Strollers season underway with defeat to the Bohemians

The 2008 season finally got underway on Sunday at Ferme Park with conditions decidedly soggy underfoot. Despite glorious weather the day before, a couple of hours of solid rain that morning made the prospect of play look as unlikely as it had been a week earlier (when the Strollers had been meant to face The Village) – so much so that at least one of our number to cry off assuming the match would be cancelled.

Nonetheless, at 2pm the rain stopped and those assembled agreed that, having made the trip, they should ‘get it on’. The dodgy weather meant a late start to allow for the pitch to dry out and the match was reduced to just 30 overs per side. It also left skipper Gav in decidedly two minds as to what to do should he win the toss but this was a moot point as it was Bohemians’ captain Rob who called correctly and promptly put the Strollers into bat.

Despite some probing deliveries from the Bohemians’ seam attack, openers Graeme and Spencer diligently weathered the dank conditions (pun intended). Despite finding the pace of the ball difficult to gauge off the wet pitch, both ran well between the wickets keeping the scoreboard moving along nicely. The fifty partnership was comfortably reached in the eighth over upon which both batsmen justifiably felt they could allow themselves to open their shoulders and lash out. Spencer caused much amusement when he dispatched a towering six over the midwicket fence and through the open window of a parked car!

Sadly the onslaught was not to last as, in the thirteenth over and just four runs short of posting a memorable century opening stand, Spencer holed out to a mistimed pull shot having made 39. The openers had built a valuable platform but, as Geoff Boycott would argue, ‘add two wickets to the total and it’s a different story’ – which became worryingly true as Graeme also top edged behind with the total on 101, having scored a well earned 43.

However batting at three, Matt looked in good nick as did Deavs, who appeared to be  timing the ball better than he had in some time. Having allowed time to play themselves in, both began striking the ball well and ran tidily between the stumps until Deavs  misjudged a heave to the onside and was clean bowled by Drew for 21. With spinners now in operation at both ends Gav was lucky to survive a spilled caught behind chance first ball but then managed to keep up with Matt’s healthy run rate taking the score past 150. But when opening bowler Bentley was reintroduced into the attack when he nudged a chance to short mid on which was well taken by Leece. Having advanced to 33, Matt unfortunately was out next ball as Rob too got amongst the wickets.

What followed was nothing short of a collapse as first George, then Dickie were dismissed without troubling the scorers. Sean hit a well timed boundary but could not add to the total when he misjudged a similar shot and was out LBW. Ben too was bowled for a duck, and as Jez and Harry closed the innings on 180 there was a general feeling that it may not be enough – although on a damp pitch anything could be possible.

After tea, thanks to a wet outfield, boundaries became as difficult to come by for the Bohemians as they had for the Strollers earlier on. Both Spencer and Ben bowled a decent line but received no help from the spongy pitch and were further frustrated when Jez unfortunately couldn’t hang onto a  pull shot drilled to him at square leg. At the let off openers Kanwar and Wilson hung back and waited patiently to see the seamers off. Eventually Gav had to wring the changes so Graeme and Jez were brought on. To begin with neither found their line too well and the Bohemians capitalized with boundaries beginning to materialize – although several were prevented by some great chases from particularly Sean and Dickie, fielding in sweeping positions. However, Matt put down a caught behind opportunity and, in a case of role reversal, another chance at deep square leg was spilled by Spencer off Jez’s bowling. Wilson then added to the torment by dispatching a massive six over midwicket, losing the ball in the process.

The hundred partnership was reached without further incident but then, with the score on 113, the Bohemians’ innings wobbled in a similar fashion to the Strollers earlier in the day, when Graeme finally made the first breakthrough trapping Wilson LBW for 52. Meanwhile, despite feeling the effects of a painful hernia, George had taken over from Jez at  the top end and and was doing a good job of taking the pace off the ball, making scoring difficult. With Graeme finishing his spell, Spencer took over at the lower end, this time deploying spin to excellent effect and was rewarded with the second wicket of the innings – that of Leece at number three who could feel somewhat unlucky to be dismissed LBW having taken a good stride forward. But this was no more than Spencer deserved as he finished his spell with the tidiest figures of 1-16.

Ben was reintroduced from the top end and he too got amongst the wickets as he saw George take a solid catch at fine leg of all places, but this was to be the Strollers’ last hurrah as the Bohemians’ middle order amped up their run chase and took advantage of the quicker pace sending more and more balls to the boundary.

The 180 target was reached with 3+ overs to spare, with the Bohemians making up for their defeat to the Strollers the year before. The Strollers fears that they had not quite posted enough of a total were realized and a few spilled chances, though difficult,  had not helped either. However, the team can take some positives from the game – once again the Strollers had kept things as tight as possible in the field and the foundation built by the top order batsmen earlier in the day can give the team cause for optimism for the season ahead.

Gavin Richardson
27.04.08

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