SCORECARD

Fitmen scuttled on banks of the river Avon

April showers bring May flowers? Well we should be in for an Epic floral display then this year. Fair play to Bidford, (a new notch on Fit Fixture Secretary’s bed post) for allowing an elite group of Fit Water Buffalo to harrumph around on a spongey, sticky square. Pre-match pitch report noted “squishy in places” and “really squishy everywhere else” lead to skip for the day Martin having his first conundrum of the season. Pre-match “Spong” poll of 10 to 5 – bat 1st, knowing we were so far south of Brum, that a Tail was a certainty, meant that much to the surprise of the Opposition skipper “You want to bat 1st on that???!!!”, the Fitmen inserted themselves.

Kev had “pulled out” in the early hours, due to liquids being expelled from various orifices which was TMI as it goes, but Edward Green agreed to make his Fit debut in his place. The weather forecast was for (surprise sur-fucking-surprise) more rain at circa 5pm. Trying to ensure a result, a 30 over format was agreed upon, which enraged one Fitman who will remain un-named “FFS not enough time to bat blah blah blah, driving all this way for 30 overs, mumble, grumble”. In hindsight, 30 overs batting on Mr Squishy was MORE than enough time, particularly as Mr Grumpy was batting at 4.

The twin talents of Mould and Eames squelched their way out to the middle. There were a number of firsts in this match. 1st Fit Fixture available on Play Cricket Live, with the old ipad and Electronic scoreboard wired up. Won’t be recommending it at next AGM. Flaky at best.
1st time we’ve ever seen Harry Eames unable to time the ball. Spooning one up to be out caught.
1st time a Fitman (Stu) has been bowled with a horrid shooter and the stumps light up with bails flashing.

Lockyer in at 5, although not a first, just before going into bat stating that he needs a runner from the off, due to feeling a little light-headed at the prospect of batting at 5. Told to “Get on with it”.
Lockyer then running Howarth out (batting at 4) – selling this Fit Legend down the river Avon a first neither of them would have wanted.
Howarth (looking good before said run-out), have the best batting strike rate of the innings (67) – a definite stone wall 1st.
The scorecard tells the same story for everyone. Either sticking around until getting annoyed at not being able to score runs and playing a bad shot.

There was only one boundary in the ENTIRE innings. A smashed extra cover shot would roll 15 yards and stop. Anything lofted would either plug or be caught. Mis-timing was the order of the day. To be fair, Bidford who obvs know the pitch, bowled really good lines and set a really good tight field.
19 for 6 at drinks after 15 overs….read it and weep.

The only Fitman who adapted to the conditions was the light headed Lockyer. His love of dot balls was the making of his top scoring 15 not out off 61 balls. To carry his bat for 22 overs in those conditions was quite remarkable. He did miss a full toss and got hit on his fingers, but he played through the pain barrier. His partners came and went. Debutant Weed Junior got out for a duck – not a first, as quite a regular Fit occurrence! Tony T out for 0 in the season opener, again not a first.
Bicey in at 9 at least got the only Fit boundary of the day in his 13 off 36 balls. But it if takes Bice 36 balls to get 13, I hope you are starting to get the picture. Captain Martin could offer no spark of light and it was left to Bal to get the final run of the innings remaining unbeaten on 1.

57 for 9 off 30 overs. We weren’t even all out!

In hindsight, we should have put them into bat as the pitch did start to dry out….but it didn’t really. Bidford are a good team, who would have probably scored 120+. They bowled and fielded really well and the game was played in good spirits despite the cold and mizzle.
Billy grabbed 2 good wickets, including a cracking delivery to get the left handed opener out. Martin trundled in only conceding 8 from 5 overs, but the mis-timed shots seemed to fall short or agonizingly loop over fielders, when we needed early wickets. The low shooters just missing the stumps.
Winter Net Bowler of the year, Stevie Nicks got his first of many season Fit wickets and Bal was unlucky not to get a W thanks to commical Fit-fieling in the deep.

The New “Drop-O-Meter” hasn’t yet appeared on the Fit Website, but for the record, another first was that ROBERT GREEN, who came out of retirement (on the opening game of the season) to replace poorly fingered Lockyer in the field, shelled the opener who was hitting boundaries for fun.

There were a few “oh I don’t fancy going for that” fielding moments as well, that the “drop-o-meter” committee will have to look at. Stevie Nicks diving full length to drop a screamer is one thing, but blatantly moving away from the balls trajectory so it cant be dropped…hmmm.
Oh well. It was a right Royal gubbing, so onto WMD mid-week and Birmingham Uni on the Coronation weekend. Although guess what? Rain FF Forecast again???