Wield vs Hursley Park, Sunday 25th August

Weather – Sunny with a brief glimpse of Armageddon

Match summary – A great game ruined by the rain

Our captain Dougie won the toss and choose to field.....again!!
The little and large opening attack of Aidan and Jim started well with the junior partner struggling into the wind and the 'Big Un' down the hill.

With yours truly behind the stumps the usual dogs abuse started from the skipper!!! until he fell over a cover drive!!! He then preceded to do a great impression of Matt B from 2 weeks ago!!!!
Ball after ball trickled towards our skipper only to be fumbled/missed or ignored!! Meanwhile in a strange role reversal Matt B was stopping everything at square leg!!!

Jim bowled short ball after short ball until with some gentle persuasion from his team mates he finally pitched one up...... this new and surprising delivery completely flummoxed Hursley's opener!!!

Aidan's spell finished with Dougie missing another and his replacement (Robin) was poised with his black book!!
Jim put away the surprise delivery for 5 more overs until he was reminded where the stumps were!!! Another yorker later and Hursley were 2 down.
His spell finished after 60 balls (of which only 2 would have hit the stumps) for 2 wickets!!!!

Robin bowling with his usual venom was causing panic in the Hursley ranks, their 9 year old opener charged down the pitch and was stumped. 2 more batsmen were baffled by his straight one and another stumping later he had taken 4 wickets!!!
Incredibly nervous of having to buy a jug Robin tried to get replaced!!! Dougie was not for turning so Robin tried a rain dance!!!

The heavens opened 15 minutes before tea and with Hursley 148/6 Robin sprinted off the field claiming the innings over!!!!!!

We enjoyed a fantastic tea as we watched the rain.

The rain subsided and Ed and myself walked down the hill with thoughts of a long and successful opening partnership..... Ed waved his bat at a few and until he finally missed a straight one again!!!! I batted with my usual fluency until I drove a wide half volley into my leg stump....gggrrrrrr!!!!

For the next 10 overs we watched the future of Wield!!! Guy and Jack (combined age x3 = Max!!!!) batted beautifully and put on 30 until the heavens opened!!! The Indian summer had lasted 3 hours and we watched the rain from hell for a while and then decamped to the Yew Tree!!!

A real shame as the game was building up into a great finish.

Tony