23/06/2010
Port Soif

Report by a dejected DJ

Seeking to avenge the defeat from earlier in the season and cement a place at the top of the table, a depleted Saints A side took to the field. George and Brocky had done a sterling job to make up the numbers from an injury/commitment/football ravaged Saints teams sheet.

Brocky won a good toss and inserted the oppo. Saint Saviours got off to a flyer, taking wickets at regular intervals. Everyone got a sniff of the action, with Doddy, FezzleDizzle and Ishy all picking up quick wickets. It was about the best fielding performance Saint Saviours have put in all season – everyone alert and keeping the run rate down. Goodie (when he finally turned up) was in the middle of the action with a couple of catches, including a stunning low diving catch away to his right off DJ2, and a couple of sharp stumpings, and a clean sheet on the byes front. Olly Tapp and Steve Eulencamp were visions of youth in the field, throwing themselves about left, right and centre, little Tapp picking up an impressive battle injury the length of his right forearm, which is sure to scar nicely and win some points with the ladies. The oppo struggled to get the ball away and instead had to nurdle the ones and twos. Brocky and Deputy Dave bowled the last 4 overs, and even Brocky picked up a couple – Saint Martins finishing on 99 for 9 off their 20.

There’s no easy way to write the next part, because the result was regrettably all too predictable. Suffice it to say that the “low target gremlins” struck once again, and Saint Saviours, faced with a meagre required rate of 5, made a complete hash of the run chase, in an innings that boasted 2 golden ducks (yours truly included), at least 3 more less than 5 and only two men making double figures – RV was unlucky to be given out caught behind trying to upper cut a blatant no-ball that whistled past his nose, and Brocky gave it a bit of welly for 25. There were no real highlights of a batting performance that moreorless gifted the win to the oppo. In should be said that the bowling made the most of the Port Soif mat, and, importantly, they held on to all the chances that we so willingly gave them.

Games like this are always a massive disappointment and it’s often hard to lock down the cause of such abject failure. We know we should have won, and we should have done so comfortably. There is no concession or excuse that it was a weakened Saints A side as there was more than enough talent in the top 7 to see the runs off with time to spare. Having done all the hard work to keep the oppo to a low target, the application and concentration, starting at the very top of the innings, simply wasn’t there. At just 5 an over, there was no need to be hitting, especially in the air, and at least 6 of the 10 Saint Saviours wickets will accept they contributed to their own, and the team’s, demise.

It’s done and it’s time to regroup and pick ourselves up, ready for the next. We can still win the league – but there’s no room for any more mistakes. Up the Saints.