On a very warm late May afternoon 11 men from the 3rd battalion, Enstone division, entered the Somme (aka Islip) ready for battle. There was a full team this week including the return of Enstone legend Alex 'Jizza' Speke. The skipper went for the toss and surprisingly called correctly allowing him to employ the increasingly more common batting first approach, this looked a wise decision on a pitch with more gremlins than BA's computer systems. Pony, who was still somewhere on the M40, was able to relax and slow down. W.Speke and Sparky were first over the top and into the fray and were looking comfortable, even with the totally unpredictable bounce, and moved serenely on to 28 before the Skipper was caught off the final ball of the 8th over for a well made 20. Sparky followed from the first ball of the next over, unlucky to get one that stayed very low, and was adjudged to be out LBW for 5. With Forder and Wilson Senior now at the crease stability returned and the Enstone batsmen made light work of the Islip attack with boundaries coming regularly including a big 6 from Steve. With the score moving to 69 Forder was given LBW and departed having made 19. Budgie was the next man into the breach but was unfortunate to get another ball that stayed low and he was bowled for 1 with the score on 74, the pitch was now starting to have a decisive influence on the proceedings. John Watts was the next man in but was caught behind for 2, with Steve getting to his obligatory 30 before also being caught behind. Pony, who had by this point arrived, tried to accelerate the run rate and galloped to 13 before being bowled, this bought Wilson Junior to the crease, to accompany Somme veteran D. Stewart, Wilson launching 2 big fours before being the next man out, LBW, for 8 with the score on Nelson. This brought TP to the crease, who had managed to promote himself up the order, he intelligently declined to take the single on offer, sending Stewart back then watched as Dan missed a straight one and was bowled next ball for 3. Jizza was the last man in and was promptly the last man out as he glanced his first ball straight to the man (boy) at 3rd slip. Peterson protecting his average with a strong and stable 0 not out without facing a ball. Enstone were all out for 111 from 32.3 overs. With the early conclusion of the first innings and the news that tea wasn't ready the teams turned around straight away with John and Pony taking the ball. Watts started brilliantly and bowled the number 2 batsmen for a duck, the perfect start when defending a moderate total. Islip then made slow progress towards the 8th over when tea was taken. After tea W.Speke took the ball (having replaced Watts in the 7th over) and bowled with typical accuracy missing the outside edge on numerous occasions. It was Pony though who made the breakthrough, having been hit for 6 from the previous delivery he removed the opener with an aggressive ball that took out the batsman's stumps after a wild swing, this was matched by an equally aggressive celebration sending the Islip man on his way, he obviously didn't know it's not a good idea to make Pony angry. The big hitting Saghir was the next man in for Islip but his stay was short lived mis-cuing the stock W.Speke delivery high into the air with the skipper taking the catch himself. Wickets were now coming regularly and Will took 2 in 2 balls (Both kids, just like Ned) and both bowled with the first being an expertly bowled off cutter. What Will needed now was a sympathetic umpire for the hat-trick delivery, unfortunately his Dad wasn't there and even though there was a strong shout for LBW the batsman survived Will finishing with impressive figures of 8-2-6-3 although there was a general consensus that the scorer must have made a mistake. At the other end Jizza was keeping things tight and rolling back the years with some fantastic deliveries, Dan Stewart getting particularly excited with the Jizz based puns, as shown on his new water bottle... Alex being unfortunate to not take a wicket but finishing with fantastic figures of 8-2-26-0. Pony returned and removed the dangerous and extremely annoying bus driver with a straight one that trapped him LBW with no shot being played, the bus driver held his ground trying to prove something but the umpire was unmoved, Pony finishing with 8-2-30-2. TP was now bowling down the hill produced a masterful display of extremely slow bowling, taking two in two in his 6th over. The first was a straight one that kept low and hit middle stump this surprised everyone with Freddie commenting that he didn't know Tom could do that, the next man in, wearing his Grandfathers woolly jumper, hit the next ball straight to Steve at mid-on for a comfortable catch. The hat-trick delivery was beautifully flighted but unfortunately drifted slightly down the leg side, this was certainly not jug avoidance. The scores were getting close and there was tension in the air but in Tom's next over the batsmen tried to take a quick single with the ball being hit to Jizza at mid-off, he collected cleanly and threw accurately in to TP who gleefully whipped off the bails to run out the young number 3 who had made a patient 16., Tom finishing with 8-0-20-2. Watts had returned at the other end and as the score reached 98 the batsmen tried to take 2 byes, Freddie audibly frustrated with the inconsistent bounce. However the batsmen mis-judged the raw pace of the skipper who picked his knees up, chased down the ball and arrowed it in to Forder to complete the run out in what was an unusual and certainly not moral tactic from the wicketkeeper. Watts finishing with figures of 7-0-21-1. This bought to an end an excellent game of cricket with Enstone winning by 12 watched by a record crowd of WAGS, who have worryingly started to plan a weekend away, but as long as it's not in the cricket season then the heroic men of Enstone will be fine.
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