Provender

Match Report

Victories at Provender are to be cherished; they don’t turn up very often, and consecutive wins are unprecedented. It did not look so positive after three overs, when a handful of loose deliveries had been smacked to the boundary by the Provender openers, and 28 runs were on the board – a target of 300 seemed entirely possible. However, the pitch didn’t want to give up runs so readily thereafter, and wickets began to fall. Straggler fielding has not been of the highest standard this season, but that all changed today. Adventurous field placing, particularly with a brace at short extra, was backed up with some very sharp catches (3 by Hugo, the last low and one handed). Diving slip catches are also a rarity, so when Will Hilton plucked a very sharp edge to remove Christian Marsh for 32, Provender were under pressure at 55 for 4. Every bowling change brought a wicket. The run rate slowed further, Hamish McLeod (4 for 24) was backed up by Ruaridh (2 for 3); every chance that went anywhere near a fielder was taken; and the final six wickets fell in pairs at 76, 99 and 106.

The Straggler batters also shot out of the traps, scoring 26 in the first three overs, before almost making a meal of the chase. The top order did not quite make a start, put under pressure by the wiles of Nigel Sharp, and the control of 16 year old Joe Eves. At 53 for 5, the Stragglers were behind the rate. Hugo, and then Hamish, steadied the ship, and the scoreboard ticked along. When Hugo fell at 79, nerves set in again briefly, but a brace of McLeods were sufficient, with Hamish (32*) and Ruaridh (15*) seeing the Stragglers home, Ruaridh smiting the winning runs over the long on boundary; victory by 4 wickets.