v Scotland TSL2 @ Taunton August 22 2004

Team news and early report at 1:30

The side seems pretty much as expected. We won the toss and decided to bat. Burnsy opening with Frank Jr then Cox and Hildreth, Wood, KP, Dutch, Laraman, Caddick, McLean andAndrew. No Frank S and no Johnno...no idea why.

Over 2 and Asif But gets JF for 4 LBW. 6 for 1. By the 5th the score has hammered along to 18. Wind getting up and clouds moving in!

As some learned member of the crowd pointed out, the objective in a possible rain affected game is to get runs on the board..at 46 for 1 after 10 w seem to be failing and when KP walks out because Burns placidly offers up a catch for a slow 17.<

Parsons brings up the 50 to limp applause. Then something of interest, on comes Yasser Arrafat to bowl at the OP. But it's at the other end that the next blow comes KP goes at 61 to another LBW bringing Hildreth in.

At 15 we almost hit 5 an over (74) which is OK but not exactly staggering. However, by the 18th Hilda has taken a shine to Yasser and we've moved to 96 with the promise of lots more. The ton arrives at 18.5 and 110 at 20 with the 50 partnership arriving with Nelson

Coxey hits 50 off 55 balls and Hilda isn't far behind as we go to 138 at 25. He gets there off 56 balls but gets carried away and caught by Lockhart at 157 in the 30th. Matt Wood replaces him.

Jamie goes to an excellent c&b from Gregor Maiden at 180 at the end of the 33rd for 63. Enter Keith Dutch who takes us to 200 4 balls into the 38th.

At 41 we have 227 with a 50 partnership to celebrate and Woody knoccking on the door of a half century which duly comes on 237 (47 balls 4x4's) but not before Dutchy holes out at 235 in the 42nd .

But it's not moving at pace and the last over gets us past 250 but only just and Wood doesn't see it as he leaves, bowled for 56 with 2 balls to go. We finish on 253 for 8 as Laraman is the last one out caught in the deep off the last ball.

4:00 and the Scots start facing Nixon McLean Lockheart and Maiden are not particularly well known but seem well organised as the paceman gives them a torrid welcome with a fast maiden. Andy Caddick gives them 3 off his first ball and then 3 men fail to stop Nixon's throw giving away four byes. Nixon makes sure with the next oone, rolling it to Mike Burns along the floor. 9 off his first and he isn't pleased. In fact no-one is really pleased when the Scots move to 32 by the end of the 5th. Caddick sorts this out when he has Lockhart caught first ball of the 6th.

Nixon does the same with the first ball of the 7th with a full bodied length ball into the stumps. There's a bit of rain about and we would come a cropper if this game ended before the end of 10.

The 50 comes at 8.5 and we see the first change as Laraman takes over from Cadman at the River. He goes for 3 and Scotland are below the D/L (63). Caddick changes ends and comes in from the OP as Nixon's first change. He totals Ryan Watson who has to retire after being smacked on the hand - 54 for 3-ish. By 15 overs they've pushed it to 72 and we have a 2 run cushion - it's not a lot.

We go for slow stuff at the River as Dutch bowls the 18th and also gets a wicket with his first ball Maiden caught Andrew - 78 for 3. Caddy bowls out with 9 for 21 - with 11 off his first - excellent.

At 20 they are 18 behind the rate and Parsons takes over at the OP. 89 for 3 and it takes them another 3 and a half overs to reach 100 thanks to tight sessions from Parsons and Dutch. 'Nelson' at 25, they aren't making ground on the D/L target but it isn't rising either. Andrew is now on at the OP and ...takes a wicket with his first ball bowling Smith and bringing Watson back to the crease after treatment. 128 for 4 in the 29th.

He doesn't stay long though because Dutchy runs him out at the start of the 30th with 135 up. This brings Arrafat to the crease who helps Cedric English (I kid you not) to 50 and Scotland over 150 in the 32nd.

Bad news as Nixon finishes his over off three strides and leaves the field.  With 10 to go and 77 needed Aaron Laraman takes a wicket...first ball of an over and Cedric leaves LBW for 55. 177 for 6.  It's still close but it's swinging our way...a bit.  Then it isn't as they keep moving closer 200 at 38.4- some 11 adrift.  52 off 6 aided by some poor outfielding and then kept in the crease by some good stuff - it's all over the place this game!

 

With 5 to go, they're still in touch but KP catches Wright on the boundary...first ball of the 40th.  We now have rain and they need 34 in very poor light.  So AL gets an LBW to take them to 8 down.  But they take 8 off the next 2 balls (both through Burnsy) and it's in the melting pot again.  Another Scottish 50 to Arrafat at 233 and at the end of the 43rd they need 18 with 2 wickets left. On comes Dutch. Second ball for 4 and they need 8 off the last over.  Andrew to bowl the last one and you'd put your money on the Scots but Gareth does it with..the first ball bowls him.  BUT Arrafat is still there. Makes no difference because Gareth takes the new man first ball as well the same way...a bit close but we got there ....just...PHEW!!  Good job the PLO leader didn't get a sniff then!

 

So, the bowlers don't let us down...7 wickets off the first ball of an over and a solid performance by them all.  We have worries though because we have a match on Tuesday and at the moment, Johnson, Francis S and Nixon are all injured in some way (one assumes).  Having said that, the young guys did their part today and we have to also mention the excellent outfielding of Matt Wood, Gareth Andrew and Andy Caddick.

 

But seriously George...give the gloves back to Gaz  or Noddy. It was an interesting idea but it's not working well enough.

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