The match was played at Rickmansworth CC. Nice scenic setting with good clubhouse and bar. Pitch was hard, pockmarked with a grassy cover.
As ever my prediction of a fast pitch was completely wrong with the ball keeping quite slow and low. Ivanhoe won the toss and sent in Batchworth, who had 10 players, into bat.
They had a slow start, accelerated, then were held back towards the end for a total of 208. Their captain starred with an unbeaten 77 not out whilst their number 3 got 50.
Pick of the bowlers were Andrew with 2 – 29, Ciaran (3-30), and Richard (1-36) and Prasad, who despite not getting a wicket, continually beat the bat and ended on 0 – 30.
Newcomer Vijay got 1-55, his wicket being a good reward after finally getting his length in bowling at the death. Phil.K did some great work behind the stumps with 2 catches (1 was a dive in front of 1st slip who frankly had fallen asleep) and a stumping. Dexter ran around like crazy saving numerous runs (or rather his shins doing the saving) down at fine leg or long off.
After a nice Tea, Ivanhoe set out to try to get to an above 200 target which we have continually struggled to reach this season.
The tale of our Innings was a promising fast Start (after early loss of Phil.K) with Richard (59) and Steven (24) sharing a 68 run 2nd wicket partnership, smacking the ball to all corners of the field, before Steven (bowled) and Richard (runout) were gone. Thereafter, a famous Ivanhoe mid-order collapse of 4 batsman (only honours going to Dexter getting his first run off the first ball faced). At this point one could throw up their hands in despair of an impending thrashing …… but Vijay (40) with John Loveday (11) shared an 8th wicket partnership of 53, and then Prasad (9….but with a first ball 6) kept our hopes alive before we finally fell short on 196 all out!!
Good game and great to see some new faces in the squad. (Credit to Prasad for organising his friends appearance!!)
Andrew H.