SCORECARD

King of Spin takes 5 as Fit Men run out of steam.

With a double header to satisfy the desire in these strange COVID times….Village on Tuesday and Mermaids on Wednesday, skipper Howarth for the Village game volunteered to get availability of players for both games. As Dr Weed (skipper for Mermaids) by his own admission was far too distracted with the intricacies of Moseley Ashfield C.C. “yoof” development! No prob’s Doc’ a bottle of Wainwrights next time I see you at the bar will do the trick!

To be fair assembling 22 players was not a problem…..getting 11 for each game was a little more challenging, but when you have 28 paid up members it’s a lot easier than it used to be. There were a few late withdrawals due to match injuries, cats got piles and text blanking…..with a few on holiday. Notably one staying in a posh second home seaside village in Cornwall, luxuriating in a former lobster fisherman’s cottage. The other had headed into the eye of the COVID pandemic spike in the north. Special thanks to James “Scarlet Pimpernel” Tasker and Gloveman and ale aficionado Tom Houlgate for stepping into the breach at the 11th hour.

Everyone (including oppo) where ready to lock horns at 5.30pm, the toss took place and Village skipper Ash called heads, tails won and I invited the oppo to have a bat. Opening up for us at the top end Jonesy delivered 3 good overs (0-14), well supported by Sharif from the golf course end (0-21 off 3). The Village openers were playing and missing as well as putting away a few boundaries at this stage. First change Nokia and bottom end Bal. Sam the tighter of the two (3-0-19-0) Bal 3-0-31-0. With no wickets to our credit after 12 overs and the score on 76, Tasker came on at the top end whilst Juma at the bottom. James bowled an excellent supporting role to Juma, seam up and nibbling away and finished with 4-0-28-0 and deserved far more! Whilst Juma…finished with a scintillating 4-0-20-5….3 bowled, whilst 2 where expertly snaffled by Jonesy on the long off boundary. The first an excellent running catch which included a leap at the sight screen….one for the Birmingham Evening Mail photographer the second a stinger…..good soft hands Jonesy. The oppo finished on 136-5.

Bice and Jones opened with the former trademark powerfully paddle sweeping for six over square leg in the 1st over…..10 runs taken! Sadly Jonesy danced down the track 3rd ball and got stumped for a duck. In came Stu Mould making his debut at 3. With seam at one end and spin at the other end the Village tightened the screw. These bowlers being far more accurate than what we have been accustomed to in recent years. The second change bowler from the bottom end turning out to be a “yoof” leggie on Warwickshire’s books (who also had a decent googlie and a straight one)….one of these 3 deliveries accounted for Mouldy (11 off 17) and Sharif (2 off 11), both bowled. Enter skipper with the plan to move things on…and for a few overs our fortunes flickered positively, with Bice hitting the occasional boundary, 2’s and 3’s and Howarth nurdling. Bicey having to run 30 odd 1’s in his innings had a moment of concern when going for one single too many he collapsed at the feet of umpire Nokia gasping for air (see photo on Whatsapp for caption competition taken by Sun hack Gavlar) . Thankfully he recovered his composure and went on to score a magnificent 53 off 43 balls (1 x 6, 4 x 4), before being bowled. Howarth too bowled (14 off 18), Stevie Nicks went run out (1 off 2). So it was left to Juma (2 off 2) and Tasker (3 off 4) to finish off the game. The Fit Men falling gallantly short by 28 runs.

We repaired to the bar and downed a few, amid good banter and jousted as always with the Village Director of Cricket (scorer), Rik Bowel. Whilst our exceptionally talented off spinning all rounder went home with the match ball and washed his whites for the next day! Well played lads great effort!