Detail: 11-06-2017 - Warnham
Result: Won by 5 wkts
Allez Les Bleus
Team: Mullett, Zubes, Moore, Das, Brannigan, Youcef, Git, Freeman, plus James & Ian (both on debut and friends of Youcef)
2nd win of the season in fine all-round style?
Following the skippers interest in all things ICC Champions Trophy - each player chose a player who most resembled his skills & this is how their alto-egos performed in this 35 over match:
Fielding first - Glenn Plunkett opened up with 7 excellent overs for 1 wicket?
Debutant James Starc bowled very well too for 5 overs getting also a wicket
Guy Wood followed up with excellent pace and bounce securing another wicket so that by the time drinks were taken at 18 overs Warnham were 50 for 3.
Mention must be made of the Blues overall ground fielding with Youcef Buttler taking 2 wickets, Ian Eoin Morgan catching his first catch and all 10 of us fielding as though we were ready for the semi-finals next week. Youcef deputised superbly for Dhoni Das who took the scenic route on his drive from Portsmouth - i.e. stopped off in a pub to watch India v South Africa so we did not see him until the drinks interval
We then moved to our all spin attack. Zubair Mushrafe lead the way with steady bowling and a stumping by Dhoni Das for his wicket so that the Blues kept the Warnham hitters held back. Alistair Stokes then followed picked up 2 wickets (1 caught by the Skipper - Trevor Bayliss) & 1 stumped and could have had 4. Despite a few more boundaries Warnham never got away from us and once Lee Ali then bowled very tightly at the end of their innings Warnham were restricted to 169 30 below par.
After stuffing down tea - we tucked into the Warnham bowling buffet.
Youcef Root and Dhoni Das opened up with a steady stand of 25 before Youcef was bowled. This meant that Guy Hales came to the crease. With his father & ex-Blue Kevin watching that heavy bat of Guy?s made 2 sweet boundaries until he was bowled by the left arm spinner so we were 40 for 2 after 10 overs.
Enter Zubair Mushrafe who set in for the innings. Once Dhoni Das had gone for a solid 27, Ian Eoin Morgan another debutant and first time cricketer entered to hit his first runs and his flat bat 4 over mid-off was worthy of Eoin himself. Once Ian had departed it was down to James Singh to enter and classily stroked the ball around with Zubair who reached 68 before being caught leaving James Singh and Lee Ali to see us home with 2 overs to spare?
A fine game was celebrated with some fine pints in the Sussex Oak Pub who sponsor Warnham?
Next week we are at Shackleford - look out for Steve?s call to arms!
Best regards to all?
Trevor Bayliss?
[updated 26 11 2017]