Ev writes :
The Winford ground looked lovely in the June sunshine. It was easy to forget this was an away game, Winford being our old patch, and indeed at least one cowboy marched into the opposition (home) changing room on arrival by mistake.
As Iggy strolled out for the coin toss with the Serendip skipper, the Red Arrows aerial display team appeared over the horizon and looped the loop and billowed smoke directly above us. This caused Iggy to call incorrectly and Serendip opted to bat first.
The pitch had been baked hard in the recent hot spell and looked flat enough. However it was soon apparent that there were a few demons present, particularly at the bottom end on a good length. Tim, bowling down the slope exploited this well, bowling full and getting bounce, and with Ollie stood up, had the batsmen pinned back right from the off.
Coming up the hill, once he found his range, Rob too found bounce from a length. After passing the bat a few times a big edge flew straight into Ollies gloves but the batsman chose not to walk. A few balls later same bat mistimed one high to Iggy at mid off, who took the catch (the first of 3 taken by Iggy), albeit with a look of utter terror on his face.
Tim bowled 2 or perhaps 3 with Yorker length balls which dipped late due to Tim doing something mysterious with his fingers on delivery. Whatever it was it worked.
Kalu took over from Rob and got bounce and some turn. Serendip had lost wickets regularly and the only batsman who had stuck around long enough to get himself in was a left hander who was now enjoying himself, the ball being softer and doing less, and was hitting boundaries around the ground.
There followed a stubborn 9th wicket partnership. The left hander farming the strike and their number 10 scoring the occasional streaky boundary. Samad eventually had the left hand caught pulling a short one to deep square leg, Rob taking the catch low down and winning the cider moment in the process. Shortly after Samad cleaned up the last man as well and Cowboys had bowled out Serendip for 117 somewhere around the 25 over mark.
Tea was generic, lifted a bit by Kiplings Bakewell tarts, mmm, my favourite.
Evan and Ahad opened in reply. Now the pitch was much easier, and other than some mild controversy around a suspect bowling action the innings proceeded unremarkably, and perhaps a little boringly apart from the odd stroke from Ahad.
As Iggy strolled out for the coin toss with the Serendip skipper, the Red Arrows aerial display team appeared over the horizon and looped the loop and billowed smoke directly above us. This caused Iggy to call incorrectly and Serendip opted to bat first.
The pitch had been baked hard in the recent hot spell and looked flat enough. However it was soon apparent that there were a few demons present, particularly at the bottom end on a good length. Tim, bowling down the slope exploited this well, bowling full and getting bounce, and with Ollie stood up, had the batsmen pinned back right from the off.
Coming up the hill, once he found his range, Rob too found bounce from a length. After passing the bat a few times a big edge flew straight into Ollies gloves but the batsman chose not to walk. A few balls later same bat mistimed one high to Iggy at mid off, who took the catch (the first of 3 taken by Iggy), albeit with a look of utter terror on his face.
Tim bowled 2 or perhaps 3 with Yorker length balls which dipped late due to Tim doing something mysterious with his fingers on delivery. Whatever it was it worked.
Kalu took over from Rob and got bounce and some turn. Serendip had lost wickets regularly and the only batsman who had stuck around long enough to get himself in was a left hander who was now enjoying himself, the ball being softer and doing less, and was hitting boundaries around the ground.
There followed a stubborn 9th wicket partnership. The left hander farming the strike and their number 10 scoring the occasional streaky boundary. Samad eventually had the left hand caught pulling a short one to deep square leg, Rob taking the catch low down and winning the cider moment in the process. Shortly after Samad cleaned up the last man as well and Cowboys had bowled out Serendip for 117 somewhere around the 25 over mark.
Tea was generic, lifted a bit by Kiplings Bakewell tarts, mmm, my favourite.
Evan and Ahad opened in reply. Now the pitch was much easier, and other than some mild controversy around a suspect bowling action the innings proceeded unremarkably, and perhaps a little boringly apart from the odd stroke from Ahad.
The openers had put on 60 when to the relief of those watching, Evan had a slog across the line and was bowled for 27, just as the Red Arrows reappeared over the trees.
Ahad picked up the pace a little now, playing some deft wristy strokes, and some hard slapped straight drives. After playing a few shots Dave T had a go at a wide one and played on. Simon played too early at a short one and was bowled.
Ahad and Ange saw us home, Ange unselfishly refusing runs so that Ahad might reach his half century before the target was achieved. But when Ahad hit the winning runs with a 4 behind square he had made 46 not out. Cowboys winning by 7 wickets not much after 6pm.
Steveo provided some cold beers and we voted Tim man of the match for his excellent opening spell.
Ahad picked up the pace a little now, playing some deft wristy strokes, and some hard slapped straight drives. After playing a few shots Dave T had a go at a wide one and played on. Simon played too early at a short one and was bowled.
Ahad and Ange saw us home, Ange unselfishly refusing runs so that Ahad might reach his half century before the target was achieved. But when Ahad hit the winning runs with a 4 behind square he had made 46 not out. Cowboys winning by 7 wickets not much after 6pm.
Steveo provided some cold beers and we voted Tim man of the match for his excellent opening spell.
Scorecard
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