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CAPTAIN'S REPORT
I lost the toss at an overcast Churchill Playing Fields, after a 50 minute Metro journey to get to the game. Monkseaton decided to bat first with CCC starting without the full complement of fielders for the second week in a row. Guy did a sterling job with the 'new' (probably even older than last week) ball, and removed their dangerous opening batsman whilst keeping it tight. Matty got over a couple of loose balls in his first over to bowl a good spell too. Derek arrived from his meeting in Newburn in time to bowl three economical overs, and Mudasser came up with his usual assortment of pies, beauties and offensive sledging. Some excellent fielding from everyone, notably Guy and Peter (in a quite frankly comical battle against a strip of astroturf laid just backward of point) helped restrict Monkey to 114, and Guy's run out on the last ball got us a 4th wicket, and with that a bonus point.
Chris and I started slowly as they bowled tidy opening spells, but as we got to grips with the wicket we upped the scoring rate taking advantage of the large field and not particularly mobile fieldsmen. Chris was out for 21, caught off a ball that should have gone over the houses, with us needing around 50 off 6 overs. Peter helped with a cameo 6, including some great running between the wickets before blaring down the wicket to get stumped off a wide. We needed 30 off 3 when Mudasser came to the crease, and he proceeded to hit a couple of nice shots, almost get sconned off their quickest bowler, miss with 4 attempted late cuts, and then finally run himself out in bizarre circumstances after taking his gloves off mid run - then dropping one on the floor and running back to get it leaving me and him at the same end! Andy came in with us needing 12 off the last 6 balls. We sneaked 2 byes, then burgled a run after he got struck square in the nuts for the 2nd time of the game. Needing 9 off 4 I hit one back over the bowlers head, only for deep mid-off to run in the wrong direction in the darkening gloom, and it go for 4. Crucially the next ball was a wide, and 4 off 2 were needed. I moosed a massive slog out to cow corner and the fielder ran in to try and make the catch, and it bounced in front of him and went for 4, so we won with 1 ball to spare.
It was another really good game, and the major difference between the two sides was the fielding effort from CCC. We cut down the twos and threes with aggressive attacking of the ball and strong throwing from the lads in the deep, and those runs saved were vital.
Cap - me, even though I voted for Guy
Duck - it's going to be Mudasser every week, lets be honest.
CCC 8 points
Team: Nick, Chris, Peter, Mudassar, Andy H, Simon W., John E, Ian J, Derek, Matty, Guy
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