DCC V Syston

Syston, Notts 4th May 2003

When Iain Bamber called off at 10.00am on match day new captain Ian must
have thought things couldn't get much worse, but the day was just
beginning.......fortunately Mick Stewardson managed to get his elder
brother to play, hang on ......elder brother, yep, Alan Stewardson at 66
managed to considerably increase the average age of the side, and Ian's
blood pressure. The toss was lost and Syston fronted a strong half 1st X1
outfit and without Bennett, Blake, A Gaunt, Briars & Bamber, nevertheless
the Captain in his new England shirt (you looked great Ian!) rallied the
troops and a good start was made. Syston plugged away to 69 for 0 in the
first twenty overs, punctuated by dropped catches, but good bowling from
Stewardson & Gaunt (S). The latter was hit for two four balls in his sixth
over, then a timely hamstring tweaked, cue short run and 'that'll do me
skip'. A variety of bowlers were used on the very flat track and generally
they performed well but the dropped catches continued and the momentum
increased. 254-4 off the allotted forty overs illustrated an entertaining
last twenty! Paul & Jamie bowled out at the death, pretty well in trying
circ's, two caught & bowleds to remove the openers for the former
(7-0-61-2) and the other two wickets for the latter(6-0-57-2), including a
ferocious left hander who played on. Oh for last weeks full strength team!
Steve Gaunt's hammy tightened further and therefore Jamie aided as his
runner - cue the usual carnage when a runner takes the field. Talking of
carnage, like a wounded animal, Steve lashed out with his block, block,
smash! technique ( an excellent 52) and we raced off chasing the huge
target. Paul binned his normal patient style and turned back the clock with
a selection of drives and leg side Larry-ness to grace the beautiful venue.
So at 100-1 off 17, with Perry, Lees and Cross to come it was looking
tasty. It continued to look pretty good into the 170s but Steve Perry
missed a slower ball after a tremendous cameo of 26 and  after his annual
six hit  Paul skied for 72. Difficult to keep the momentum in fading light
and we closed on 204-5 after our 40 overs. Held our own, should've done
better, could've been right in there with a full strength side, but 458runs
for 9 wickets in 80 overs shouldn't be overlooked.