall early doors, cutting boundaries off the first 2 balls. Unfortunately the dasher from New South Wales was soon beaten by a good one, and when Zubee in at 3 departed after a couple of beautiful boundaries, the Blues were wobbling at 20-2. Sea Bass and Appleton steadied the ship, both playing with authority to guide the Blues through to calmer waters of 45-2 at tea.

Unfortunately a big tea proved to be the beating of SeaBass, who departed on resumption for a well compiled 22. Appleton also lost concentration and departed in the next over and when Cormac was also castled the Blues were in a hole at 55-5. Metson and Corcoran have dug the Blues out of many a hole in their time and there was no sense of panic from the engine house of the Blues batting line up. Metson is in sublime form at the moment, on the back of a 100 vs the Crossbats, he motored to 50, unfurling his full repertoire of attacking shots. Corcoran's principal objective whenever he bats is to finish with "Not Out" against his name in the scorebook and so he is custom made for this situation. In the end the Blues won at a canter and the Shackleford BBQ was fired up by 6pm for a celebratory sausage.

Well played all and thanks as ever to Shackleford for an excellent tea and a lovely BBQ. Always a friendly place to play cricket.

The score book was AWOL for this game so, for the sake of the stats, the pertinent facts are as follows:

Bowling: Drink 0-34, Rooke 5-46; Corcoran 1-36; Ellen 3-3; Ahmed 0-11; Appleton 1-1.
Catches: Rooke, Cormac
Batting: Tink 13, SeaBass 22, Zubee 10, Appleton 13, Cormac 1, Metson 52 No, Corcoran 13 No.

[updated 29 05 2015]