Armadillos

Match Report

On a glorious day at Sheffield Park, the second day of summer, with glimpses of the mansion through the trees, the Stragglers moved into the bold new world of live-streaming. Indeed, although confirmed audience numbers are not yet in, there are rumours that the Straggs game against the Armadillos was running the T20 World Cup from the West Indies close.  For those struggling to sleep, highlights can be viewed through the link https://armadillos.play-cricket.com/website/results/6460635.

The game ran a similar course to the previous weekend, the Straggs perfectly content with the bowling performance and not intimidated by the target at the tea break.  However, the batting performance proved modest once again.  On a pitch which had been underwater a few weeks earlier, there was always a risk that the bowlers would have an edge, and edges came thick and fast early in the Armadillos’ innings. Billy Richardson struck first, followed by debutant, Nick Stewart, with three more fine edges in succession, all four neatly pouched by Jasper behind the stumps.  Runs were hard to come by, and the innings rather meandered along at fewer than 4 an over.  Seb bowled a tidy line, and the Chairman (2 for 14) came on only to put down what was probably the crucial (and very straight forward) caught and bowled chance (Jim Mann, the batsman dropped went on to top score with 32 and was only run out on the final ball of the innings).  Two wickets in two balls a few overs later repaired some of the damage, and Jasper introduced Patch Clews and Nathan Hunt to keep the batsman guessing.  However, it took a returning Billy (2 for 25) and Nick Stewart (4 for 18) to keep the total under control – 157 for 9 from 35 overs. Seb took another of his trademark tumbling catches in the final over, but the partnership of 48 for the 7th wicket between Mann père et fils (Olly) proved to be crucial to the outcome.

With red kites circling the ground in the clear blue sky, Jasper and Ben Simpson strode to the middle, intent on a swift riposte. However, the brothers Mann were having none of it and managed to keep Jasper unusually subdued. Ben (18) hit a handful of lovely boundaries before falling to a straight one. James Meddings (13) tried to up the tempo, but when he and Jasper were undone in swift succession (47 for 3 in the 15th), prospects for a successful chase looked grim. Toby, also uncommonly subdued, was now the key man, and he kept the board ticking. Partners, however, came and went in rather too swift succession. Seb (12) kept the game alive with Toby, but the fall of three wickets on 89 (Patch, Nathan and then Toby (30)) did nothing to help the cause. Nick Wright, who had bowled with great ferocity earlier in the day, had not given up the chase, but, having smacked a couple of boundaries, was left stranded on 10*. Nick took the Straggler total to 104, and defeat by 53 runs, a first loss to the Armadillos.