Wield vs Cove, Sunday 14th July, the re-match...
Wield won again, prolonging their unbeaten record to 9 out of 9!
With Flaming June over, Hotter than Hades July has arrived but Wield marches on. Fresh from a weekend off after the double header at the end of June of Rowledge at home and then Zooters at the Rosebowl – Wield were semi-finalists, finishing in the top 4 U9 teams in Hampshire – we came home to a re-match with Cove. Unable to complete this game back in May due to rain, Cove returned and this was our second last game of the season. Captain Wilf won the toss, put them into bat and we were underway. They started steadily but with Sam and Wilf opening the damage didn’t take too long to start – Sam took the first wicket in the third over and Wilf followed swiftly with a run-out in the fourth. Cove slipped to 199. Ellie and Millie arrived and Millie bowled a wicket on her first ball while Ellie followed through with a great catch in her third over. However, two Cove batsmen, Archie and Charlie, plundered runs and this four over spell lifted their total to 226. So up to the crease came Charlie and Bruce and two more quick wickets fell, both in their first overs. Cove maintained their 226 and the final four overs came around. With seven players Wilf came in again for his traditional final over while Edward held down the other end. Again two more wickets fell in this spell, both to Wilf in the final over (a bowled and another run out) and Cove finished on 237.
By now the heat must have been around 26-28 and tea could not have come a moment too soon. Emma’s Flapjacks, Judy’s Moonroast coffee (www.moonroast.co.uk) and Rachael had set things up and we were refreshed! The coffee was a lighter roast this time and worked well in the heat; we hurried back to the wicket. Sam and Charlie opened the account for Wield and ice cold Sam hit 30 off the first four overs including seven 4s. Charlie knocked off a 4 at the other end and at 248 things were looking good as Bruce and Ellie came in. More 4s from both followed and again no wickets fell. The score raced to 284 and Wield began to breathe easy. Wilf and Millie ran in and the runs flowed once more. With good running between the wickets taking advantage of byes, Wilf ended his innings on 19 (including three 4s) while Millie’s supporting role kept the score moving to 308. Sam returned once more joined by Edward and the final 4 overs got underway. Edward was unfortunately bowled on the first ball but this put Sam in and he carried on where he left off. Quick running between the wickets and a further four 4s took Sam’s total to a monumental 52no and Wield’s final total a crushing 327-1. Our second last game and another win as we strive for a clean slate in 2013, incredible! Sam’s match-winning half century from his two innings marked him out as the Man of the Match - roll on Oakley next Saturday, our final game!
Rupert Cazalet