SCORECARD

Fitmen bag ballsy Belbroughton victory

If only every T20 game could be like this? Every Fitman involved in securing an excellent win on a balmy July evening, in the bucolic Worcestershire countryside. Some stand out performances, but a real team effort and only one minor bout of histrionics to deal with!
Your erstwhile reporter and skipper for the evening, should really sort his geography out, pre coin toss. Still south of Birmingham, but calling heads? No drama’s though as we were inserted to bat with the sun still beaming down strongly.

Rob Nutt has really turned the corner this season when it comes to timekeeping and was rewarded with an opening berth with Harry E. Despite the 1st over being a maiden, these two went about their business professionally. Nutter smazzing his 1st Six of the season before being bowled for an 8 ball 10. Harry elegant, as always, cruising to 18 before being caught by a quite superb catch.

Lovely to see Robert Green of the weed back in the Fit-fold. With his best friend and mentor Si Howarth, travelling all the way out to offer his guidance and support. Rob was the weed “on speed” with his first 7 balls garnering 14 remarkable runs. Eyeing up yet another mid week batsman of the year award, the ever-dependable Jonesy-boy, was also in an equally aggressive mood, scoring 25 off just 18 with another glorious maximum to add to his season’s tally, before retiring, as per the evenings rules. Green holing out for 21 and the luckless Tony Thaper caught and bowled for a Golden duck, the Fitmen were 68 for 4 as drinks were taken after 10. Yes – it was actually that hot (for once), that everyone needed a drink!!

The 2nd 10 overs saw Jeet promoted to number 6 and Harri Sandhu in at 7, continue the excellent work. Jeet a run a ball 17 with a big straight 6 before perishing, Harri could have been out 1st ball but was dropped on the boundary, took advantage of the error for a tidy run a ball 12 with another well struck 6 before being bowled. Skipper keen to follow the big hitters, tried to smash one over long off, but was caught for just 1, however, no tears from the skip as Waseem was in cataclysmic mood. A quite stunning 25 off just 9 deliveries..1,1,4,dot, 4,6,1,4,4 pushed the Fitmen towards a competitive target. Looking back, this quick fire 25 had a major impact on the Fit victory. A belligerent 5 from Lockyer and a very sporting “it’s about the team, not me” 0 from Dave Moore, got Jonesy back in to add a few more precious runs, so the Fitmen finished on a score of 139. Bang on par, I would say.

Quick turn around and the Martin/Sandhu (Trittiford MASSIVE) open up the bowling. Martin almost back to his old self, bowled full and straight 4-0-16-1, to keep the rate down. Harri a touch looser 3-0-20-1 but still grabbing an important wicket, the Belbroughton strollers were bang on with the required run rate.

Jonesy and Dave Moore came on next. Mr Moore twirled down a lovely dozen balls allowing only 5 scoring shots. Just what was needed to put the squeeze on. Top effort. Jonesy bowled well, but their Number 3 was a good batsman with great timing, sending a decent ball over the ropes for a maximum. Never nice to be hit for a 6. Jeet keeping wicket, made some remark (un-heard by me) suggesting Jonesy maybe try harder, not to be hit for 6 again..…well our 6 foot 7 all-rounder has been working so hard on his Buddhist Zen state of mind all season, bending like a pretzel…Let’s just say the big lad took umbrage.

Jeet took a wicket keeping pad off and said he was walking home. Being a Fit skipper demands both hard and soft skills. Little word in shell-like, Fair play to Jeet, pad back on and he kept really well from that point on. Note for the future. Perhaps silence is golden young man!!

Amazingly, the Stollers were exactly on 68 after 10. So the game was finely balanced. What the Oppo’ didn’t know though, was that the cream of the Fit bowling had been held back from front line duties. Enter the fray, Samuel Lockyer and buoyed from his batting, super Waz!!

As we all know, Sam’s bowling can one of two ways. Well tonight, on a green top, it was coming out of the hand beautifully. 3-0-15-0, although wicketless, when the batsmen were trying to get on with it was an excellent effort. They couldn’t read him or time it. Pulled the game right back in the Fitmen’s favour. Some good fielding on the boundary between overs, saving 2 boundaries, by Lockyer only added to his 9/10 performance.

The required rate rose to 8 per over, but Waseem sent down 24 accurate balls for 4-0-19-1 to strangle the game back firmly in the Fitmen’s favour. We were down to 8 earlier in the week and I had to bribe and cajole Waseem to bin Timmsy (sorry mate!), but he turned up (late) to deliver a MOTM performance. Jonesy finished his spell, grabbing a wicket to give the Fitmen a well deserved 15 run victory.
Not straight forward by any means and both sides were in it up until the last over. Big thanks to Rob Nutt patrolling the boundary for a rather lonely evening (but what a view though eh Rob?). Massive thanks to the Strollers, who are a really good bunch. No histrionics from them!

A lovely curry (£7 – chicken and Veg options excellent), the HPA was finally on, the sun was still shining. My favourite fixture of the year. If only every T20 could be like this….