The first game, fresh from a winter dreaming of nailing that cover drive or taking a hat trick to win the match, the Enstone boys prepared to take on an old adversary in Islip full of hope and no little expectation. Perhaps before the match started was a sign of things to come as no stumps were to be found anywhere, were we about to embark on a game of cricket using a wheelie bin as stumps? Thankfully the skipper found the stumps and even the bails and to all of our surprise we found ourselves in the field first. An excellent start followed, tight bowling by Pony & Will and latterly Piers controlled the Islip run rate with Piers taking the early wicket to leave the visitors struggling on 40 odd for 1 at the 20 over drinks break. Whether it was the excitement of having squash instead of the rather suspect water bottles, things changed rapidly after the break. The number 3 batsman came out with real positive intent and what followed was the match turning moment as he launched a delivery from TP high into the Enstone skyine, the skipper steadied himself and we were all awaiting the inevitable catch to follow, whether he became distracted by a stray banana or spotted a tyre swing the skipper missed the ball and alas the catch was not taken. From that point on the batsman did not look back, smashing Steve, Budgie, Tom and Dan into the trees, gardens, roads and nearby counties at an alarming rate to start to take the game away from us. A few wickets fell towards the close with Piers with 2, and Steve and Pony with 1 a piece but Islip set Enstone a more than challenging 201 to win. After an excellent Enstone tea with a surprising lack of bananas Budgie and Will strode out to the middle intent on chasing down the target. After batting well in the nets by playing nice and straight Budgie decided now was the time to bring out the hoik across the line to a straight ball and was bowled for a second ball duck. After this less than auspicious start Freddie and Will played some delightful shots to bring Enstone back into the game, Freddie hit one magnificently moral straight six which would have easily cleared those hard to find upstairs toilets in Chutneys. Unfortunately shortly afterwards Freddie departed for a well-made 18. Next in strode Steve, so often our hero and with him and the skipper at the crease hoped remained. Unfortunately for Enstone the same number 3 batsman (who appeared to be a cross between Gary Sobers and Wasim Akram) came steaming on to bowl and removed Will for 28 with a good delivery which he nicked to the keeper before he bowled Piers first ball with a frankly unplayable delivery. Ben bravely saw off the hat trick ball and gamely stuck in there before being dismissed for 2. Then in strode Dan Stewart who played with all the style and panache you would expect from a thespian as he and Steve forged a useful partnership before Steve holed out to the spinner for 22. Dan Wilson came and went for another duck before Dan finally fell for 15, James Anthony remarked that he had never seen Dan bat for so long before and seemed confused by what he had just witnessed. Pony joined Tom at the crease but the position was now hopeless and Tom perished to leave Enstone all out for 105. So on a day that started full of hope and expectation it was the hope that killed us as we suffered a crushing defeat, however as always Cricket was definitely the real winner.
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