Detail: 05-05-2013 - Shackleford
Result: W by 71 runs
Blues 164 all out beat Shackleford 93 all out by 71 runs
The Blues held eight (8!) catches, including an earlier contender for champagne moment of the season from Rich Clark, as part of an outstanding bowling and fielding display.
Early season enthusiasm was in evidence as all 11 Blues players were present and correct at 1345. Put into bat on the ever lively Shackleford pitch, the Blues recovered from the early loss of Das (1) , to motor to 70 for 1 in 15 overs, with Metson (38) and Wilson (28) batting comfortably, punishing the bad and defending stoutly when required. Everything looked so easy, the mood in the pavilion was relaxed, 200 was the minimum target. Metson played another of his exquisite late cuts, unfortunately middling it straight into his off stump..Wilson followed suit playing on via bottom edged a hook. 70-4 - don't worry we've got Rich Clark (0) at 4 and Freeman (0) at 5. 70-4 becomes 70-6, pads are flying around in the changing room and wives forced away from picnics for emergency throw down sessions. Corcoran (7) strides out vowing to drop anchor, before hooking one for six and slapping a full toss straight back to the bowler. Nick Clark (1) and Zubes Ahmed (0) are cleaned up, the Blues have an hour until tea and its 85-8..perfect.
Luckily these days the Blues bat down to 11, Andy (34) played a gem of a counter attacking innings, dispatching anything with width, whilst Mullet (12) proved Aidan Liddell's adage that "no.11 is a very important place in the batting order" defending watchfully and occupying the crease long enough to help Ellen (22no) nurse the total along to a more respectable 164 all out.
Andy and Ellen opened the bowling for the Blues, Andy combining bounce with a large amount of away swing and therefore being virtually impossible to get a bat on, Ellen bowling a nagging outside leg stump line that was also pretty much unplayable. A couple of sharp chances went down as did a few soft ones..164 seemed inadequate. Then Ahmed intervened, clinging on to one in the covers?30-1. That gave our first change bowlers, Mullet (4-25) and Freeman (2-20) the incentive that they needed to rip through Shackleford's middle order. Both bowled beautiful spells..Freeman off one pace, generating bounce and away swing had the no.3 caught in front and the key wicket of their no.6 caught by a sprawling Nick Clark at point. Mullet bowled with unerring accuracy and was helped by some wonderful catching from Das behind the stumps and memorably from Rich Clark, taking a low one in the slips and then a stunning one handed effort at midwicket. It was left for Nick Clark (2-12) to mop up, taking a wicket with his first ball, a rank long hop, pulled hard to brother Rich a deep square leg - another golden Blues cricket moment from the Clark family. Zubes took the final wicket, show casing his new medium pace, clean bowling the number 11 and Shackleford were bundled out for 98.
A wonderful day was rounded off by a rare appearance from club president Paul Whelan in the post match changing room to present Zubair Ahmed with the Presidents trophy for the player of the year 2012?A happy day indeed.
[updated 09 09 2013]