3rds Lose Out to League Leaders

MDAFS 3 (20) : 274 for 6 in 45 overs.
(V Kumar 56, H Gray 50, A Anson 2 for 42)

Falkland 3 (5) : 122 for 9 in 26.4 overs.
(M Low 36, R Hayward 3 for 9, I Groenewald 3 for 23, M Miah 3 for 31)

Falkland Lost by 152 Runs

The 3rd XI entertained MDAFS this Saturday on a fine afternoon at Scroggie Park, a team who had played 5 won 5 and the previous week had scored 281 for 6. We had a couple of call offs, one on Thursday night and the other on Friday night. We had also lost two of our star performers from last week’s victory to the 2nd XI. I brought in Robbie ‘El Presidente’ Nellies from retirement for the 117th time, but trying to find another replacement was proving difficult. All Saturday morning was spent trying to find an 11th player. Jackie was trying to speak to me, but had to wait her turn. I was starting to get an inferiority complex with the amount of no’s I was getting. We had people playing football, people being dragged around the shops, people working and we even had one who had gone sailing. I was starting to feel 18 all over again and being in a nightclub with the amount of knock backs I was getting. If all the players I had asked had said yes we could have had a 4th XI.

No player could be found so we had to go up against the league leaders with 10 men and only 2 recognised bowlers. We were basically farting against the wind, but we had faith in our hearts, either that or it was the curry Jackie made me on Friday night.

The toss was again lost by myself. Every time I take that double headed coin out the b*****ds shout tails. The opposition chose to bat, which didn’t surprise me as they had probably looked at our scores previous to last week. Either that or they had seen us warm up.

We took to the field and opened with our usual pairing of Grant ‘look at my bruise’ Langlands and Ash ‘I drive a minibus now’ Anson - well they were the only regular bowlers we had. They didn’t manage to keep things as tight as previous weeks as we went for 47 from the first 8 over and no wickets. It was over number 16 before we managed to nail the first wicket. I had brought on myself and Sean ‘The bouncer bowler’ Hunter. I took the wicket by clean bowling one of the openers. We should have had one well before that when I trapped the same batsman LBW only for the umpire to say ‘not out’ - very disappointed to say the least. He said he couldn’t be sure if it was hitting.

It was into the 28th over before the next wicket fell. The grass had grown about an inch and the rest of the opponents had headed down to Aldi’s for the weekly shopping. It came courtesy of an excellent catch by Simon ‘the sick note’ Phillips in the slips from the bowling of Ash. Their number 4 just arrived back in time, still with the Aldi’s shopping trolley in tow - he had forgotten my custard creams though.
Robbie and Lyle were brought into the attack. Yes, you did read that right - it was Robbie. He kept things very tight and only went for 9 from his first 4 overs and took a wicket in the process with a catch from Liam.

It was only 6 overs later when we got the next - a great run out from Liam ‘Habib’ Farrell and Alan ‘overseas amateur’ Wilkie. They were 167 for 3. Another couple of wickets went down before the 45 overs mark as Ash took one with a clean bowled and Grant got one after an athletic catch from Robbie, showing he was no geriatric as he took the catch whilst running round the boundary. He did try to keep running straight to the bar, but we managed to convince him to stay for another few overs.

The 45 overs were done and dusted and they were 274 for 6. Our heads never went down and we kept plugging away, the team kept each other going, everybody was backing everybody else, and especially our kids Grant and Lyle. They are learning all the time in the 3rd XI and earning their place on merit. They are not there to make numbers up, we knew it was going to be hard with 10 men at home.

Tea was taken and we, well sorry I, just about had a disaster as I had forgot to take my teas out of the car and the sausage rolls were just about cooked on the back seat. I had also forgotten to take the pizzas out of the freezer at home. I did what all captains should do - yes I blamed Grant. Jackie had brought the pizzas up and sorted my teas - where would I be without her?

It was always going to be difficult chasing 274 with 10 men so I decided to open again with the experience, arrogance and grace of Alan and Robbie, who between them had probably made more runs than a morning after tandoori and hit more balls than Elton John’s chin.

Alan was first to go in the 3rd over when he was caught, no he wasn’t caught, yes he was caught by the wickie for 2. It wasn’t long
before Robbie joined him in the dressing room as he was caught in the 7th over for 3. We now had Dev ‘The Dundee FC’ May and Simon in the middle. I should have been away and getting padded up as I was batting number 5, but I was still standing in the middle of the park umpiring, and shaking my head at every appeal that came my way. Basically, the ball had to hit the stumps or the middle of the bat before anyone was been given out. The fact I should have had my pads on eventually hit me and a new umpire was needed, but trying to find one was not going to be easy. We had Robbie and Alan still taking their pads off, another 1 putting pads on, 2 batting and one more at the other end umpiring. To add to all that we had a 12 year old and a 13 year old having a crash course on scoring by learning on the job. We got it sorted just in time as Dev fell, bowled for 5. We were 17 for 3 and not looking very good. I could use other words, but don’t think Dave will allow me to use them on the website!

It was now myself and Simon at the crease and we managed to take a little bit of the shine from the ball as we reached 73 before Simon was caught for 28. Now I’m not saying Simon wasn’t paying attention, but their skipper moved the fielder 3 times before he was happy with his position. He almost had the tape measure and spirit level out as Simon hit it straight to him - muppet. Myself and Ash put on another 15 runs when I was caught going for a big 6. I scored 36. Ash went soon after for 22. I think he may have the Scott ‘I work at St Andrews Uni’ Robertson syndrome as he was caught behind for the 2nd week running. Habib was next to join us on the side lines as he charged the bowler. Only thing was, that he forgot to get the wooden thing close to the ball. Stumped for 1. We now had Sean and Lyle ‘I just play all Sports’ Robertson together and as Lyle faced the bowling the captain thought ‘we have a kid batting so I will creep in close’. Wrong manoeuvre, as Lyle let one go and almost took his head off! The look on his face was a picture. He will have to clean his whites before his next game - those stains are not easy to get out. Grant also managed to annoy the field by lobbing one over their head.

We were all out for 122, well short of their total, but at least we can still hold our heads high. We tried and the spirit of the 10 players on the field was like having 11. We never let it get to us, we enjoy our cricket. A comment from their captain was ‘ how come when the ball is getting planked to every corner of the ground you and your team are still having a laugh?’ My reply was ‘we are a team’.

Mel