Three O’clock and Time for Tea

29^th June 2019

A very hot day so tea was very welcome just before three – even more so as the game was already over! It was as if all you had to do was snooze gently in the sunshine just for a moment and you had missed a magnificent Metro performance. The Lions had arrived in third place in the league with a game in hand over Metro; this result places Metro in a strong league position ahead of their cup semi-final against Sussex next Saturday.

So with very little cricket to report on all that can be done is to take a look at all the overs bowled from the scoreboard end. The match started from there and with Mo given the ball. The first ball went through to the keeper; the next struck the batsman on the legs and there a huge appeal – given leg before!  Of course a total had to come to the crease requiring the bowler to adjust the action to get in two bounces; a task well managed as another ball went through to the keeper. The next ball again straight and no need for an appeal as the stumps were hit. The visiting skipper, a low partial, was in next so still two bounces needed and two more great dots through to the keeper.

A purple balloon drifting across the ground delayed the start of the third over as the umpire spent a few minutes escorting it off the ground. Did the delay upset Mo’s line; perhaps it did as the ball was done leg and flicked away by the batsman but straight into the hands of Prem at forty-five. Another change of length needed for the bowler as perhaps the best visiting batsman arrived at the crease. He got bat on the first ball but only to hit it straight back at the bowler. The next ball had good bounce and perhaps hit both body and bat; an appeal as Hassan advanced from short mid-wicket to grab the ball. It was four down with just two runs scored. The over was finished very neatly with three good dot balls.

With such great figures Mo had to be given a third over and he started it as he had begun with five more excellent dots, with two beating the bat, only on the last ball did the other visiting opener manage to get it away for a single. So those numbers; 3 overs, 2 maidens, 4 wickets and just one run!

He was replaced for the next over by Amit who got off to a magical start; dot ball and then the opener edging one to Nick behind the stumps. Next ball the incoming batsman steers it into prem’s hands at square leg to leave Amit on a hat trick. Sadly, it was not to be as the final visiting total saw off the rest of the over = although without hitting the ball. Amit had a tougher task in his next over as he was bowling at a partial who thumped the only boundary of the innings through square leg and another couple through third man. On the last ball of the over an appeal for a catch behind was turned down, only for the batsman to stray out of his crease and get stumped. Amit finishing his two overs with three wickets for 10 runs.

The home skipper took the ball for the next over from the box end, the first after tea, his first ball was struck to mid-wicket for a single to give him a total to bowl at. Two dot balls through to the keeper followed and then an appeal for leg before – given! It was all over as this was out as Hassan had got a half out in his over from the other end just before drinks.

So it was that only 32 were needed for a win and Metro juggled the batting order around to give a batting opportunity to those who often spent time watching others. However after Justin got out Nick was sent in to finish things off which he did with a boundary through square-leg. There it was a game finished in under two hours with all very pleased to be able to benefit from the shade as tea was enjoyed by all.

Report by Paul Toplis