After a weekend team building exercise in the beautiful setting of NIdderdale (the Mitre and Viper Rooms), team G “Indoor” B was ready to take on the world. Sadly however, all they had was one of the Tuesday night indoor league opposition.
Continued debate around selection took the tabloid headlines in the run up to the game, with H Jackson recovered from the colonic but as yet unable to penetrate the starting 6. Much mirth was taken from this and Janet was left only a CC’ed e mail to show for his absence in the previous week.
A late drop out from Chemical Kev, assumed to still be dancing and sweating in Viper Rooms whilst ding donging), saw GB 1 man down with only a few hours to kick off. Luckily the Bishop had inadvertently fallen asleep in his car whilst driving through Headingley on the same morning and a replacement was “on hand” to step into the breach.
A changed side from the previous week therefore, but keeping the number of players used in the season to date down to 7:
1 Cockle
2 Shorter
3 Cummings (eye on Delia)
4 Robshaw
5 Morgan (overseas – Wales)
6 Jackson (wkt)
(7 Wilks)
Jackson, keen to maximise his involvement and therefore his irreplaceability, won the toss and bravely elected to insert. No more CC’s (get the theme?).
Goldsborough produced a good all round bowling display in the face of a back wall orientated stint of target setting by the “Nomads”. Some good strokes did reach the wall, but there were limited 3’s taken with a well set field and supremely fit and well drilled fielding unit. The total was 86 after 10 overs, below par one would say if indeed anyone knew what par was or who’s “one” was saying it.
Epitomising his indoor 20/20 vision again this week, Cockle showed once more that a 10 over stint is the perfect length of innings to maintain his concentration, leaping expertly at long straight-on to take a sharp one handed catch. Cummings, on the other hand, barely touched the ball at point but his astuteness of positioning prevented any 3’s being taken. These are the subtleties that are putting Goldsborough in such good stead in the field, but which are also providing Delia Cummings with a chance to plan his next culinary “cheesecake” (”CC” – get the theme?) masterpiece. You know what they say about trees falling in the woods though – do they really make a noise? Equally what about a cheesecake that noone sees – does it really taste any good?
GB’s batting innings started slowly, with Cockle and Shorter adjusting to the lack of pace with a similar lack of pace. 6-0 from 2 overs and dropping behind the rate. However, the investment proved worthwhile and after 5 overs the score was 53, with 3 a ball taken pretty much at will. 2 retirements and the game well within reach.
Robshaw (last week’s cheese) took the chance to spend some time at the crease, and Delia was unlucky to be run out whilst backing up 3/4 of the length of the pitch!! This left GB needed 27 to win from the last 3 overs and the “Nomads” quickie still to bowl. But a well timed injection of running from Morgan and Robshaw (whether they hit it or not) saw 15 taken of the 8th over and leading GB most of the way home.
Cockle scored the winning runs with 3 balls left and Jackson made sure he was at the crease to underline his importance for the next selection meeting, participating in the game with the gloves, with the bat and in tossing expertly.
So, it was left to Nomads to curse a couple of perceived poor decisions by the standing square leg umpire (rubbish), and for Goldsborough to retire for tea and cake (cheese) whilst watching the ever elegant “Fines” and “Andy G” stroke the ball to 1 part of the indoor court (nowhere).
Bare Facts
- Nomads 85-2
- 2 blokes 20
- One handed catches 1
- Cakes prepared 3
- False no balls 2
- Goldsborough 87-3
- Cockle 20
- Shorter 20