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With rain around Ulgham threatening but not interfering with play, Rowlands fell to a second defeat by Old Record Players; this one much closer than at Bullocksdreads. Rowlands batted first with Chris Robson and Davo looking a confident opening pair. However, the bowling was good with Xohaib Shahid and Colin Quigley bowling a full length. Davo fell to a good catch low down on the off side off Quigley for 11 including two 4s. Matt joined Chris and the pair progressed to 41 in the 5th over before Chris was unhappy to be sawn off LBW to Quigley. Chris made a reasonably fast 23 with two 4s. Matt only hit one boundary in a slower 17 before being bowled by Digvijay with the score on 88 in the 13th over. Meanwhile Bob Tulip, slightly tired from 6-a-side exertions and responsibilities the day before, had built an innings based on sporadic hitting and well worked singles. He and Roy completed the innings with both batsmen frustrated by the guile of Tony Glover. Bob made a MoM 38 not out (three 4s and a 6) and Roy 13 not out with two consecutive 4s early on. Rowlands posted 119-3 off 16. Bowling for the Players was Xohaib 0-35, Quigley 2-15, Digvijay 1-37 and Glover 0-24.
Could Rowlands contain the aggression expected from the Players? Unfortunately not quite and especially with the start they got. Ayan Charravartty launched into the bowling of Richie Munro and extracted 24 off his second over. Davo had 12 knocked off his second over to bring up 52 off the first 4. Time for Don and he had Adam Holroyd facing. After 2 promising dots the third ball was hit to the silver birch tree at cow corner where Roy found his fingers were not quite long enough. However this was 6 and out in the same over as Matt took a stumping. With Ian Younger also keeping runs down at the other end, Rowlands were steadily coming back into the game. Don trapped Jason Tenniswood for 8 after unsuccessfully claiming the same victory over Ayan who was still going well. However, Ian dismissed him in the same manner for his 43 which included seven 4s and a 6. Don completed 4-0-20-2 with accurate full length bowling (despite two 4s and that 6) and Ian an effective 4-0-26-1 (three wides and three 4s). Players were by now on 98-3 off 12. Richie finally arrived when recalled! He took out the middle stumps of Quigley (9) and Murray (1) although 7 and 6 runs were taken off his second spell to give him 4-0-44-2. Davo had the task of bowling a very tight final over, with only 3 required, but Xohaib hit the winning boundary off the fifth ball, bringing up 123-5. Davo recorded 3.5-0-25-0 with the ball zipping through low to Matt.
Three points were gained in a fascinating encounter but the end result was a disappointment with perhaps some slack fielding the difference; or was it not enough runs; or was it the lack of early penetration? Perhaps they were just better than us on the night, especially MoM Ayan, it can happen!
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