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Indoor 6 a-side league: CCC beat New Hartley

On the back of a convincing win against Mallards, CCC looked to extend their unbeaten run to two games against this season's newcomers, New Hartley. The ORP's contingent of CCC will have recognised New Hartley skipper 'Nemo' from their weekend encounters with New Hartley. The rest of their side however was made up, in the main part, by Newcastle University students, including one-time CCC turncoat Danny Clark. After losing the toss we were put into bat. As ever, Nick and Chris opened the batting. Although neither seemed to be struggling against a good bowling attack the run rate was a little slower than we might have hoped. Nick was run out off only the third ball of the game for 4 after a decent shot came off a side door at a favourable angle for the fielding side. Rian was in at number three but could only add another 6 before being adjudged lbw. He can feel somewhat aggrieved as there was a hint of an inside edge. I followed Rian and struggled to get it away, I was soon put out of misery after I chopped one onto middle stump for only 3. Chris soon retired on 25* after playing a well-crafted innings, although this would be far from his final contribution at the crease. Simon W continued his good run of form by adding a further 15, scoring at a quick rate before being run out. Matt P was next and was going great guns until smashing one to point only to out to a good catch for 12. Chris came back in and batted superbly, pushing the accelerator and hitting some fine strokes, the pick of which was a splendid straight six. Despite Chris' heroics (53*) we finished on a total of 98, this more a testament to New Hartley's strength in depth in the bowling department and their energetic fielding than any bad batting.

Trying to defend such a low total is nigh on impossible so we knew if we were realistically going to win this fixture then we would almost certainly have to bowl New Hartley all out. Matt P opened the bowling and combining with Chris got us off to the perfect start from ball one. New Hartley's opening batsman looked to cut a short(ish) delivery, only to top-edge it into the ceiling leaving Chris to gobble it up. At other end was Premier League batsman Danny Clark who wasted no time in exploiting my decision to have the field up and proceeded to check-drive the first delivery he faced for four. Rian opened from the other end and bowled very well, varying many of his deliveries. A constant throughout this tournament has been the poor umpiring. Today's game was no exception with Nick having a clear run out chalked off after an excellent direct hit as the square leg umpire was pouring a cup of tea from his Thermos (I'm not joking)! Both Rian and Matt continued to bowl well and make inroads into the New Hartley middle order. With Nick or my overs looming we decided to bowl Rian through to give us a chance at bowling them out. The game was poised with three overs remaining with Danny Clark and skipper Nemo at the crease, Danny having come back in after hitting 25*. Nick bowled the third from last over and managed to make the breakthrough. Whilst watching the ball sail over his head looking all the world a six it clipped the side wall, hit the stanchion and somehow rebounded off my diving arm and resulted in a somewhat bizarre and spectacular catch! This left Matt P one over to bowl at their captain, who needed about 20, before either Nick and I had to bowl the final two overs. Matt P almost won the game with his first delivery of his third and final over after putting down an extremely difficult 'caught and bowled' opportunity, and the third ball dropped just out of Rian's grasp. As it was after Matt struck two balls later, clean bowling Nemo through the gate to seal a close and exceedingly satisfying victory

Indoor 6 a-side league: CCC beat Mallards

After a barren run of four games without a win CCC had to turn things around, and a fixture against bottom side Mallards could well prove to be the perfect tonic.

After a magnanimous gesture by Mallards skipper Gareth to waiver the toss, I decided to bat first. I think it would be fair to say that the weakest bowling attack we've faced all season offered neither Nick or Chris any difficulties at all and both eased to 25* in no time at all. This excellent platform eased the pressure on the rest of our batting line-up. I was next in and added 14 more before holing out to mid-on after being caught between smashing the cover off it or trying to work it into the leg-side. Rian was next to get in on the act but succumbed to a Rian trait of old and was clean bowled trying to find the stratosphere with a huge swipe at a straight one for only 6. He denies it was tricky left-armer Alan Boyes who bowled the wickedly straight delivery but I'm not so sure... Matt P replaced Rian who chipped in with a quick-fire 9 before being run out. Simon W wasted no time by and adding a further 15 with some hefty stokes including a flat, straight 6 that was hit like a tracer bullet. Nick and Chris both came back in to pile on the runs. Chris smoking a couple for six but with Nick enjoying most of the strike. He managed to rack up another 50* leaving us on a formidable total of 144-4.

With such a big total on the board the job was half done, and providing we bowled and fielded well we would be on our way to our first victory in five. After Rian's maiden over of the previous week the standard had been set for others to follow suit. Matt did exactly that and proceeded to bowl a wicket maiden with his very first over. Rian picked up where he left off from the previous week and exacted his revenge on Alan Boyes, deceiving him with a slower delivery. Both Rian and Matt proved too much for the Mallards batsmen who fell woefully behind the rate. Relief came in the guise of both Nick and I who went for a few runs apiece. Despite a slight increase in the run rate Mallards never really looked in it and ended up 60 or so runs short of our total. Ultimately, it was a game we should always be winning but put in a good performance nevertheless. Lets hope this is the start of the turn around.

Indoor 6 a-side league: Rowlands beat CCC

Annual high-flyers Rowlands were CCC's opponents last Sunday and with only one win in four so far, a CCC victory was looking unlikely. With the game before ours finishing early the officials were eager to get things moving, which led to us starting the game with only five players on the field. Whilst stalling for the arrival of Mudasser, I lost the toss and Rowlands captain, Shaun Collins, told his Dad - Eddie, hmm sorry, the umpire, that his team would like to bat first.
Rian was straight into the deep end on his six-a-side season debut when I tossed him the ball and asked him to open the bowling. That he did and I think he would admit that his first over was by no means his best and contained no less than three wides. Of recent weeks Matty K has struggled when the ball has lacked the semblance of a seam. This week however, when bowling with a pronounced seam the ball tended to drift and spin down leg and in this league anything down leg spells wides and runs against. Nick and Mudasser had one over each that were also wayward, Mudasser now having bowled 8 wides from a possible 12 deliveries this season. One thing our poor bowling did manage to do was not allow the batsmen to settle into any rhythm so when both Matty, the Skipper and especially Rian found their feet the flow of runs was stemmed. Matty was very unlucky not to take the scalp of their captain as a couple of catching chances went begging (guilty as charged). Rian had them on a string in his third over and even managed to bowl an (almost unheard of) indoor maiden over! We managed to run one batsmen out and Nick took a good catch at the death to leave Rowlands on a total of 123, almost 60 of which was probably made up in extras.
Despite a largely forgettable bowling display we weren't too daunted by the total we had to chase. Nick and Rian opened the batting and against one of the best bowling attacks in the competition took a little while to get going. Nick was out for 6 after getting caught just shy of the back wall. I came in at three and Rian and I managed to get some runs on the board with some manic running before Rian was run out for 6 also. Simon W entered the fold and picked up where he left off from last weeks solid batting display. He and I seemed to be going well and we were up with the rate then I was clean-bowled 3 away from retiring on 22. Mudasser then joined Simon and he struggled to score in greater increments of 1 and was duly out caught when pushing for a big shot for a bout 10. Matty was last in to assist Simon who was still going well but by which time we were behind the rate and didn't look like catching back up, despite a valiant effort from both Simon (19) and Matty. In the end we were 20 or so runs away and we have to concede that we were beaten by a better side.

Next week brings a MUST win fixture...Mallards!

Indoor 6 a-side league: Davipart beat CCC

Game week 4 coincided with Valentine's Day and raised questions of commitment for the missing Matt's! The absent Lotharios made way for Simon E and Mudasser to make their indoor 2010 debuts against Davipart.

I missed the toss whilst removing my pads after filling in as a late replacement for ORP's in the game prior to ours against Genetics. Theirs was a routine win which they won at a canter and gave me encouragement for a team we are yet to face. Chris filled in, won the toss and decided to bat first.

Davipart were fielding a young, fit side that bowled and fielded equally well. So much so that openers Nick and Chris were restricted to mainly singles. Chris was run out for 7 after an excellent pick-up and throw that saw him a yard short of his crease. I followed Chris in at 3 and suffered an almost identical dismissal for only 4. Simon Woodman then entered the fold and steadied the ship with some excellent batting. Nick retired on a measured 25* making way for Mudasser who added a few quick-fire in his typical style. Simon Edwards' run of bad luck with this competition showed no signs of abating when he arrived at the crease. He dispatched a decent, pacey delivery with a lovely little swivel and tuck off his hips. However he was caught by an exceptional running, diving, one-handed catch for 0. Nick came back in and remarkably scored another 25 making an unbeaten 50 leaving us with a total of 103. Subtle acknowledgement of the applause from the balcony made for a classy end to our innings. To be afforded the opportunity to score a 50 in this competition the rest of the batting has to be below par and with the exception of Simon Woodman it was.

With 6 front line batsmen making up our side the bowling options were limited. Nick opened the bowling with Mudasser from the other end. Nick bowled a decent enough 3 over spell and was very unlucky not to register a wicket when a couple of catching chances went begging. Mudasser looked a little rusty with his over and conceded a few wides. He redeemed himself with an excellent catch of one of my deliveries. Simon W once again kept very well with a fine stumping the highlight. After a few wickets had fallen the game seemed to be in the balance but in the end we didn't really have enough bowling and a score of 103 was probably 10 to 20 runs short of giving us a decent chance.

Next week sees us take on Rowlands, one of the best sides in the competition but still have yet to actually win the entire contest. This will be a tough test that should really let us know where stand in terms of pushing for a place in finals night.

Indoor 6 a-side league: JCB beat CCC

Game week 3 reunited the opening day, winning side, that slayed Mitford CC. Our opponents on this occasion were Genetics diffusion side JCB. A side that tend to vary their line-up but usually pose as decent adversaries, especially with batsman Johnny Bennett heading up the batting attack.
Needless to say, I won the toss and, like the game against Mitford, elected to bat first. This tactic seemed to pay dividends as both Nick and Chris both made steady starts. Chris, finding his form, raced to 25*. He then made way for Matt P who thought all his Christmas had come at once when he arrived at the crease to face an over from their one over guy (i.e. my role) who provided short length, coupled with flight and a lack of pace that would make me blush. This had Matt salivating and sadly this was his undoing. After a colossal heavy-ho at ball one he was out the following delivery.
I entered the fold to assist Nick who was out caught, narrowly missing out on his third 25* of the season, finishing on 23. Simon and I managed to keep things ticking over score wise before Simon pulled a short delivery, right out of the middle, only to be caught off a side wall. Matty K put in a nice little cameo which consisted of some 'tipping' and frantic running. Chris reappeared as did I after Matty was out stumped with 3 balls remaining, chasing one manic run too many. I nudged another to 2 to finish on 27* before Chris rounded the innings off in style with a majestic 6 straight back over the bowlers head and a further 3 to leave him on 34*.
You all probably read the e mail from Nick earlier this week explaining the bizarre circumstances of their innings. In truth, JCB batted very well in the main, especially Johnny Bennett. However, I think we can feel hard done by seeing as though they had a man dismissed twice!! They worked the gaps well and ran hard, proving that boundaries don't necessarily hold the key to winning these games. Special mention to Matty K who not only bowled very well but also took a superb, one handed, diving catch too. Unlucky lads.