Bashers Pleasure vs Pudong-July 11-Match report

Last Sunday’s weather Gods tried to play havoc on another Bashers Pleasure game without reckoning on the combined stubbornness of a gnarled old Scot and fresh-faced Ozzy to ensure that the cricket went on in some shape and form, despite consistent rain and conditions more akin to the Birmingham League in the middle of an average to good British summer. Bearing all this in mind, the pitch played very well and the drainage was incredibly good except for a few ‘wet patches’ here and there on the square.

We reduced the game to a 20/20 and yet again, Bugs won the toss and this time made the correct call by electing to bat. Pothole and Parrot, elevated to Div 2 for the first time in this season’s campaign, got off to a bright start before Parrot was clean bowled trying to hit the ball in to the subway station, forgetting that we were at SRFC and not at Dulwich. Whipper Snipper followed with a rapid fire 25 off 14 balls, pushing the score along at around 6 an over. His departure bought in Omega who did not trouble the scorers, feathering the slimmest of edges behind.

This brought Dazzler to the crease who proceeded to embark on an incredibly brutal display of hitting, which would have made Andrew Symonds proud even at the height of his one day powers. He went to 55 not out in 5 overs and whilst resting on the bench, the rest of us nudged and nurdled the score along until the fall of the 9th wicket. He then scored another 30 in a 12 ball partnership with Bugs worth 34 runs, ending on 84 not out.

A shell-shocked Pudong came in to bat requiring 181 to win at a mere 9 an over, never coming close and succumbing by 52 runs. On the bowling and fielding front, the bowlers were tight and disciplined with Dazzler the pick of the seamers, working up a lively pace off a short run and having the ‘oppo’ hopping around a bit to add to their discomfort. Omega, Swahili, Bugs and Woody (looking like a young version of Bjorn Borg with his new head gear) all kept it tight and and a cameo finish from Golden Shears bowling an over of ‘offies’ saw him pick up his first wicket for Pleasure. His current bowling economy of 11 per over still well surpasses his batting average, however we all believe that his form slump is on the wane and that there is light at the end of the tunnel for our hot 2010 signing.

The Parrot, in his inaugural Div 2 game, was tight behind the stumps and save for one howler of a missed catch, prevented a number of leg-side byes which might not have been stopped from the current roster of Div 2 keepers. Special mention as always to Tank in the outfield, who made a number of successful saves and sent in barrages of arrow-like throws over the stumps, proving the worth of a quality ground fielder in the unit both for the number of runs saved and psychological impact for both the bowlers who feel supported and the batsmen who feel deprived of certain boundaries.

• Sunday 11 July 2010 SRFC East
  Pudong Power 128/8 (3.08)
  Bashers Pleasure 181/9 (7.41)

This massive victory gives us a 3-2 loss/win ratio for the first half of the season and much to look forward to as the second half of the campaign beckons.

Batting stats:

• Dazzler-84 not out
• Whipper Snipper-25
• Woody-16
• Pothole-14

Bowling stats:

• Dazzler-3 for 27
• Omega-2 for 32
• Golden Shears-1 for 11
• Swahili-1 for 12
• Woody-1 for 35

2010 Santa Fe Championship