“I’ve got the lucky coin, I will elect to bat”.

With confidence Skip marched to the wicket to engage with some pre match chat with the opposition Skipper. Up went the coin down it came the Pelicans were fielding. With rain expected a shortened game was agreed of 30 overs each.

Opening for the Pelicans was the usual suspects of Toobes from the Railway End and Josh from the Nags End. The first over from Toobes saw the opener plunder 10 runs, albeit with pretty decent shots. The first over from Josh saw two runs and the wicket of the other opener, clean bowled.

There then followed what was a further 9 overs which saw The Fiddlers reach 60 runs with no further loss of wickets. There were a few catching chances but to be honest the openers were decent batsmen and played some rather lovely shots.

With Toobes running out of steam The Chesham Prince himself came into the attack to twirl some magic. Meanwhile following Josh who finished with a very good 1 for 25 off 6 overs there was the debutant, Joel. Now to be fair his opening over was a very mixed bag, indeed first of all it consisted of 9 balls and a couple of the wides were so wide as to stretch the meaning of the word wide. But this random approach seemed to bamboozle the opening bat who it must be said looked comfortable and gloved it into Yusuf’s welcome hands. Sportingly he walked which caught everybody out as nobody had heard anything nor appealed.

With Joel’s spell coming to an end Asad too got into the act and enticed the number 4 bat to tickle one to Yusuf’s welcoming hands again, this was followed in the next over by another wicket.

19 overs 4 for 104 time for Wazball.

Waz with his customary enthusiasm threw himself into the attack and as with Joel there was an eclectic mix of balls hurled down to the Fiddlers batsmen, but their number three bat seemed pretty set in as he went past 50 runs.

With Asad’s spell coming to an end with excellent figures of 2 for 29 Waz to came into his final over of his spell and managed to clean bowl the Fiddlers number 3 for 54 runs off his final ball……..amazing.

The scene was now set for the game to be brought home by Nico and Adam.

Nico in particularly miserly form forced the Fiddlers to take a few running risks which resulted in the number 6 bat being run out, this was a surprising run out as Asad who picked up the ball under armed it to Yusuf.

With overs running out the Fiddlers finally finished their innings on a very respectable 197, a pretty good score.

Tea this week courtesy of James and Waz was a fine affair of veggie and meat chilli and some cake fancies, but unlike normal matches it was decided to eat after the game in order to avert the rain.

Opening for the Pelicans was Asad and Raheel.

As Skip sat back to survey the field the first 4 cracked off Asad’s bat, followed by the second and third, Raheel similarly entered the spirit of things with 4 following 4.

It must be said that some of Asad’s and Raheel’s shots were of the highest calibre as the clubhouse sat back to watch a batting master class.

Now as everybody knows when the Pelican’s are looking this good it can only mean one thing and that is a collapse but no. This batting display continued and indeed improved if that were possible. The partnership only came to an end when Asad was given out for 70 after a great batting display. Even Asad was happy.

With the scene now set for a collapse and the Pelicans on 146 for 1 with 52 required off 14 overs Yusuf joined his dad Raheel at the crease on what was Father’s Day, how lovely.

What was even better was that Yusuf carried on where Asad left off and the two Khans brought the game home with Raheel on an undefeated 80 and Yusuf 27, another brilliant display from the older Khan and all with 7 overs to spare.

Tea was now taken and what a fine offering it was to round off a pretty good days cricket.

Saddle up Pelicans for Iffley

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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.