Detail: 03-07-2016 - Odiham


Result: Won by 94 runs
Blues defeat Odiham - Great ton from Rolfe. In one game he leads the batting for this year!

Seldom have the Blues arrived at a fixture so under-resourced or late. At the appointed start time of 2pm there was Ronnie sinking a pint at the bar and Metson trying in vain to convince the only adult player Odiham had lent us, to open the batting. Undeterred and under immense mental pressure Metson was duly caught behind by a medium paced 15 year old and completely outshone by his opening partner - the 13 year old Zach. It was not until Messrs Rolfe and Freeman arrived at 2.45 and swiftly padded up, that the Blues fortunes changed. A hundred partnership was swiftly racked up and the batting was reminiscent of the great West Indies team of yester year. Freeman fell after an excellent fifty (ish). (Odiham may have an electronic scoreboard but they regularly failed to distinguish between the two blues stalwarts) Rolfe went on to make an outstanding and well deserved 113. He struggled much less with the bowling than he did to convince the rather confident 12 year old to stop hogging the strike - not dissimilar to Tom Rooke in the early 90s! Blues ended on 213 for 4 off 35 overs.

After an excellent tea - when is it not? and excellent chat from Mullett - when is it not? the Blues took to the field. Mullett and Zubs opened the bowling with impressive spells which produced a wicket a piece. The wickets continued to tumble and Odiham must have cursed their generosity as between them the four loaned players kept wicket tidily and took six wickets! A particular highlight was young state educated Jamie bowling out the head of the local private school and Odiham captain. Lee also came to the party and took a wicket in his short spell. In short it was a dream Blues performance. The game finished with Odiham all out for 119.

Metto

[updated 10 07 2016]