24th June 2010 Home To Marauders

This week sees a resurgent Jollys play hosts to Marauders who knocked the stuffing out of us when they visited last year ! So how wil we fare today ?

Things start badly as we lose the toss and Marauders decided to bat. However this week our bowling is much improved from last week (apart from the odd disastrous over) and some tight fielding sees Marauders restricted to 126 for 8 from their 20 overs.

Having been faced with (what should be) a gettable total, and with the low sumemr sunlight bathing the outfield, we pull out the stops and put in a splendid batting performance. The end of the innings sees no fewer than three of our top end batsmen retiring after 25 (Powelly 28, Jol 25, "Big" Ian 25 - ably supported by Dave with 24 no out) and we end up achiving the required total with a couple of overs to spare.

So for the second week running we emerge victorious !



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A splendid bit of ebaying by Dave Stoddard sees him turn up with a lovely Wormwood helmet for the bragain basement price of £ 10. No more cracked cheekbones for this Jolly ! (as long as he remembers to actually put it on - ed.)

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Botheration. The game starts badly as we lose the toss and Marauders naturally decide to bat.

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But what's this ? Fielding pictures ? Thanks to a good turn out young Addis has volunteered to take some pictures so here's Powelly opening the bowling from the school end.

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And from the other end we have Herr Ramjet who starts by getting the crucial opening wicket before throwing down the worst over of the season and being rightly consigned to Cow Corner for the rest of the innings !

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Hooray for Tony ! Who once again comes down to score ! And this week Laura has enforced a strict ban on any repeat of last weeks Vuvuzela "yard of bees" antics so there'll be no beer stains on his shirt.

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In the middle it's another wicket for the Jollys as Powelly is bowling up a storm. Dave once again does the honours of putting the wickets bak up.

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Continuing from the "Rookery" end it's the much needed return of "Big" Ian's who takes his turn to fire a few down.

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Ably assisted at the other end by young Joe who bowls some splendid left armers which get a nice bit of movement off the wicket.

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Into the attack comes "Cockney" Stu who goes on to bowl another good spell. And whilst umpire "P.D"'s knees have seen better days there's nothing wrong with his umpiring skills !

This is turning out to be a picture-tastic week for fans of our fielding pictures !

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Well done ! Joe gets a much deserved wicket as Dave Stoddard takes an excellent catch somewhere slightly back from between extra cover and deep mid off (thank goodness for internet fielding position charts - ed.).

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Time to bring on the Ogden-Burger who send down his patented variety of "Ogden-Burger" spinners.

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Shosrtly afterwards it's the end of the Marauders innings and they leave the field with a creditable 126 for 8. But on this wicket and with the light holding well (well it is just after mid summer - ed.) that is a very gettable total.

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So out comes Tom and, having already opened the bowling, Powelly to open the batting. If we get any Xmas or birthday cards this year we'll be sending in Powelly to open these too ! (on the bad side he'll probably also get to open any bills that come our way - ed.)

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Immediately Tom's into the action both sending the ball flying to the boundary and taking wight of a passing pigeon with his patented "bat-gun".

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Powelly continues his excellent run of form with the bat as he strokes another ball off for 4.

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Which means it's time for Jol (a.k.a "Mr Hat Trick") to enter the fray. Once again he puts in another good batting perfomance and eventually retires on 25.

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But there's a commotion at the Rookery end ! Samethings afoot and has set them off a cawing and a skriking... Is there an ill wind blowing for the Jollys ?

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Bah ! there is... Powellys wickets have gone flying...

Luckily for the Jollys though umpire "P.D." had already signalled a no ball and it's a lucky escape for Powelly who makes the most of it by making his way to retire on 28.

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Back at basecamp D.J. Napier is attempting to instill some disipline into youg Ryan by giving his a light box round the ears with an empty pop bottle. That's what you get when you're a youngster taking on the big boys !

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Hooray ! Baz has returned from his trip to the "Kickball Mundial" (er.. that's the World Cup - ed.) and, despite a lack of sleep, has selflessly taken a trip to the off licence to get some beers in for the team. Well done Baz !

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As Jol & Powelly have both now retired it's time for Ian to make his return to the crease. And he's straight back in the action with some splendid shots as he makes his way to retire on 25.

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Supported at the other end by Ogs who helps the total along with a quick fire 10 before beign caught out on the boundary.

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Well as it's time for yours truly to pad up Dave takes over camera duties as he mans our, now trusty, "Des" cam.

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Just in time to catch Dave in full flow as he makes his way to a splendid 24 not out. By this point we were well in control of the game and it only took "Cockney" Stu to step up and face the winning bye for us to beat marauders totoal with a couple of overs to spare.

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So the teams leave the pitch with us having avenged last seasons hammering by emereging as this weeks winners.

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Which means it's time to retire to the Old Town Hall for some more of Des' excellent sandwiches !

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After all this cricket excitement (lots of fielding pictures, great batting performances, sandwiches etc. - ed.) the only question is how can we keep our excitement levels going up to the weekend ?

How else but with a trip to Blackpool Zoo ! as Friday sees a small posse of us (Well Baz, Sal, Lisa, Katie and myself anyway - ed.) take ourselves off to Blackpool Zoo for a walkabout and a picnic where one of the Jolly penguins entertains us by trying to recreate the cover of Nirvana's Nevermind album cover.

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And one of the Red Kangaroos tries to locate any spare cricket balls in his tree for us.

So all in all it's truly been a fielding-picture-tastic, batting-tastic, Zoo-tastic week this week !


biting_midge_small.gif Midge Report: Reguar readers might have wondered where we've been so far this year. Bzzzt. Well if truth be told it's been too Scorchio for us to do much flying. Bzzzt. Bzzzt. But we've got plans for later in year. Bzzzt. Just you wait and see. Bzzzt. Bzzzt.

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