CHUMPS!!!

There were few signs of the calamity to follow when the Village were handed the opportunity to bowl first by Northchurch IIs. A lovely setting, a good track, a dry day, excellent facilities and the toss decision going well, all made for an ideal match scenario.

Indeed, the Village bowling and fielding performance set the highest standard of the season to date. Good energy, enthusiasm, team spirit and sound tactics enabled skipper Overton to more than meet the considerable challenge set by the home side's overseas opener. One or two drops did spoil an otherwise decent display, most notably the captain himself shelling the Aussie opener at first slip. In the end the Village were very fortunate to see the back of him, courtesy of a Run Out given by the home side's player umpire when his team mate was at least a yard in. At which point the club's 2nd best overseas player had amassed an impressive 91 runs from a team total of 128 for 4. Northchurch eventually stuttered to a total of 162 all out in 51.4 overs.

Pick of the Village bowlers was George Downes with his left arm orthodox. 12 tidy overs, yielding career best figures of 4-24. Majid Asif bowled equally well but with no luck at all, suffering from a couple of drops and a non walk from the home skipper. David Overton finally got his first wickets of the season, in a useful opening spell.

162 should have been a straightforward target for a Village side with a supposed long batting line up. At 130-4 it looked like another comfortable victory was inevitable. Cue a spectacular batting collapse. 158 all out and lots of bewildered and disappointed faces in the dressing room.

The opening bowlers for Northchurch were as good an attack as will probably be seen this year but to a large extent their threat had been seen off. Somehow, most of the damage was done by the inexperienced and innocuous back up bowlers. In truth it was generally poor batting rather tnan good bowling that turned this game.

Once again Danny Potter batted stylishly, top scoring with 49. Felix Charles, enjoying his first knock of the season also batted well, scoring 39, before perhaps unluckily being adjudged caught behind, down the leg side. Most of the other batsmen can share the blame for the poor display and ultimate failure to chase down the modest total. Too many top order batsmen were bowled and too many of the middle and late order played injudicious shots.

Next time the Village return to the very pleasant Northchurch, they will be praying for a much better performance and result.