A humbling defeat

Well, I was back in action this week when we took on a team made up of youngsters and fringe players from Frankton Cricket Club at Whittington. I rather wished I stayed in Zakynthos.

Not only did we lose - we were all out for 112 in the 18th over chasing 143 to win - I ended the game wicketless and with a golden duck for my efforts. Brilliant. In fact, my main contribution was retrieving a ball that went through the hedge and ended up floating in a brook the other side of the boundary fence.

North West Water skipper Justin won the toss and decided to bowl first, although the decision did prompt one or two dissenting comments from some members of the team.

I was handed the new ball and proceeded to spray the ball either side of the stumps, leaving our unfortunate wicketkeeper Pete Danby with an impossible task. I went for 11 off my two overs.

It was the first time we had played the Frankton side and although we expected one or two to be pretty handy, we weren't quite prepared for the onslaught from the opening pair.

After eight overs, they were 82-0 - including a succession of brutally dispatched boundaries. Thankfully, their team-mates took pity on us and called them off before they could inflict any further damage on our battered egos.

Thereafter, we retained more control - Huw continued his fine form with the ball, picking up one wicket and just missing out on a sharp caught and bowled chance. Gareth and Jamahl also struck, while Justin opted to bowl leg spin and picked up two wickets in a superb spell (he might have had three if I had been able to take a catch on the boundary; instead I did a pretty convincing impression of a headless chicken).

Two run outs also helped our cause - one courtesy of a searing throw from Brian Cole from fully 20 yards, the other from the consistently accurate arm of Ian Lloyd.

Bowling at the death, Brian went on to produce a hostile spell that went for only a couple of runs and included a wicket courtesy of great catch from Mike Stokes at slip.

In reply, we started brightly enough, with father and son pair, Gareth and Brian, picking up a number of boundaries as they put on 30-odd for the first wicket in the face of some useful bowling. But when Gareth then Pete Danby departed, we were tottering, having fallen well behind the required rate.

Brian continued to score quickly until he was dismissed after reaching the mid-20s. Steve Daulby reached six before sportingly walking after gloving a delivery to the keeper, before Rory Jones and Justin launched a counter attack that saw both of them score a succession of boundaries. I should mention that Steve ran another three - his second of the season - which we believe is a new record.

Unlike most of our team, who spent the winter months getting a little bit older and slower, Rory is rapidly developing into a very promising bowler and an attacking batsman. His 18 also included a leg side six - the only maximum in our innings.

Unfortunately, Rory's dismissal brought me to the wicket. I played all around a straight delivery and umpire Merv Hughes (that's his real name, honest) raised his finger.

Justin's 26 was full of aggressive intent, and included one textbook cover drive. But when he was dismissed, our innings crumbled to 112 all out, with Jamahl the last man out. Against very talented opponents, it wasn't a terrible effort; it's just a shame we weren't a bit more competitive in the first half of their innings.

Next week, we're without a fixture. However, a practice match is on the cards. I certainly need it.