SCORECARD

A dish best served cold?

Old Mo 213 all out (39.2 overs) Old Doms 89 all out.
Fitmen win by 124 runs.

The third and final meeting with Old Doms was also the first at home this season. Back to back defeats within a couple of days of each other at the start of July were expunged by this impressive victory at ‘The Graveyard’.

Heavy rain the previous day had put paid to any cricket on the Saturday and the game was only saved by the bright sunshine throughout the morning accompanied by a gentle breeze.

Skipper for the day was conscious of the visitors’ propensity to overhaul good targets. The matches in July at Bromsgrove saw the Fitmen score their highest scores of the season at 256 in 40 overs and 181 in 20 overs - only to have the hosts Doms overhaul both times and win by 3 wickets.

A pleasure to be back on a good wicket after the previous week’s nightmare in East Birmingham. The batsmen agreed and an opening stand of 74 set the tone for the day. The ball only ‘jumped’ twice all day and the first occasion snared Tom after an impressive 25, the skipper received the second some 15 overs later and nearly copped it in the gob – but survived.

Butch played an intelligent two paced innings setting the score rate in conjunction with Tom, then putting down an anchor when a mini collapse threatened and was excellent value for his 71.

There were a good number of balls that kept low and accounted for 3 or 4 unsuspecting FitBats but considering the volume of rain, the pitch behaved well. Mark (18) looked in aggressive form but having got away with a sharp caught and bowled, took one chance too many and scooped to mid off and was soon followed by Jack – getting one of those low ones for the second week running.

Ben ran out of toes to count on when Si came in and the bowler used his 7th ball of the over wisely from the City End as he was snared playing round it and cue a captain’s innings. A left handed partnership put the Fitmen back on track and ensured a competitive total by the time Aid (45) was run out.

Sunny (13) claimed the biggest six in the world of cricket as he spotted Strickers mincing down the 12th and showed him how to get the ball nestled nicely in the middle of the fairway. The batting then kind of whimpered to a conclusion, setting what looked to be a competitive target of 214.

At tea the chicken wing sauce was causing havoc with the Geiger counter but a delicate looking Victoria sponge had them all swooning and sugared up for the field.

A good start from the Doms as they moved to 35 without loss. Ash and Sunny both bowled tightly but at 5 an over the visitors looked comfortable. The capacity crowd bayed for Ben and Chas – and the pair duly obliged by ripping the heart out of the top and middle order.

Ben (8-2-17-4) got quicker and quicker bowling from the golf course end, and only strength sapped Ash prevented a jug being bought. No respite for the batters from the City End as the bowling all rounder Chas (8-1-22-3) weighed in the see the job through.

Back on came Sunny and was joined by Raj who snapped up a further 2 with the coup de grace, but not before a windmill run out kept the crowd gasping. If you miss the wickets with ball in hand, just keep rotating and eventually you’ll clip the bails off.................just as well the batsman had given up!

A good win – and all set up for the tour! Last orders for Hereford – see Simon!