SJFCC 182/7 (40 overs)
Caddington CC 65 all out (31 overs)
Top performers:
A Watson – 42 runs, 2 wickets
S Gibb – 43 runs
S Nurse – 3 wickets
On a notoriously low-scoring ground with a weeks’ growth left on the outfield, Fishers batted first and began in uncharacteristic fashion as Cormack and Gibb built a solid opening partnership of 76 runs from the first 21 overs. Almost exactly what had been requested by Skipper Bungle and delighting the dot-watchers among the crowd, the Caddington team were made to toil under a hot sun. By the drinks break batsmen numbers 3 and 4 were growing increasingly tense for different reasons – number 3 (Hazon) had expected to be in and out by this time and number 4 (Watson) was grumbling about the scoring rate. So, true to fashion, when Gibb fell to a straightforward catch at mid-off, Hazon walked in to swish at a straight ball and be given LBW, then Watson entered to hit 42 from 35 balls. Watson had 4 different batting partners with Cormack eventually succumbing to the heat (and the 3 layers he chose to wear), followed by 14 from Hoskins and two ducks (Bungle and Appleton). The innings was finished by Hargreaves and Sasi who added 34 in 28 balls, setting Caddington a daunting 183 to win.
Fishers’ bowling began as their batting had finished – in quick fashion, with Hargreaves and Sasi opening. 5 of the first 6 overs were maidens, with Caddington struggling on 2/1 at the first change. Nursey came on to try and tempt the young batsmen to take a drive, although this came from Hazon’s bowling with a catch taken at… this can’t be right… at first slip? Well anyway, the slip catcher Wilkinson replaced Nurse and the scoring continued to be slow. Then came possibly the most obvious lie since Fishers were told “I haven’t bowled a wide since 1976” – Appleton came over to bowl “for the first time in 17 years” and zipped one past the batsman’s gloves. With a maiden over to begin with, wickets started to fall with Nurse returning to take 3 quick scalps and Appleton getting just reward for some excellent bowling, grabbing a wicket on Fishers debut. Watson, again unhappy with the scoring rate, came on to give away 16 runs from his 2 overs, but also picked up 2 wickets as he and Hazon mopped up the tail. Fishers won by 117 runs.
Stats time, with some remarkable bowling figures in this match – 3 bowlers’ economy rates ended below one run per over. Out of the 31 overs bowled, 17 were maidens (extras excluded). 5-3-6-3 and 6-4-2-2 stand out in particular
