Goodwill 195 all out 39 overs. SJFCC 196 for 2 off 27
After the hot, sticky and bad tempered events of June 3rd, June 10th was just hot and sticky, which as many of you know, is just how I like it.
Stand-in skipper and fetlock hampered wicketkeeper/Chairman Hoskins Snr informed the 9 of us that were there that we were fielding, and we were eventually joined by Balinder and Sunday Debutant Dhiren who were delayed by their participation in the St Albans Half Marathon. Anyone willing to participate in a half Marathon before a cricket match would not normally be a good physical fit for the Fishers but when it turned out they’d just been sat in air conditioned cars watching the runners pass by, we realised they were Fishermen good and true. Balinder also had half a ton of curry in his boot, but more of that anon.
Opening the bowling Jithin and Dhiren were difficult to play with a combination of pacey accuracy from the former and well landed ( eventually ) leg spin from the latter.
John Walmsley bowled with his usual intelligence and had their opener dismissed by a clever slower ball. Nursey served up his usual mix of disgraceful leg side full toss filth and some decent balls that shaved the off stump but didn’t have any luck with possible catches and stumpings until finally being rewarded with a wicket when their no 11 flashed at a wide ball and nicked it with the flapping loose rubber toe guard of his bat.
Mel Boughton Bought himself a wicket with another disgraceful ball and Vinny also posed many problems at the other end with some terrific seamers.
Some great death bowling from Jithin and John meant that Goodwill marginally failed to use up their overs and 195 of 39 looked very gettable on a thoroughly decent wicket.
Alas, Goodwill today were very much a batting side and the Mighty fishers made short work of their total, romping home with 13 overs and 6 wickets to spare.
Mel opened and played a resolutely characteristic 20 over 15, which included a most uncharacteristic couple of crunching cover drives for 4.
Bal played an entertaining cameo of 18 batting at no2, and then Andrew Watson continued his tremendous season with the bat with a 24 ball 50.
Hoskins pulled an already tender calf almost as soon as he went out there but used a succession of runners to reach an impressive 39 in partnership with Dave summers who added a brisk 40 odd to his 70 last week.
Goodwill were never really in the 2nd half of the game and spent half the innings searching for balls that Summers and Watson had hit into the nearby Heartswood forest.
A final word for Bal and his excellent tea. His Home cooked Tandoori Chicken and Keema Lamb wraps were just excellent although it was all too much for one of the oppo who sat in the corner with a face that screamed ‘why cant I just have a fucking cheese sandwich and a slice of Battenburg’.
Well Played Fishers, Bring on the tour next weekend and let us be avenged of Abingdon Vale.
Nursey
