Keeping up with the Joneses

Incredibly, and in spite of the torrential rain during the latter part of last week, we played our final game of the season, a 30-over match at Acton Reynalds on Sunday - and we won in emphatic fashion.

Our victory was really the story of our very own cricketing dynasty, the Joneses - dad Huw and sons Rory and Geraint.

Rory stole the show for us, claiming a hat-trick which included Acton Reynald's star batsman, Fran Hick, and taking two splendid catches.

Huw weighed in with two wickets, while Geraint (who was run out by me in dreadful fashion during our innings) also chipped in with an important wicket.

All in all, it was a superb performance from North West Water. We batted first on a pudding of an pitch. The artificial square was soggy and slow and the outfield almost ruled out the prospect of boundaries unless they were sixes.

We started solidly enough, with Pete Danby and Rory putting on 20-odd for the first wicket. Two of our new recruits, James and Lloyd, then continued in the same manner, with Lloyd - who went on to make 29 - in particular playing some lovely shots.

Wickets fell, but we managed to maintain the momentum and skipper Justin Evans raced to 30 (we'd agreed beforehand that batsmen who reached 30 had to retire).

His innings featured some tremendous hitting, including an enormous six that was simply majestic.

We ended on 135 off our 30 overs, and I ended on six not out after going in with two overs left and the bowler on a hat-trick. I played all round the first ball and was expecting to hear the stumps rattle but somehow survived. It was the most exciting thing that happened while I was at the crease.

After too much to eat during the interval, I took the new ball and bowled a decent first over, before spraying it all over the place during my following two overs. I blamed the slippery conditions; in truth, I think the roast beef sandwiches had more to do with my eratic performance.

Anyway, I ended up going for nine runs off my three overs, while Gareth Cole was similarly tight at the other end.

Huw's introduction saw us grab a couple of wickets, one coming courtesy of a tremendous diving catch from Rory.

At the other end, Matt Daulby made amends for being hit for six (well, it was more of a full toss that hit the batsman's gloves and ballooned for six) by clean bowling one of the Acton Reynalds' crew.

Justin then joined the party with two excellent wickets, including one with his first delivery, and Geraint removed another of their batsmen, while we continued to look sharp in the field - well, most of us did. I just slipped and stumbled around due to my lack of spikes, and at one point fell flat on my face while trying to field at point. Very classy.

Then Rory arrived with Acton Reynalds on 85 for five. First he removed Acton Reynald's best batsman, Fran Hick, clean bowled. Next up he got a plumb lbw. Two in two balls and the hat-trick was on. Rory was right on the money and his next victim had his stumps rearranged.

That little episode prompted the umpire (one of their openers) to ask Justin why he hadn't opened with Rory "rather than that other rubbish". Cheers.

Anyway, Rory was now looking for four in four and to mark the occasion Justin posted four slips and me at gully. I've never seen a field like it in all the time I've been playing for North West Water. The delivery was spot on again and struck the batsman on the pad, prompting a massive appeal from the slip cordon. It wasn't given, but it reduced the umpire to hysterics as we closed in on victory.

The last couple of wickets soon fell - with Lloyd taking the final wicket courtesy of a smart catch from James - and we were home with 30-odd runs to spare.

It was a great way to the end the season - and hopefully the spur to greater things next year.