England League and Cup Discussion

[spark]

South Yorkshire CC Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 13,502 13,457
Batting - Middle Order 9,782 11,224
Batting - Tail 4,996 4,768
Bowling - Seam 13,879 (20) 13,698 (12)
Bowling - Spin 0 (0) 12,969 (8)
Fielding/Keeping 17,062 16,321
Overall 228,711 229,024

Ruff Royals won by 4 wickets

That's 4 points clear at the top already which is nice as this is the promotion I'm particularly focused on.

Now I've got to repair the senior players fitness. I've been so unwell the last few days that it's completely wiped me out and I couldn't get to set my MKMC team. That's going to be a challenge as, with the toughness of the SOD league, I've got to balance resting players with making sure I don't destroy the net run rate and cause us possible relegation worries.

[spark]

J. Rucker (rfm) 2-0-15-0, H. Mitchell 7 (10b), D. Howe 12 (8b)
End of over 3 (5 runs) - Ruff Royals(20-0) RR 6.67

We were put in to bat on an even pitch. I've still not decided if that's a good thing or not. I could do with picking up my first youth win of the season.

[spark]

It started off fine at 56-0 but 3 balls later we were 56-2. It rapidly got worse to 76-4 and then 85-5.

D. Stanton (lm) 8-0-39-2, L. Foot 14 (35b), R. Reynolds 4 (15b)
End of over 27 (2 runs) - Ruff Royals(121-6) RR 4.48

I think we're going to be at least 100 short and I can't see any way of winning.

[spark]

K. Belcher (rf) 8-0-35-1, D. Buck 2 (5b), M. Niazi 25 (30b)
End of over 40 (3 runs) - Ruff Royals(177-9) RR 4.42

Perhaps we're not 100 short but it's still been a poor batting performance.

[wolfberries]

Scotland Youth wolfberries
Batting - Top Order 3,366 7,951
Batting - Middle Order 6,971 4,988
Batting - Tail 6,081 3,248
Bowling - Seam 3,624 (24) 5,798 (24)
Bowling - Spin 4,160 (16) 6,008 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 7,109 9,540
Overall 100,109 119,535

wolfberries won by 8 wickets

Eased to victory in the end, our opponents seem to be the weakest in our league currently but these things can change.

Z. Maina (rfs) 5.5-0-32-0, G. Gee 1 (1b), G. Moody 99 (72b)
End of over 27 (2 runs) - wolfberries(217-2) RR 8.04

Unbeaten 99 from opener Moody, but double jug avoidance though!

[Atko]

Camberwell Carrots vs The Raging Speed Horns
League Youth 2.1

Weather Windy
Pitch Uneven

Well, we got a decent score of 244-8 when we went in to bat but 144 of those runs were made by Tommy Topster (our one youth Nat), so I suspect we were a shade lucky there - especially since Topster was dropped on 8!

Camberwell are expectedly struggling with the run rate -

End of over 30 (2 runs) - Camberwell Carrots(150-4). 95 runs required from 10 overs. RR 5.00 RRR 9.50

Should be another win to set up a brace in the opening two games

[Atko]

Yep, another tidy win -

End of over 40 (5 runs) - Camberwell Carrots(219-8). 26 runs required from 0 overs
The Raging Speed Horns won by 25 runs

Match Ratings
Camberwell Carrots The Raging Speed Horns
Batting - Top Order 6,949 7,235
Batting - Middle Order 4,653 5,306
Batting - Tail 3,535 3,620
Bowling - Seam 5,858 (32) 7,035 (16)
Bowling - Spin 8,053 (8) 5,814 (24)
Fielding/Keeping 7,754 7,786
Overall 111,761 115,900

- which I calculate should keep us on top just ahead of South Hill Slammers (who won by 2 runs today) on NRR. Whether we can maintain that position with our currently weak-ish side is another question. We get our first real test next week against Dunbrody Academy London, who are a bit stronger on 123k

[spark]

The Dross Ruff Royals
Batting - Top Order 6,543 8,483
Batting - Middle Order 6,610 4,749
Batting - Tail 3,873 3,830
Bowling - Seam 7,316 (32) 7,068 (24)
Bowling - Spin 7,501 (8) 5,257 (16)
Fielding/Keeping 7,114 9,542
Overall 122,344 124,766

The Dross won by 2 wickets

Closer than I thought it would be after our batting but these are the games that we really need to be winning. It's looking like it's going to be a long hard season.

40 for Mitchell and 38-3 for Niazi were the two best players for us.

[Atko]

The Raging Speed Horns vs Inchigeela Angels
League One Day 1.1

Weather Overcast
Pitch Sticky

End of over 32 (1 run) - Inchigeela Angels(101-4) RR 3.16

Entertaining the Angels here at The Horn this week. The game's balanced - a couple of wickets now would put us in the driver's seat, but if the oppo continue their slow methodical approach, it might get a bit nervy. Don't want to be chasing anything over 160 here ...

[spark]

O. Delap (lfs) 10-2-32-1, J. Birch 23 (45b), C. Bratton 17 (21b)
End of over 38 (4 runs) - Topmen(114-7) RR 3.00

I've rested some players but I still think it's a reasonably strong team. We didn't get off to a great start on this sticky pitch as it was 36-0 but Mwai brought us back into the game with 3 wickets in 2 overs and it's now going okay. I really don't want to be chasing much more than this though and these two are looking troublesome.

[Atko]

End of over 42 (5 runs) - Inchigeela Angels(162-5) RR 3.86

Ack - their middle order have posted 100 runs - this is drifting away from us

[Atko]

44.4
.
Baldwin to Saxbee : [dropped] Gatehouse never got his hands in the right position for that chance, and an easy slip catch goes begging.

[spark]

J. Westerveld (rfs) 7.3-0-31-2, F. Seccombe 4 (10b)
End of over 46 (1 run) - Topmen(143-10) RR 3.11

I couldn't possibly be confident on a sticky wicket but this is at least a decent effort by the bowlers. Mwai was immense for a little used medium pacer and ends with 4-15. I really don't want to see him batting though even if he is an allrounder as he's down at number eight.

Now for the batting. I've taken the unusual decision to start the batting with my spin allrounder to go with a first team regular.

[Atko]

End of over 50 (8 runs) - Inchigeela Angels(212-6) RR 4.24

Damn - that's what I would consider a match-winning score. Think I might go do some gardening and look in later

[spark]

C. Bratton (rws) 2-0-3-1, N. Laurence 0 (0b), J. House 13 (28b)
End of over 15 (1 run) - Ruff Royals(50-4). 94 runs required from 35 overs. RR 3.33 RRR 2.69

It's very much looking like Mwai is going to have to bat. I thought that we would have started to consolidate with Schmidt and House but it hasn't really happened.