Batting woes continue but Village chase down modest total

Welwyn Garden City 3rd XI were the hosts on a warm and humid afternoon. The home side won the toss and chose to bat. A decision they were soon to regret. Openers Saahil Mehra (3-28) and Majid Asif (3-33) both bowled tight, well disciplined spells which built early pressure on the WGC top order, who were reduced to 27 for 4 after 10 overs.

The slow and steady No.4 bat (Wilde) was holding up an end until Andy Potter enticed a drive and found the edge with his very first ball. Unfortunately, that chance and a second one, a few overs later, also in the slips, both went to ground. Wilde's then continued to bat circumspectly for the remainder of the innings and end up 67 not out in a total of 167 all out. He ran out of partners in the 50th over. The lower middle order all chipped in but were largely dismissed by David Overton (4-39), again bowling his off spin throughout the middle overs of the innings.

Two of the Village bowlers picked up injuries along the way. Andy Potter hobbled off with a calf strain and Saahil Mehra took a painful blow on the knuckle and would struggle to hold a bat. So the batting line up looked a little less deep than usual. Despite this, the Village, faced with the prospect of chasing a modest total on a reasonable wicket, were in confident mood at tea. However, the confidence was misplaced. The frailties in the Village batting were swiftly exposed once more. In a mirror image of the 1st innings the top order were ripped out but this time even quicker. 11 for 4 in the 11th over was not the ideal start to the chase.

The rattle of wickets left Majid Asif, the most in-form bat in the team right now, batting alongside Felix Charles, often the man for a crisis. The pair took the score to 70, with Majid the dominant partner. Having taken several consecutive fours off the over, Majid then decided it was all too easy and tried one shot too many with a swish across the line at a straight ball. He was dismissed for 47 when looking like he could take the game away from the opposition.

At 70-5 with limited resources available, the opposition were back in the box seat. Despite this, their fielding was ragged and several mistakes in the air and on the ground allowed the Village to creep back into the contest. Felix Charles took up the reins at senior partner as Phil Smith was sent in with orders to hold up an end. With pace off the ball at both ends, runs came slowly but the rate was never an issue. The longer the innings went on, the more frustrated the home side became. The pair put on 59 valuable runs together in 17 overs before Phil Smith was caught on the long off boundary, trying to break free of the shackles.

Captain Overton strode to the crease with his side needing 29 runs from 10 overs with 4 wickets in hand. Generally, this wouldn't seem too daunting but given the injuries and the precarious batting of recent weeks, the watching Village line up were certainly nervous. There was no need to be. Felix guided a series of deliveries through the vacant third man area until this was eventually plugged. Dave plundered a few through his favourite leg side areas and the winning line swiftly came into view. Felix Charles ended up 84 not out, compiling a real match winning innings for his team.

A much needed win for the Village, who still aren't really sure whether to be looking up or down the Division. Promotion looks unlikely but relegation doesn't look too much of a risk either. A run of victories or defeats over the next few weeks could change all that.