1st XI v Riley House

A very obliging Riley House journeyed south to play us here at Belhaven Hill on Saturday. Due to some time constraints, it was agreed that this match would be a Twenty20 game. The last match that the 1^st XI played before this one was against Ardvreck, and the boys were keen to make amends for that defeat.

 

Riley won the toss and elected to bowl on a green pitch that would certainly assist the bowlers. Our usual opening pair of Tom D and Tom G started our innings off, and the first three overs went for just 2 runs. Although the bowling wasn’t very threatening, this slow rate of scoring didn’t concern me as I knew that the rate would pick up as the batsmen got their eye in. It did, and after five overs we had 24 runs on the board. In the sixth over Tom D was caught behind, much to his surprise – that’s just cricket, sometimes they go for you, sometimes against; what is important is that you NEVER question the umpire.

 

Peter was next in, and with Tom G struggling to get his timing right, Peter took a few balls to get his eye in and then started scoring freely. Peter played a mix of canny shots and powerful ones, and seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. By the end of ten overs, the run rate had picked up to 6.5 an over which is perfectly acceptable. Tom G was bowled in the thirteenth over bringing Dougal to the crease for this first innings of the season. He coped well enough and scored 9 before being run out – he was so busy admiring his forward defence shot that he didn’t hear Peter’s call until too late.

 

Guinness came in with just a couple of overs remaining and scored freely, but it was Peter’s innings that was most impressive. He hit two sixes, both of them good shots and four fours for his 37 runs. We ended on 140 for 3 after 20 overs – a run rate of 7 an over and certainly enough to win the match. Who would ask for more?

 

And so to bowling. With such an insurmountable total on the board, we could afford to bowl some of the boys who hadn’t yet had a chance. Will and Lochy started off. Will bowled his three well, and for only seven runs. He was unlucky not to get a few edges. Lochy... well his first over went for ten runs but he got another chance and a good thing he did. He took two wickets in two balls, one a caught behind and one L.B.W.. He collected a third wicket in his next over and so started, and ended, his bowling season with very impressive figures.

 

The Rogers twits twins were next to bowl (once Hugo had arrived to watch). They did very well with Caspar bagging two wickets (and chickening out of a possible third), and Freddy one. Freddy’s wicket came about through a fantastic diving catch by Tom G, amongst the best I have seen over the past couple of years. During this spell there were also two run outs, brought about by good bowling.

 

We saved the best for last and Barnes and Forsyth joined the attack. Barnes’s traditionally get one over per year and Rory had mixed success. He got hit for a number of runs but then got his man with his final ball. Dougal didn’t even complete his over before Will took a fantastic catch to end their innings and win us the match.

 

Job done. Well done.

 

Belhaven Hill: 140 for 3 (20 overs)

Riley House:  38 all out (12.3 overs)

 

MOTM: Shared by Peter and Lochy.