Portchester B v Hayling Island – 13.01.08

Portchester B (23pts) 103 for 5 (11.4ov) beat Hayling Island (9pts) 102 all out (10.3ov)
Match report by Dave Taylor

After major disappointments in the previous 2 matches Portchy B needed to turn things around to avoid being sucked into the relegation battle. Having either won or lost the toss Skipper Staints informed the team we were bowling first. Seeing Taylor miss the mat with his first warm up ball Staints decided to open with Nutters. A much better fielding performance was required and thankfully was duly delivered. The Hayling batsmen were not allowed to get away and run outs and stumpings came regularly. Taylor proved a bad dress rehearsal gives a good opening night and managed to hit the mat once actually faced with a batsmen. Nutters and the evergreen Galer kept up the pressure with young Joshy keeping the batsmen honest behind the stumps. Jade improved in the field as well so a good showing all round. Only M Lever managed a decent score with 35 before being stumped from a patent Staints hand grenade. With only the last man left standing Staints produced a carbon copy 2 balls later and the final batsmen was stumped 2 yards down the wicket. This proves pies can be thrown just as well as they can be eaten! (There goes my hopes of decent cricket this summer). Hayling Island 102 all out.

In reply Portchy contrived to throw the game away. Opening with Taylor and Nutters a good quick start was achieved with a few sixes from the railway sleeper that is Taylor’s bat before a rush of blood to the head produced a leg side flick high onto the wall, Taylor caught for 23 early in the third over (it was a lovely shot outdoors honest!) With a solid start Portchy should have cruised to victory but both Nutland and Galer were run out in quick succession through bad calling/non-existent backing up. Then having just got going Staints played on. So with 20 odd still required from 2 overs it was left to Joshy and Jade. Thankfully Hayling had been bowling a steady supply of wides (over 50 in extras by the end) so that even though Jade was out for 3 or 4 Josh was left with 9 to get off the final over. Josh showing he is starting to learn what it’s all about delivered in fine style. Letting Hayling bowl wides and dabbing singles into the offside corner to take Portchy past the target.

Overall the win was delivered but had to wrapped up and presented on a plate by Hayling. Better batting all round is required next time but on a positive note the fielding performance was much improved. Here’s to the next one in February.