Shipton 3rds

After some deliberation the 4ths game was called on and we arrived at a windy and grey Bletch bolstered slightly by the late addition of Andrew (glove man) Smith and the return of Price Jnr.

Shipton won the toss, decided to bat in overcast conditions and got off to a good start with Hemming playing well, using the pace on offer to hit through the ball.  Norton from the road end and Price from the field end were soon into the swing and they picked up an opener each.

Blondies then took the pace off the ball with a tight Taylor this time being partnered by the loopy (action not mentality) Chambers as the drizzle turned into rain.  With tight bowling from Taylor Shipton looked to get after Chambers with disastrous results of two catches and two stumpings, most notable being the “biggest wide pie” (description courtesy of Shitpon umpire) edged to slip.  Taylor again was unlucky with two difficult catches dropped by West (Honestly it was very high and over my left shoulder) and Greenwood (I was running in, it was slippery skip).

West rang the changes and Boggy and Mead cleaned up the tail with two apiece.  Notable was the bowling of Mead Jnr who was full and straight in picking up his first of many wickets for Blondies with both clean bowled.

Covers were on over tea as the rain came down harder but subsided as Blondies took the field with a radically rearranged batting order aimed at getting the runs before the rain set in.

Price Jnr and Smith set about the chase as per captain’s orders with lusty blows and sharp running before Price Jnr fell caught deep and straight.  West came out at three and kept the pace moving with a quick fire and chanceless (except the two drops) thirty before looking to work a single and falling caught back of square with a rash flick.

Greenwood was again unlucky with the bat and with a good platform of 80 for 4 set off 15 overs Hutchence and Bennett began the slow crawl towards the target. Ten overs and 20 runs later as the rain began to fall heavier and the calls to “please progress the rate if you don’t mind” from the side growing louder, the score started to pick up pace.  Although Bennett was lost bowled in the process looking for quick runs.

After a couple of overs to size up the bowling from the non strikers end while Hutchence dead batted in the rain Baldwin turned down a poor call for a single off the sixth ball to give himself strike.  The returning Shipton opening bowler then got a surprise as he was lofted through the tree and into the garden at the road end for six first ball as Boggy set about 14 off the over.  Within sight with only six required Baldwin fell run out as he was too busy watching Hutchence’s running to remember to check his own ground.  Chambers and Hutchence then saw us home with Hutchence in the unfamiliar position of pulling strongly through square leg for four winning runs.

Apart from the weather a very good humoured and friendly game played in the correct spirit which restored out faith after the rubbish at B&NO the previous week.  Special thanks must go to the Shipton team for playing on when many (okay all) others would have asked to come off for rain and for Taylor who for the third game went wicketless but were it not for his tight bowling we would have been set an unobtainable target in the time and conditions available for the chase.