This Sunday we enjoyed the company of Rickmansworth CC at HQ with a day dawning bright and sunny (only slightly marred later on by the finest of fine rain^*)

The Pelicans took to the field with their expected 10 men; unfortunately their expected 1 woman was a late withdrawal – something about a sore arm from exuberant Softball – so we were a Pelican adrift of optimum. Thankfully we weren’t disadvantaged for a long time as the Jeffrey count doubled with Brother Julian taking to the hallowed turf for his second outing of the year.

Our Captain for the day JG, keen to maintain the traditions and heritage of the man he was standing in for, lost the toss and we were sent out to bowl.

Now I appreciate what happened next may be subjective dependant upon the team upon which you were playing, but from first slip it appeared to be some sublime bowling with everyone that turned over their arm enjoying the success of some outstanding skill with the ball. Except Hasan. Who was beaten like a ginger stepchild by their opening bat, as it happens thankfully making a game of it scoring a healthy 55.

Josh picked up four wickets, with his initial flounce coming as JG removed him from the attack before he could get his five (more of flounce number 2 to come) with some unplayable bowling. The real bowling prowess was then brought to the crease with 90% fit JG picking up a couple of wickets for a miserly 11 runs, only to be outdone with NVDP giving us 3 overs for only 2 runs and a magnificent 3 wickets. Their batting was somewhat decimated by this point with the final 5 wickets being taken for only 10 runs. The last wicket was taken by Niron bowling one delivery of his over, caught by Julian this avoiding a family dispute of epic proportion. His figures of 0.1 overs for no runs and 1 wicket therefore represent the “pick” of the bowling. The oppo had crept to a paltry 87. Easy meat we thought.

By this point, we had only managed to play until 3:30pm, so a quick change around at drinks brought the Pelis out to wield wood. It is at this point fair to say that the previously described venomous bowling attack of the Pelis was shown in a new light; on a wicket that was a reliable as the sun rising in the west, and to quote the great Sid Waddell “as predictable as a Wasp on speed.” There were high ones, low ones, skiddy ones, ones that nipped in, those that nipped out (all to the bowler’s amazement). That isn’t to say it was all down to the wicket. Clive received a delivery aimed at middle, pitched at middle and proceeded to do nothing. Right up until the moment it hit. At middle. Whilst his opening partner JG received (in what he describes as a Yorker) a low full toss that hit his wicket 5 inches above the ground without touching anything else first. Asad was bowled shortly thereafter, Tony sportingly walking after the umpteenth appeal to the Umpire was turned down after a strike on his glove. Hasan ensuring he had an enjoyable afternoon was bowled by a delivery that would have sent Lara back to the clubhouse coming back six inches to take off stump for 1. Jalil then taking the game to the oppo with some lusty blows – before taking a full “sconner” to the noggin on a ball that reared up from an 11 year old child bowling at 40ish mph on a full length. Luckily for us our man of iron shrugged off a blow that would have felled Ajax, before being bowled himself. This then left the plucky duo of Josh and Niron at the crease need 20 or so to win the match. It must be mentioned that somewhere (outside of my ability to recollect) over this period another stellar tea was taken thanks to Laura.

Now back to the action! It is fair to say if you have enjoyed watching Josh bat, he has somewhat of a minor reputation (and I shall attempt to put this gently) for over exuberance with the bat post-boundary. With the runs required down to single figures after one such crisply hit shot, the entire Pelis team (sportingly) chimed in with “DON’T GET OUT”, “FOCUS”, and “DON’T BE AN IDIOT” at the top of their lungs. The opposition, fair to say, were surprised by the volume and conviction of the entire team shouting at Josh. Bailey Jr (apt to the moment) chose to give a macho reply to his companions. It was somewhat unfortunate therefore that the pitch of Josh shouting “SHAAAAADAAAAPPP!” back to the clubhouse was delivered a Penelope Pitstop frequency (flounce 2). It was more unfortunate that his mighty swipe at the next ball was an enormous miss and he was bowled. Being an avoider of the low handing fruit, I shall just say that it is possible we may have laughed a bit at this point.

Out came Fairweather, finding a lucky one through the air to nobody at mid-wicket for a single leaving Niron facing the next ball with 3 to win. Ball bowled, ball landed, foot to pitch of ball, bat straight as the eponymous arrow directly through the line of the ball onto the middle for a drive that landed at most 6 inches from the boundary and another Win in the Win column.

^*The type that gets you wet

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Reports are intended to convey an entertaining picture of the day’s play. No disrespect is meant, but if on occasion we misjudge matters, please take it in the friendly and humorous spirit in which it is intended.