Cavaliers Cricket Club, Colchester, Essex, England

31st May 2009

In the heat of a glorious late May Cavaliers strangled Gosfield's batting to secure a comfortable victory.

Although the sun was shining in a perfect blue sky it wasn't all that hot at the toss due to a cool breeze from the "Roy Paris" boundary. The pitch looked excellent, with the promise of something for both bat and ball. The Gosfield skipper called correctly and was in something of a dilemma not having played at Mill Road recently and decided to field first.

Simon and Jack maintained their opening positions despite failing to record a 50 partnership this season but  both started well to put 51 on the board by the 13th over. The introductions of the Gosfield change bowler Flood, applied the brakes with the dismissal of Jack but the Cavaliers continued to score freely at the other end. Danny and Vinnie also fell to Flood leaving us at 113-3 after 27 overs and by no means certain of a winning score. Rasanga (24) took the attack to the Gosfield bowlers as the field spread and with Simon stepped up the quick running as the field spread to all corners of a massive boundary. Amir (15) and then Darren (20*) kept up the quick running as it became more and more difficult to find the boundary supporting Simon to his hundred in the 41st over. The success of the Cavaliers innings was built of excellent running between the wickets, something we have struggled with in recent weeks; only four boundaries were scored in 20 overs as Cavaliers added 120 runs.

Stuart (1-13) and Darren (3-29) opened with decisive spells as each reeled off 10 straight overs to secure the game for the Cavaliers, brilliantly supported by catching from Rasanga. By bowling a very straight line the ambitions of Gosfield batsmen was mostly limited to survival driving up the required rate and frustrating the batsmen into giving up their wicket. Ray (1-17) and Tony continued the good work and by the time Amir (1-24) and Vinnie (3-14) bowled the final 10 overs it was almost like a timed game as the Gosfield batsmen had no chance of reaching their target. Rasanga ended up with four excellent catches, including one as high as the crooked spire in Chesterfield!