After our strongest side of the season produced our poorest result of the season at Woking & Horsell last week this had become a crucial game for the second XI as our lead at the top of the table was beginning to erode and a spate of absentees saw us blood a couple of youngsters in 2nd XI debuts. We arrived at the idiosyncratic setting of Brook to see immediately how crucial the toss would be on a ground without covers in a week where rain had returned to our part of the world. Fortunately Jase seems to have got over his early season misfortune with the coin and we won another toss, having even less hesitation than usual about sticking our hosts in.
Tommo and Stu took the new ball on a raging green top (chin up Nick
thatll teach you to miss cricket for family gatherings when your bro is allowed to be on holiday) and the ball immediately began to talk. Both bowlers actually eased themselves into a rhythm and it took a few overs to get a fortunate breakthrough as Ashworth slapped a rancid Tomlinson long hop straight to Messey at cover. It would, however, be pretty much the only bad ball we bowled all day as the floodgates opened. The hot weather meant that the wicket was hard underneath and the tennis ball bounce normally associated with green pitches was replaced by genuine bounce as Tommo got the ball flying past the batsmens face with regularity
they simply couldnt cope. Judd could only fend a short ball down onto his stumps, Mathura couldnt control a cut shot that flew to Sam at point, Wynne-Griffith gloved one to Justin, Rich top edged a wild hook straight to Putters and a similar shot from Schofield was edged to Justin behind. It was a truly devastating spell of hostile bowling at our level and Brook were 71-6 with Tommo having taken them all.
The magic 10 was on as he made it 7 from 7 by finally pitching one up that induced an edge from Tarrant which was well pouched by Shep, diving to his left at second slip. However, just as we were all contemplating an absolutely unbearable evening in the company of a ten wicket taking Mark Tomlinson, Sam came to the rescue. Having joked the ball before that he was going to do everything he could to stop Tommo claiming 10 for he was true to his word diving full length in the gulley to pull off a spectacular one handed effort. The bowler was Stu who thoroughly deserved this reward for a very good and extremely unlucky spell as his team mate took all the glory at the other end!! But Tommo wasnt quite done yet, picking up one more wicket to end with match winning figures of 8-42 and JC managed to narrowly avoid a big waft of fresh air by picking up the last wicket. Our hosts had been obliterated for 110 and it was a matter of if, not when, victory was sealed.
For a while it looked like being a 10 wicket win as Jase and Justin destroyed a woeful Brook bowling attack as, in particular, Jase his 5 sixes including two biggies up the hill on his way to a run a ball 50. Justin looked like joining him but mistimed one big hit too many and was caught on the boundary for 43 leaving us one down with just 18 to win. Messey had been deliberating whether to go in at three, his theory being it is a no win time to bat with just 18 to win, and he was right as a hit up the hill wasnt quite long enough as he fell for 2. There was one slight delay of the end of the game as, after Jason appeared to wrap up the innings with two boundaries, Caroline announced that there was actually one run to win!! The stumps went back in and despite slow clapping and shouts of catch it from his supportive team mates, Shep punched four down the ground to win the game (again) by 8 wickets with a monumental 49.4 overs to spare.
Our most comprehensive win of the season then, set up by Tommo taking his best ever league bowling figures. Our dominance summed up by the fact we were on the road back to watch the 1s win their top of the table clash with Ashford by 5PM!! Thanks very much to Caroline for scoring, despite Messey living up to his name by spilling coffee all over the scorebook!!
Brook 110 all out (34.4 overs) Tomlinson 8-42, Coleman 1-7
Valley End 114-2 (16.2 overs) Redwood 54*, Gray 43
VECC: Redwood*, Gray+, Messenger, Shepherd, Tomlinson, Blackmore, Putley, Chauhan, Reedman, Tidbury,
