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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.