Embarrassing defeat in match to forget

A very short match report this week as dwelling on this fiasco won't do anyone any favours!

Playing Luton Town and Indians 3rd XI on an appalling park pitch resembling soft rolled mud, the visiting Village lost the toss and were delighted to bowl first. The pitch played as poorly as it looked. LTICC mustered 116 all out in 38.1 overs. It turned out to be plenty. The Village bowling attack offered a few too many full balls on a pitch that was impossible to play shots from a good length or even short of a length. Pryank Patel’s debut in the 1st team was encouraging. 4-35 from 13 overs was a good return even on a deck offering much assistance to slow bowling. His figures would have been far better had the home umpire not given a dozen wides for balls that were simply not wide.

Complaining about opposition umpires always seems like sour grapes and the issue here was probably mostly related to incompetence. Nevertheless he also had a helping hand in several dismissals when it came time for the Village to bat. A couple of controversial ones and a joke decision at the end of the game to get rid of the skipper, kind of summed things up. It was a shame that the Village innings collapsed with a whimper rather than a scream, as several batsman simply steered catches to close fielders. David Overton top scored with 23 and was the last man out, adjudged LBW without an appeal even being heard. Only two other players reached double figures, as the Village were dismissed for a paltry and embarrassing 77 in 29.1 overs.

The Village couldn’t get out of Luton quick enough and will be looking forward to righting some wrongs in the reverse fixture in a few weeks time.