An easy start to the campaign

After last weeks disappointment of a washed out game, it was nice to welcome Cumnor to Manor Fields to play our first game in Division six.

The weather was fine and with an inviting strip Bletchley’s captain won the toss and Cumnor were put in to bat.

Euan Hobbs and Des Kane, both bowling tightly and restricting the flow of runs, opened the bowling.

After 9 overs Cumnor had only managed 17 runs, and the pressure was starting to tell as the dot ball count increased.

Ackland was then force into a rash shot chipping the ball to Hobbs at mid on and Kane had taken the first wicket, Cumnor 19-1.

In the 14^th over things got worse for Cumnor when the other opener Pritchard was run out by his partner after some peculiar calling, the score 32-2.

Kane had continued from the rugby ground end and the batsmen could not get him away Briggs replaced Mitty and steered his first ball to Brooks in the gully and Cumnor were 36-3.

Hobbs was replaced by Greenway who immediately troubled the batsmen, causing them to play and miss and his accuracy was rewarded when Mitty was caught behind by Premnath Cumnor 44-4.

Kane then had Steadman LBW for 7 and Cumnor were tottering at 51-5.

This brought Shepherd to the crease a man known to hit the ball a long way, the captain made a point of placing a man at the deep midwicket boundary, and he even enquired of the batsman if the fielder was in the right place, Shepherd then mistimed his shot and was caught at midoff for nought.

Kane was now on a hatrick and with the crowd baying he produced a snorter of a delivery which Griffen edged between slip and gully for a lucky couple.

Drinks were taken in the 26^th over and an inspired piece of Captaincy saw Greenway replaced by Ben Shepherd (actually Chris had made a comment at drinks).

Anyway Ben bowled a peach of a ball in his first over that beat the batsman all ends up and clipped the top of off stump.

Ben then went on to prove that even when you bowl filth you can somehow still get wickets, his second coming from a full bunger that the batsman completely missed, Ben then induced a poor shot from a pie ball that had Griffen caught.

Kane had been replaced by Jude and the game was wrapped up when he bowled House for 6 Cumnor all out for 72 in 36 overs.

Kane returning excellent figures of 15.6.24.4.

After an early tea Bletchley opened with Dave Shepherd and Chris Greenway and both batsman looked untroubled by the Cumnor bowling that was proving to be erratic, Chris perished in the 5^th over when he failed to get his bat inside the line and he edged to Briggs, he was replaced by Premnath and he and Dave saw the score to 33 before Abs edged to the slips.

Tom Brooks came in at No4 and after defending his first ball, he smashed the second for 4, the rest of our batsmen were queuing up but we were closing in on the Cumnor score.

Dave and Tom were batting sensibly and with Cumnor sensing the inevitable, despite using 5 different bowlers they saw the game out Dave 27no and Tom 19no.

Next week sees us travel to our furthest opponents Bourton Vale, so an early start.

Cumnor Innings

Cumnor Bowling

Bletchley Innings

 Cumnor Bowling

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