SCORECARD

Fitmen v Lapworth CC
Home @ The Britannic Park
Sunday Match – 30 Overs Per Innings


Pre Match

29th July 2020, the last time the Fitmen had won a cricket match (4 wickets v Mermaids), and so after no win in 7, a return to the Britannic awaits following a reminder from Uncle Mo that there is a 100 ball cricket competition at The Graveyard meaning a temporary home venue change.

With that, no covers are available nor a bar – is this really cricket? No, not until the weather has its say, despite a 30% chance of rain from our own WM Weatherman Waseem. Never listen to the weather reporter as the 30% became 100% for a good hour and a half, leading to a push back in the start time and reduction of overs per innings (40 to 30 overs each).

The proposed strip that was to be used, soon became unplayable as the spongey-ness was now a damp mud-pit making in a hazardous problem for both batting and bowling. A desperate alternative was needed and it would be found 3 strips down and closer to the boundary and with a quick call between the skipper (Chas for the day) and Olly – we had a break in not just the weather but in the playing surface. Game on!

Our very own Picasso, Adrian Martin rambled through the club shed to find a tub of white paint and a stick to mark out a new batting crease and boy did he – I’d say it was at least 2.5 inches thick in a slap dash way that would lead to that same line remaining until the 2022 season, a very thorough line


Toss

Lapworth Skipper James, called Heads – landed as Tails

Chas looking at the skies for inspiration decided to field – Wise decision.


Bowling

Now with a short boundary to protect, batters would obviously target this while bowlers would quiver at its sight.

Waseem duly prompting the opening batsman to try and find the boundary, skied one high but landing safely in Chas’ unorthodox catching technique (the bottom hand fingers down and the upper hand fingers up – quite effective either way).

Good start! Waseem’s first ball of his spell went for 4 but after that only conceded 5 runs in his next 3.5 overs, which was a superb effort (4 Overs 9 runs 1 wicket).

His bowling partner, Sunny was effective but unlucky not to get a LBW call go his way, but he had great control with the ball and in his 5 overs, went for 16 but no wickets today.

This bought on the first lot of changes in Sam “I need an over to get back in the swing of things” Lockyer, who with his ball got a wicket, and another in the first of his come back over. 5 overs 2 for 19 in his two spells of devastating bowling that would make England’s greatest Anderson and Broad weep.

Adrian on the other hand was unlucky to;
- Bowl uphill for 6 overs on the trot – How ye ankles?
- With a short boundary
- Against an aggressive batsman looking to take advantage of said boundary
- Have enough clout to actually make it count

Punishing spell for Adrian to finish off with 6 overs going for 36 runs and no wickets.

Needing more control, Chas bought himself on having lost BOWLER Fraz to cry off and negating responsibility to be a team player, bowled and got the key man out which possibly turned the game in Fitmen’s favour. Just the two overs from skip – 1 for 5 runs. Tidy.

What followed was a vintage Fitman fielding performance that saw 4 catches from Stevie Nicks which was so good* that he chested one catch into his hand and kneed the other.

*This may will be unplanned with a stroke of luck

Mo and Fraz with a run out each and still enough time for Ian Nutt to turn the screw with an excellent bowling spell of 2 wickets in his 4 overs at the cost of just 5 runs.

Uncle Mo turned his arm over for the first time of the season to take a wicket in his 2 overs for NO RUNS. Wicket Maiden, Maiden is always nice to see in the scorebook.

This allowed for bowling cameo from Simon Howarth to step up for 4 deliveries and claim the last Lapworth wicket. 99 all out. What could the Fitmen do on the same slow wicket?


Batting

Even before the skipper walked off the playing surface, Fraz was already in his batting pads setting up his camera to record his innings, a tad excited it would appear but it was a shame that the same excitement didn’t transcend into running quick singles as Mo became increasingly frustrated with his much younger batting partner who claimed he was unable to run or words to that affect.

This led Mo to waltz down the pitch in anger but missing the ball to be stumped and advise Fraz what he should or shouldn’t be doing while batting – backing up at the non strikers end being the main one. Mo departed unhappily for 15 bringing Simon to the crease but soon followed after being given LBW for nought.

Fraz by the way was on a 12 ball duck before his first runs but soon made up for lost time, getting 28 runs from his 20 balls before skiing one.

Captain Chas, promoted to 4 came and wasted no time in getting 39 from 24 balls with a number of punishing straight drives with the bowlers, umpires and even his own batting partner being in the firing line on a number of occasions.

It was a shame not to get a half century, falling for a needless run out. 15 needed and Stevie Nicks (8), Richard Bice (3 Not Out) and Adrian (6 Not Out) saw the remaining runs off to clinch a good win for the Fitmen.

A great team effort from everyone involved and also from the opposition who were accommodating with what was available to all of us.