Some cobwebs blown away

Patchy availability, late cry-offs, a bit chilly, some decent performances, some rusty ones..... Tewin were in a similar situation, having called the first team game off earlier in the week. The toss was won, the opposition inserted and opening bowlers Ali Javed and Darshan Raval were faced by Tewin record run-scoring veteran Mike Cuff and last years Division 7A best batsman Matt Vacani. Ali's nice line and length showed the benefit of winter nets, tying Cuff down at one end. Darshan struggled a bit early on and Vacani produced some textbook cover drives off some slightly over pitched deliveries. Vacani (11) was looking comfortable until Darshan produced the ball of the day which nipped back up the slope to clip the top of off stump (15/1). Cuff and number 3 bat Dennis Hill saw off the opening partnership without troubling the scoreboard. Sanket Shah replaced Ali and the Tewin bestmen struggled with his loop and turn. A period of stalemate followed, with debutant colt Ibrahim Ali and Sanket continuing the squeeze on the scoring rate until Sanket trapped Cuff (4) LBW (38/2). Sanket was very 'unlucky' not to get Tewin captain Wilde out first ball, with a nick to Zaf Basit not heard by the umpire. Wilde, who has played a few games for Welwyn 2's, made full use of his escape and together with Hill took advantage of any loose balls to take the score along to 68 until Pryank Patel bowled Hill (28). New batsman Sam Orchard was run out by Dave Flavell (4) attempting a cheeky run from an overthrow, with Russell Pugh (3) following shortly afterwards bowled by Flavell (102/5). Paul Shankster (38*) and Wilde (0 and 70*) then took the score to 187 (?) from the 35 overs.

Zaf Basit and Piers Jenkins opened the Village reply facing the tight lines of Paul Shankster and Sam Orchard. Piers (0) had the misfortune to received a yorker for his first ball of the season (0/1). Pete Jaffe had an early reprieve, dropped at first slip in the same over, followed by a slip drive to get off the mark before being caught behind off Shankster (8/2). Zaf and Kudzai Makopa then put together the only decent partnership of the innings, taking the score to 56 until Kudz was bowled by Wilde for 19 in the 15th over. Darshan Raval (1) was caught at mid off (59/4) and Zaf, who had looked comfortable and started to come down the pitch to the slow bowling of Dennis Hill, was stumped for 25 (64/5). Sanket Shah (5) missed a straight ball from Hill to fall LBW to Hill (75/6). Dave Flavell and Ali Javed then pushed the score along to 97 until Ali was run out for on 10. Pryank Patel (0) padded up to a straight ball when using the bat would have been a better option and Ibrahim Ali (1) lobbed an easy catch up to short midwicket to end the innings on 103/9 from 30.1 overs.

The bowling and fielding were up to the usual standard, with good bowling from Ali Javed, Darshan Raval, Sanket Shah and colt Ibrahim Ali. The batting came up against a decent opening pair which made early inroads and only Zaf Basit (25) and Kudzai Makopa (19) put together a significant partnership, with Flavell (18) trying to hold the tail together. A big thanks to Darshan's mate Michael Reid, who came in at short notice to play half a game and showed the rest of us up in the field.