SCORECARD

Old Mo 182 for 9; Newbold on Avon 133 all out
Fitmen win by 49 runs.
It’s always a pleasure to visit Newbold-on-Avon CC. The ground is set adjacent to the River Avon and overlooked by the 15th Century St. Botolph Church and hence the link to the Fitmen (* see the postscript at the foot of this report).

A winning toss (heads by the way - Chas) saw a skipper confident in the assets at his disposal, opt for a bat. An artificial but a dry afternoon in prospect with some cloud cover and a strong breeze blowing towards the Chernobyl alike Cement works end indicated that a score of 200 may required.

The pink ball, a nod to the goings on in Hurst St this weekend, behaved itself and an opening stand of 48 by Tom and Raj (25) saw the ‘pinkie’ lose its sheen. The ‘strip’ was ‘standard’ (a reasonable example of an artificial if you like that sort of thing) though with a decent bounce and enough to keep most bowlers interested.

The Doom Bar in the rugby club was in good condition and England winning despite Japan scoring all three goals with Tanaka popping one past both keepers was a good portent.

Jack (17) and Mark (31) looked like they were going to fill their boots and the 200 looked like it might be a modest estimate. However, poor shot selection (skied pulls were de rigueur) prompted a mini collapse (quelle surprise) only steadied by Chas who deftly avoided a pair notching 17 including a trade mark 6.

Financial Service Guru Knobby K ensured he didn’t use up anyone else’s valuable time at the crease and suddenly the Fitmen were at 115-5 –soon to be 125-6 following Ash’s cameo 15. There were still 10 overs to go, so gritty occupation was the order of the day and use up those overs!

Strickers and Bodice-line bowler Guy didn’t read the script but 23 not out from the skip and sensible batting from the Pipe Smokers Council (defunct – 2004) sponsored Sehdeva meant the revised target of 180 was acheived.....with the final ball of the 40th over.

Possibly enough – but would need some work.

At 41 without loss after 10 the Newbold reply was looking solid. Ash earned the breakthrough at 44 but the seamers looked in for a torrid afternoon.

Cue Stricktly Leg Spinning as the man with the home made action showed why he is famous throughout a small corner of Herefordshire. 3-17 off his 8 showed that it was in fact a day for the slow bowlers.
Highlight of the spell saw the bails whipped off as Medusa behind the stumps transfixed the home skip. If only he’d moved his foot back over the line we may have sympathised later but holding the pose until the entire fielding side had had a gorp isn’t the way to win ‘em over!

The Newbold batsmen decided to bide their time and wait for the return of the pace attack. Unknown to them was the sheer depth of the Fitmen sloth- bowling resources.

Chas employed Inspector Gadget, at short mid on, who made an unconvincing stretch towards a thraped one which stuck and promptly knocked the stuffing out of the middle order.

With Chas’s 1-25 off 8 then financial supremo Knobby K’s 3-23 off 6 the game looked up. In fact the home side, literally, fell to their doom.

Chris Gale alike spent more time wandering off to square leg than he did ambling up and down the ‘22’ despite encouraging suggestions from the FitFielders. Swinging like a racey suburban housewife he somehow managed to collapse on the deck 6 times during an innings of 45 that could (and possibly should) have guided Newbold much closer to the target.

The sight of rabbits duly engaged the captain’s perogative who lapped up a pair - deftly held by his specially bred offspring.

The total abandonment of the score board indicated surrender was imminent.

Knobby made the coup de grace after a failed stumping appeal (stump cam may show that it could have been a run out let alone a stumping) threatened to sour the game. Blessed relief that he could hold a skier off his own bowling and end the contest with 5 overs to spare.

PS....................
*As FitHistorians will know Botolph was an English abbot and is the patron saint of travellers (and some aspects of farming). The link to the Fitmen of course is the fact that Botolph’s tomb was re-located to Bury St Edmonds by the Fitmen’s favourite King: Cnut the Great (correct spelling by the way) back in the 11th century.
Cnut (still the correct spelling) claimed the English throne in 1016 and was unusual for a Viking since he ruled by using cultural bonds of wealth and custom, rather than sheer brutality. The very foundation of FitSuccess over the years.