Both batsmen attacked RT1 and MattD's opening overs, the ball racing off the bat across the dry turf faster than the sports cars on Lansdown Road, the score advancing at a run a ball. Skipper Ben turned to Asad and Kalu to try to apply the brakes, the former, while accurate, giving the batsmen ball speed to utilise, the latter's flight and loop requiring them to work harder for their runs. It was Kalu who eventually broke the century opening partnership with a successful LBW appeal and without the score advancing he bowled the No.3 for a duck. Asad's good line was finally rewarded when he claimed the scalp of the remaining opener, LBW for 68, but on 139-3 the opposition had only used up around half of their overs with more batting strength to come.
Vociferously urged on in the field by 2nd XI skipper on secondment Jefferty, the Cowboys struggled to keep a lid on the simmering Bath innings. It's testament to his indomitable spirit that his chirruping remained undiminished earlier after spilling a tricky chance that he did well to get to. Kalu remained remarkably economical and had the opposition at 169-4 when he struck for the third time, inducing the batsman to pop a catch to Justin.
With Ange and others behind and in front of the wicket working hard to cut off boundaries, the next partnership amassed a half century together as the Landlord attempted to evict them. Mercifully, notice was served and executed the ball after being launched in the direction and altitude of the water tower, when this time it evaded the heave and hit the stumps: 224-5. Ev too toiled to prevent the run-a-ball progress, succeeding by a whisker but unable to prise the batsmen out. MattD had a second spell, RT1 didn't and in the last few overs as the ball travelled aerially, Ben bagged a couple of good catches, the first of which was worthy of a scrumpy moment vote or two. The battering ceased after 40 overs with the score on 271-7.
Tea appeared as if it had been magicked by Bath Cricket Teas Inc. and heavily comprised these wraps that they have now. Bread is so passé in Bath. There was also a bowl of pork things that coach and sidelined skipper Iggy was seen stuffing into his face when he thought nobody was looking and the remains of a watermelon last seen in a field in Stanton Drew.
Ev and Ange set about chasing down the total, the former finding a couple of early boundaries on a pitch that seemed to offer little assistance to the bowler, except for the ball's tendency to die and keep low outside off stump. Perhaps receiving one that didn't, Ev was caught in the gully before Ange had got off the mark, the bowler rewarded by being replaced at the knob end by his skipper. Ben defended while Ange played himself in then attacked the second change bowler, the runs not quite up with the required rate, but on the way there. When Ben's defences were breached and one got through to bowl him, the less able defenders in the batting line-up took cautious note but when Asad fell the next ball in the same manner, they collectvely gulped.
Justin strode out at 38-3 to take on the hat-trick ball and associated chatter, survived and set about reconstructive surgery on the innings. Ten runs later, after hitting several boundaries, Ange was also bowled from the same end, bringing Kalu to the wicket to face the music: It wasn't to his liking and forcing a drive he snicked his second ball to the keeper: 49-5. Barney's batting baptism for the team could hardly have been less comfortable as the opposition's confidence grew and the total trickled past fifty, then, eager for a run when Justin wasn't, he was run out by a well-drilled arm. 58-6 became 62-7 when Justin was bowled to become the Bath skipper's fifth victim with the Cowboys still two hundred runs adrift. Seemingly undaunted, MattD faced five balls, hit two of them for four and the last down the throat of long-off.
Jefferty and the Landlord held up the inevitable, blocking, swishing and sweeping their way to the highest partnership of the innings, the former surviving more balls than any of his predecessors until caught for 16 by the greedy opposition captain who was to have a hand in eight of the ten dismissals, the last of whom was RT1 who surely bats better wearing his underwear over his outerwear. The Landlord remained theoretically undefeated on 16 as the Cowboys were all out for 118 in the 23rd over.
On a day devoid of much amusement, except for Jefferty's sartorial elegance / anorexic Billy Bunter impression, Ben's catch was possibly the Cider Moment and Kalu's bowling the only performance that merited the Man of the Match vote. Everyone was fined for being rubbish, except blameless scorer Erica and several brave supporters who'd already suffered enough.
Scorecard
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