SCORECARD

Mis Fits – Match Report

On a swelteringly hot mid-summer’s evening the Old Mo team gathered at Yardley Wood ready to take on Timmsy’s Mis Fits. Due to a lack of available coinage the toss was replaced by a ‘guess which hand the car key is in’. Timmsy said the right hand but it was in fact in skipper Nokia’s left hand. With temperatures still high Nokia felt it would be best to bat first. The only thing remaining was to agree on rules of 25 and retire and everyone bowls 2 overs to enable as many people as possible to get a decent game.

Harry S. was elevated to open the innings with Robbie Nutt. As the Mis Fits were waiting on a player to arrive they requested one of the Old Mo team to field for them and Rana duly obliged. And would you believe it? On the very first ball Harry holed out to, yes, you have guessed it Rana at long-on. Enter the very talented Sam Moore but, alas, he didn’t trouble the scorers on this occasion – again being caught by Rana! When Robbie Nutt departed for six, the Old Mo were in genuine trouble at 8-3.

Jonesey and Nokia – elevated to 5 in the order – then set about recovering the innings. Jonesey played a nice cover drive for four while the watchful skipper felt it best to see off the accurate Rameez. Nokia was clattered on the helmet by a beamer and it seemed to wake him up. Jonesey made 14 off 17 while Sunny smashed a couple of quick-fire boundaries on his way to 12 off 9. Meanwhile Nokia, now feeling settled at the crease, hit a drive straight down the ground for four then a few overs later smashed three pull shots to the leg side boundary. ‘Hawk power’ had well and truly come to the party while Tony Thapar also chipped in with a very useful 19 off 31. Nokia retired on 25 off 30 to a much-appreciated ripple of applause from both the Misfits and the Old Mo (thanks for that lads!) Thankfully the tail wagged, not least when Rana (21 off just 14) smashed a straight six and a couple of fours in the final over with the Old Mo finishing on a respectable 126-8. It was a good effort given the tricky start to the innings and slightly above the 120-mark the skipper had hoped for.

Old Mo legend Ralphie opened for the Misfits and hit one big six onto the golf course before being bowled by the accurate Sunny – bragging rights assured for Mr ‘Chicken Wing’! Rana – no doubt buoyed by his batting exploits – charged in and produced a beauty to bowl Rameez. Everyone bowled and fielded well – something you have to do when defending a relatively modest target and, despite some lusty blows from Omar, the Old Mo managed to put the squeeze on during the middle overs with Jonesey (0-9), Harri (1-9) and Dave Moore (0-12) all helping to put the brakes on. We were in for a grandstand finish when Robbie Nutt picked up a wicket with Nokia, Tony Thapar and Adrian still to bowl. Nokia and Adrian kept things tight and with 5 needed from the final over from Tony there was nearly a calamitous run-out by the Misfits but ultimately the guests would win the game with a six just out of the reach of Robbie Nutt on the fence with only two balls remaining. What a game! Obviously disappointing to lose such a close contest but it was played in the right spirit. Roll on the re-match (whenever this may be)!! Special thanks to Tony Caesar for scoring much of the evening and opening up/locking up the ground, etc.