SJFCC 178 (39 overs)
HHTCC 179/3 (34 overs)
Top performers:
A Watson – 94 runs
T Hargreaves – 32 runs
K Cormack – 20 runs
M Boughton – 0 (32 balls)
What a beautiful day. The most gorgeous of sunny May afternoons, the kind of day that will make Fishers’ resident optimist Dr Walmsley fairly burst with positivity. With Fishers batting first, the now-familiar script was followed. A cautious opening partnership between Boughton and the erstwhile Professor of Positivity, Walmsley, ended in the sixth over with the score on 8, when Walmsley was bowled. The horn was sounded, Watson wiped his chin and pointed to the horizon, strode out and knocked everybody all over the place, although he took a shine to one leg spinner. Like a deer caught in Watson’s howitzer blast, the poor bowler was dispatched for 24 in one over. The slow outfield was forgotten as the ball pinged to the boundary, Watsons score of 94 combing from 57 balls and incorporating 15 fours and 3 sixes. When he was finally bowled, Fishers’ total was 116 in the 26th over, meaning the former club chairman had accounted for 81% of the runs scored, having faced only 38% of the bowling (side note: A proven game changer and leader with a consistent record of high performance and improvement, comfortable working both individually and as part of a team, Watson would be an asset to any prospective employer. He’s available for an immediate start). Having finally decided which brand of toilet paper to buy, Cormack arrived from the Co-Op and knocked a characteristically patient 20, with Hargreaves applying himself rather more swash-bucklily and racing to 32. Hargreaves’ wicket spelled the end of Fishers’ innings, however, as the appropriately-named Ruwin returned to the bowling attach to clean up the last 3 wickets in 2 overs. Three ducks were awarded to Boughton, Appleton and Nurse and everybody agreed the total of 178 was unlikely to be enough. But it was such a lovely day.
Maybe too lovely, as Fishers’ bowling fairly wilted in the heat. None of the batsmen seemed to be in any real trouble, reaching the target comfortably. Appleton took a wicket on his return to action, the others going to Hargreaves and Walmsley – the latter of which was notably economical, conceding only 23 in his 8 overs. The rest is just statistics.
