SCORECARD

To Turg Or Not To Turg? There Is No Question About It

Fitmen 132-5 beat Atherstone 131 by 5 wickets


Run rates for the hosts and the Fitmen of 3.3 and 3.8 respectively showed that fluency, simple stroke play and boundaries were not the order of the day but slower balls, full balls and balls that move a foot from outside off and clip the top of leg most certainly were (I'm not bitter).

A strong 9 picked by Captain Butch turned up to the beautiful setting of Atherstone with its open fields in one direction, council estate in another and glue factory in the other with time to spare to enjoy the much needed sunshine. The long stroll out into the middle to inspect the damp sticky wicket led Butch to plead for a win of the toss. This was swiftly loss yet the hosts decided that batting first would be a good idea.

With only 1 seamer ready to play at 2pm, Shah opened the bowling with a line, length and movement in his first game of 2013 showing that nets are for idiots. Sharif opened from the other end while Guy and Raj pottered around in the changing room for a good 4 overs. By the time they made their way on to the pitch, Sharif had found the perfect length for the wicket, mixing the pace up with great aplomb on his way to extremely impressive figures of 8-2-19-4.

The young Atherstone batting line up were put on the back foot straight away by the Fitmen, continually losing wickets and being forced to slow the run rate down to extremely dull levels. Guy and Chas were soon on to continue taking wickets, backed up the occasional bit of fielding when required. It certainly wasn't spectator cricket. With the score at 50 odd for 6, the sensible batting heads were refitted and some very defensive but partnership building batting continued. The stickiness of the wicket and the determination of the late order batsmen didn't help Nutter as the hosts knocked the ball around to gain some much needed runs.

Guy and Shah were brought back on for the last 8 overs, continuing the impeccable bowling and taking 5 wickets between them in the process, including 2 slower ball wickets from Guy making the humungous swings from the batsmen look even more ridiculous. Atherstone finishing on 131 all out with 2 balls remaining. An easy total you say?

It wasn't until the tea break that the Fitmen realised that Shah had somehow managed to bowl 10 overs instead of the customary 8. We weren't complaining. The tea wasn't quite up to Fitmen standards but was wolfed down all the same ready for a solid batting performance and a large win...

As turgidity was the order of the day, it made sense to put Turg Jr in to open and bat through the innings, looking to peak at a strikerate of 50. Unfortunately the bowler had other ideas, unleashing his best ball of the innings first up, pitching outside off and moving like nobodys business to hit leg stump. Game over, 0 points in the field, -10 batting. Could not be worse. Oh and £7.

Rob and Tahir however started to put together a solid partnership, seeing away the bad ball and playing true against the rest on a wicket that hadn't really dried up despite the beautiful weather. The slow but solid run rate continued despite Mr T chipping to covers having looked immovable.

Suicide calling from one party lead to another party being run out, and Raj was looking good until the double bouncing slow ball so cruelly took his wicket. Butcher continued in a controlled manner, stroking/swatting 6 boundaries on his way to a match winning 57, along with 2 catches (87 points) which meant not putting him in your fantasy team was an horrendous mistake.

Chas kept the other end going, knocking the ball hither and thither, until Mark tried to finish with a big shot, skying it to mid on. A no ball to Tuckerrrr left 1 to win with Umpire Turg Jr refusing to give the following 2 wides as wides as "that's not how cricket should be one" (imagine Boycott saying it). Alas, the third just went a bit too far and Atherstone were put out of their misery, the Fitmen winning by 5 wickets.

5 wins out of 6 games shows a good start to the season and hopefully back on to winning ways.

Next games: WMD @ Home (22nd May) and Newbold Away (26th May)