Shocking, embarrassing, lacklustre to name but a few words to describe this week’s collective performance against Grantham. They did however move in the right direction, surpassing last weeks total and therefore moving in the right direction.
Due to their completely inept efforts chasing runs in the first three previous outings this season Baston were to have a change of tack and upon winning the toss skipper Dyer decided to bat first…
…A short while later
Bibb 6, Burton 0, Newman 2, Howard 0, Grumps 3, Stewart 0, Dyer 6, Blood 3, Staz 4*, Felix 2.
Again the home pitch did not help the batsman as rarely did a ball rise above shin height, with short and wide balls becoming treble bouncing wicket-keeper killers. When/if-by-good-fortune good contact was made (and these instances were few and far between) the out-field resembling Wembley’s new surface saw the ball simple pull up in the knee high grass.
Baston failed to reach the boundary in their 30 over innings as they racked up 48 in total and for the third time in four games extras were easily top scorer…and are consequently leading the averages comfortably.
Extras 25.25
Cunningham 15.33
Richardson 15.00
Sorley 12.50
Townsin 12.00
Howard 10.75
Dyer 10.25
Newman 7.33
Stasiak 7.00
Burton 5.25
Bibb 5.00
Blood 3.00
Sismey 2.50
Davies 2.00
Cunningham 1.67
Barnes 0.67
Leslie 0.00
Stewart 0.00
Davies -
Once again the top order crumbled, not helped by another shocking LBW decision against Baston’s out-of-luck star batsman Howard. Village cricket has always advocated that umpiring your own games does allow some leeway when adjudicating appeals from the opposition. Of late this philosophy has been found wanting against run-machine Howard. Twice now in four games he has been sent on his way, seemingly quality/quantity of the appeal seen as sufficient reason.
At one stage Baston were 11 for 5 and it looked as if there all time low record score of 27 was in danger, then came skipper Dyer and last minute call up Rico to steady the ship, occupying the crease for a good 15 overs to add 14 the highest partnership of the innings aiding Baston limp to the laughable 48 total.
The last wicket saw another comical moment, about the only thing you can count on with Baston these days, as Felix the younger, nicer Cunningham brother was run out by a good 12ft after being called through for a run by Staz as the ball came to rest against first slips left shoe.
The target was never going to trouble Grantham and they knocked off the runs in good time for the loss of three wickets. However Baston did bowl with promise, Felix bowling well opening for the first time and taking just reward finishing with 2-25 and Newman once again bowled with good pace and accuracy for his 1-11.
Other pluses from the 2nd innings were Howard taking a rip snorter of a catch at silly mid-off when just yards from the bat the ball was drilled at pace low to his left and also Bibbo’s bowling at the death after a long absence with the ball was able to plant it on the spot as if a daily routine.
Normally with a cricket team you can pick out specific areas for improvement and really focus in on those precise areas.
I’m afraid Baston can ill afford that luxury…in order to assess their areas of concern I have called upon some old cricketing adages –
- Good batsman never get bowled - 19 Baston batsman bowled in first 4 matches.
- Good solid start crucial - Opening batsman averaging between 12 and 5.
- Early wickets the key - Opening bowlers Staz/Goofs 5 wkts between them.
- Catches win matches - ‘Fielders’ dropped approximately 16 catches.
Oh yeah…another 1 point in the bag…we are just racking them up.
And…tea was lovely.