What a start to the season! Great win at home to one of the teams we didn’t manage to beat last year!
It’s started off in the best way with their skipper “winning” the toss and electing to bat first! This worked out for everyone as there was now 25 points up for grabs with an early season win! It’s started off fantastic with “the gun” young Sam grabbing a wicket in the first over with a cracking in swinging delivery. Then their skipper dropped anchor for a long period of time with debutant Daz Cravo causing all sorts of problems with the new ball. The next few overs saw the number 3 for springview bash a few fours with a hard but catchable chance coming in my direction, which of course we all know was dropped. Not the best start for me as a debutant as well! But I sure made up for it with the fines! Moving back to the game, Sam then picked up his second wicket to remove the dangerous Harry cooper with a good catch coming from cravo! Sam then followed that up very quick with the next ball to remove the number 4, great catch by Alex in the slips. Sam then had a chance for his very first hat trick, which was unfortunately not taken but no doubt he will find himself there again at some point this season! I was then brought into the attack and managed to get the ball moving around! Missing the edge of the springview skipper on multiple occasion. Then came the chance we where looking for when he middle a leg side full toss straight toward rassie who was also making his return debut for NBCC unfortunately he was unable to hold on and the chance was missed. The next few over resulted in not much action. Rassie was then introduced to the attack and managed to pick up the wicket of the number 5 batsmen with an in-swinging delivery. There was then another chance for me to grab my first wicket with a very difficult opportunity falling to Alex in the slips but again this was put down.
The skipper then brought himself on to try and buy a wicket and low and behold it worked a treat, his first “delivery” picked up the wicket of the spring view skipper who I think we can all agree needs to look at himself after getting out to a shocking delivery but as they say shit gets wickets. This brought the danger Kevin Robinson to the crease who NBCC know to be dangerous. DJ was brought into the attack and straight away got Kevin on the back foot causing him to hit one straight down my throat…which we all know I again dropped! 🙄 moving on DJ did manage to pick up a wicket with the number 6 hitting it to mid wicket and Daz Cravo picking up his second catch of the day. Kevin Robinson then teed off and began to hit the skipper for 6 after 6 and Simmo decided it was time to take a break! Tanders was then brought on, his first ball was smashed into the air and was swirling for what seemed and age, then came the “dick of the day” moment with the skipper slowly back peddling from mid wicket as he “thought” it was going straight to Cravo and the ball ended up landing exactly where Simmo had originally started. Tanders did manage pick up a quick wicket a little later. DJ then picked up his second with a good catch come from Rassie at square leg even if he did nearly drop it! “The Gun” was then Reintroduced into the attack and after conceding a few boundaries managed to pick up the key wicket of Kevin Robinson…who had been batting without any gloves for most of his innings by the way….he left the pitch at one point to get a box but not gloves…strange.
The number 10 and 11 then faced a few over before Daz picked up his first wicket with his first delivery of his second spell and a good catch coming from young Sam in gully to end the Springview innings
Then came the NBCC inning and it got off the worst possible start with both openers Sam J and Tom H getting out in quick succession leaving us 2-2, this put us on the back foot but some calm but pressing batting from DJ and Alex put us back on top. We lost Alex to in his own words a “shit shot” which made us 33-3. This brought young Luke to the crease and he didn’t disappoint as again we looked to rebuild with him and the ever present DJ guiding us 82-3 we then lost Luke to a brave shot and a good catch in the deep. This brought tanders to the crease who along with DJ again steadied the ship some great shots and intelligent running got us within touching distance of our target with DJ bringing up a sublime 50, then the worst possible thing happened DJ probably hitting it the best he had all day picked out the fielder on the square leg boundary and it just stuck. Disappointment for DJ but a great innings. Rassie then came in to help Tanders finish them off and it started well with Rassie hitting a nice boundary but after a few singles and twos..rassie just decided to give up half way down the track and was run out. Tanders was then joined by the skipper who started off fantastic by hitting a sweet lofted drive to take some of the pressure off, Tanders then finished the game off with a nice cut through backward point to end the game and pick up a sweet 25 points for NBCC.
And overall great day ending with a massive 25 points! Just a few drops and some slight flatness in the field at times but a fantastic win and we go again next week at Wigan! Plaudits got to Sam Cureton for 4-51 and DJ for 2-24 and 59.
MOTM - DJ
DOTD - Simmo
Written by J Courtney
22 APRIL 2023 @ 12:45