It must nearly be summer if the WPCC nets are about to start!!

With the ball keeping low as usual, Monica and the Vet strode to the middle and began confidently enough against the old ball, a spinner and a dobber. Monica was less than pleased. Jason was so irritated by the lack of pace that he called loudly for a single after drilling one into covers hands and was run out easily after Monica’s equally loud “No”! Our John, having had a week of work, was far too awake to bother with such things as getting his eye in, and his short shot-a-ball innings ended when he played a glorious drive on the up but neglected to hit the ball and saw his stumps knocked back. Nanny joined Monica, and they were both relieved when the new ball was taken and a bit of pace introduced(a young lad who looked like Nick Blair and bowled off three paces like Sloth – and with a bit of zip!). This was short-lived as a succession of boundaries saw him taken out of the attack after two overs! All to no avail as Monica passed fifty and Lewis closed on his. The sudden realisation from Monica that runs were running out and Nanny had 47 meant a new tactic – singles only from his bat – which led to a loss of concentration and an LBW. Not to worry, there were still 8 runs to play with. Naveem promptly spanked a boundary and four byes later a disgruntled Nanny finished 47 not out as the Park won by seven wickets.

The match was notable for 3 other things. The theory of “Park always bowl well if they only start with ten men or less” was confirmed as truth. Paul gave three – yes 3 – LBW’s in one match. And Sloth passed 35 wickets for the season. Congrats!

WELFORD PARK 1st XI vs Warfield 

So we men of the Park were playing the mighty Warfield.  They have been over-performing all year and of course thumped us earlier in the season – a humiliation for which the Park were keen to seek revenge.  With 5 wins on the bounce, the boys were in particularly good spirits and naturally as confident as an Aussie leg spinner who’s just spotted Ian Bell padding up.  This confidence only increased when we realised we were in the field with nine once again, the new magic formula for any Welford first XI game.  Even the fact that Pradeep, the Basingstoke Express, was one of our missing players couldn’t dampen our enthusiasm.

Into the field, and Sloth bowled with the hostility and accuracy which has become increasingly common (and weirdly disconcerting) in the past few matches.  That strange phenomenon of excellent Welford fielding and genuine athleticism was also once more in evidence.  What is this team coming too?!  One slight concern early on was Nanny missing a few behind the stumps, but he confidently proclaimed that he would “catch the ones that mattered”.  Hmmm… Time would tell. 

Pradeep and Spinders finally turned up, although Pending had done a good job opening the bowling from the top end.  No scoresheet again, but suffice to say that Sloth bolwed straight through and secured 4 wickets, a couple after changing ends so Pradeep could bowl with the wind.  Pradeep also got 4, and Max Power and Nanny (who as it turns out, did catch everything that mattered) effected an awesome run out.  We took to the field before lunch once again to chase down 103 (I think..?) and Max Power opened the batting in the absence of Our John with any number of strains and sprains.  A solid opening partnership followed, but the Park soon began to falter surprisingly as the slow, dusty wicket played in to the hands of the slow, dusty Warfield attack.  In the end though, Welford’s favourite guest star Johnny “King’s Road Express” Fuller showed characteristic flair and nerve to see us home with three wickets (I think..?) to spare.  Monica top scored with 32, and we beat the rain by a few minutes to secure a bucketload of points!  Hussars for the Park and so on!