Pleasure v. Digitals Lumberjack

Here’s Tiny’s recap of last Sunday’s events:

Saturday 20^th – read blog. Concern over 8 men for Pleasure. Volunteer to double up (in spite of the heat) since with 8 it is almost impossible to be competitive. Offer accepted. Pack kit. Go to bed early.

Sunday 21^st – wake up before 6. Leave home 6:40. Cycle to metro, metro to downtown. Get to Camel late (hence write Lumberjack). Arrive at SRFC at 8:30 – Devils are already warming up on the pitch. Bashers warm-up – move from air-conditioned bus to field (80% complete), followed by Sharapova stretching (last 20% is always important).

Long Dong successfully negotiated us into the field, so we had 11 for the team part of the game. Good over rate, good bowling, good catching, restricted Digitals to 153 – 9 off 30 overs. Catching was 7 held, 4 down (including 2 half chances). Best catches from Korean at slip, Growler at deep midwicket and Pope at cover. Steady bowling from Swahili, Tiny, Long Dong, Swoop (until his back played up), L’epa and Growler lead the fielding effort, and at halfway through Bashers were well placed. Long Dong picked up the most wickets (4).

(Your correspondent retreated for a cold shower, so that when dry he could reapply suncream without combination with perspiration. Fortunately SRFC could supply cold shower.)

Batting innings was lead off by Swoop and Sharapova, who got us moving. Pope was conned out by the sneaky Devils, and our best partnership was between Post-Op and Growler. At the halfway stage, Pleasure were up with the rate, but our boys were struggling with the heat. Filthy arrived, lost the toss for Business, took Poppy and Tiny out of the batting list, and borrowed The Pope “for an hour until Post-Op could join”.

Post-Op lead the batting effort with a powerful half-century – he hit all of the bowlers around the ground, and he had the opposition very concerned. He received able support from Growler, Dags, Swahili, L’epa and Long Dong. However, 2 men down was a little too much for Pleasure, and Devils won by 30. Post-Op’s efforts meant that he did not come and join Business (wise choice), so Pope’s stay was extended until he was the last to leave the Camel with a very thirsty Filthy following Business calamitous defeat.

It is always a pleasure to play for the Pleasure. Two games back-to-back on an extremely hot day has left its mark today. However, there is so much that is good about our club, that the drubbing yesterday pm, the soreness today, says to me that it was right to support the Pleasure in the morning (Korean and Poppy would agree), and I am extremely impressed that The Pope did the same for Business (The Pope managed to play all 3 games this weekend, and I hope it doesn’t hurt him too much today). Pulling together gives opportunities for individuals to shine – Post-Op would not have been so effective on the opposition without the good team performance before in the field.

Digital Devils 152-9
Long Dong 4-21 off 6
Leppa 2-30 off 6 (1 maiden)
Growler 2-29 off 5, 2 catches
Pope 2 catches

Bashers Pleasure 112-8 (25.2 overs)
Post-op 57 (59 balls, 7 x 4, 1 x 6)
Swoop 22 (30 balls, 3 x 4)