Saracens Cricket Club

We all departed at the same time from our base at the Ocean Hotel, and thanks to a rolling road block (that no body else saw), the fun bus and Dingy arrived 35 minutes after the rest of the party, along with Matt and Rich - about 15 minutes before we were due to start. First potential W award moment

After we won the toss and elected to bat, the was another potential W award moment, when Bun entrusted Penny with the match ball and it ended up in the car on the way to Haslemere with the girls, who went to pick up food and beer.

After Tricky departed early, Matt and Randy put on 92 for the 2nd wicket as the sun belted down. Matt was particularly harsh on anything full or short, before he departed for 74, which included 11 4's and 3 6's. 

Slogger then joined Randy for his 1st innings of the season due to injury, and added 33 before Randy holed out to deep square. Slogger continued on to make a well constructed 66 before holing out to long on, before some late order hitting from Rich Gough and Mini Man took the score to 217-5 after 31 overs, which bought a declaration. 

After a very large and filling tea (plenty of cake, Bun had 4 pieces) - we took the field and had immediate success with Bun, sporting his "New" go faster stripe boots, striking twice in the first over to leave Lynchmere 8-2.

A 3rd wicket stand of 70 steadied the ship, before Dingy struck twice in quick succession to leave the score of 83-4. Good discipline with the ball accompanied by some good catching from Saracens had the score at 101-6 at drinks and the start of the final 20 overs. 

Tricky and Rich Gough were introduced as we needed a break through, and Rich provided it courtesy of a good catch by mini man at cover. After 6 overs of medium pace, Bun and Dinghy returned to the attack as we looked to wrap up the innings and the match. 

Bun duly obliged, with good catches from Slogger and Dinghy and then he wrapped up the innings by bowling Wells with the ever reliable "moon ball". 

An 85 run victory, but a very good game of cricket played at a good venue and in great spirt. A quick shower followed and then we departed for Portsmouth and dinner and more drinks.

W Award = Bun (not looking after the ball, not tightening the studs in his new boots (School Boy Error), nominating Penny for the W Award, eating 4 bits of cake at tea, dropping a caught and bowled, losing crazy golf to Jess) 

Sunday

Our 2nd game of the Portsmouth UK tour took us to Stirlands Cricket Club near Chichester, a ground voted the best wicket in Sussex two years ago. So with the sun beaming down, we won the toss and decided to have a bowl. 

On an absolute belter of a wicket, Tricky and Shane opened up and kept things reasonably tight. Tricky was rewarded for his consistent line and length with a wicket from his final delivery, caught down the leg side by slogger.

Bun and Rich replaced Tricky and Shane. Rich kept it even tighter, whilst Bun picked up a couple of wickets, but leaked a few runs. Rich finished his 6 over spell in the heat, to be replaced by Dinghy and the spin twins, along with some good catching and fielding, made runs hard to come by.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals - 4 to Dinghy and 3 to Bun as Stirlands finished on 172-8 from 41 overs.

After an interesting tea (which included Port and Cheese), Slogger and Skid opened up and runs began to come in a hurry as the pair put on 63 before Skid fell for 29. 

Randy joined Slogger and added another 44 before the former fell for 8. Slogger fell for 65, quickly followed by Nut Meg for 0, leaving the score on 117-4.

A partnership of 35 between Slow-mo and Rich moved the score on to 152, before Rich holed out for 31. This bought Tricky to the crease with 23 required to win from 8 overs, and along with Vinnie (28 not out), they saw us to victory with 3.5 overs to go.

A really good performance in the field and solid run chase ment that we would leave the south coast undefeated.

W-Award: Nut Meg - Letting the ball through his legs, delegating the captaincy and getting a Duck.