Dodgers v Highways Agency

DODGERS VS HIGHWAYS AGENCY – CHISWICK, 13 JUNE 2000

Result: Dodgers won by 14 runs
Start: 6.10pm (!!)
Finish: 8.45pm

Dodgers Man of the Match: Darren Bultitude

A dry evening with lots of sunny intervals set the scene for another well deserved but hard fought Dodgers victory. Highways won the toss and put Dodgers in to bat on what looked and proved to be a good batting strip. A strong Dodgers side (lets ensure we get as good a team out against Superstars!) suggested a high scoring game and so it proved. Supported by a lot of noise from the boundary courtesy of George Adey, McBarron and Bultitude opened, with the latter scoring freely to move the total along at around six an over, including some excellent boundaries and surviving at least a couple of dropped catches. McBarron meanwhile remained steady at the other end pushing singles and twos to move the partnership on to 103 off 13 overs – an excellent achievement. However, in the 14th over Bultitude’s luck ran out and he was well caught in the covers for 57. McBarron was joined by a subdued Priest who only managed three singles before being caught behind. By this time McBarron had finally been told he had reached his 50 so he started to play a bit more adventurously, scoring a couple of boundaries. Next to the crease was Samuels who scored six by the end of the innings, which closed on 147 for 3. There were no stars among the Highways’ bowling but Patel surprisingly only bowled two overs much to the relief of our batsmen. A notable absentee, however, was Phil Patten who was apparently suffering from sunburn! I expect he was really just trying to protect his average.

Thanks to Westhead and Paterson for helping Highways make up the numbers in the field.

Dodgers then took to the field looking for an easy victory but some later bowling decisions by captain Priest confirmed it was far from plain sailing. Patterson opened the bowling and turned in the best bowling of the day by far, opening with a maiden (he wished) and ending with what should have been a wicket maiden except for a wide ball. Some disappointing – no, poor – no, crap – bowling from Roper (sorry Kev) set Highways off to a flying start, with Carman moving quickly to forty odd. He was soon replaced by Adey and his deceptive “fliers”, soon taking the first wicket when Siva picked the only Dodgers player who can be relied on to catch the ball, namely Bultitude (just make sure you can live up to this reputation Darren). However, Adey was clearly distracted by the female support because he eventually went for 43 off his four overs. Patterson took the next wicket, bowling quick enough (quote - anon) "to literally break the stumps whereas Adey isn’t even quick enough to break the wicket".

Meanwhile Tailor came in and kept the score moving on and with both sides on 75 after ten overs, it looked like anyone’s game. With Priest clearly concerned about a possible lost match, he brought on Bultitude to help bowl the middle spell with Crawford. The run rate slowed a little but with only Bultitude taking the important wicket of Carman for 44 and Tailor pushing the score closer to the target, Priest bottled it and brought on Benn from behind the stumps to bowl two overs. This proved to be a sound move. With Highways only five runs behind Dodgers after 18 overs, the game could have gone either way but Benn bowled tightly and with the sun shining straight in Tailor’s eyes bowled him in the 19th over. This proved decisive and Dodgers came in winners by 14 runs. A good team performance.

Thanks to our supporters – Kim Matthews (who also scored), John Doyle (who also umpired), John Cooper and Sue and George Adey. Is this a record?

Quote of the week: (See above and...)

Priest (having heard coins jangling in someone's pocket on the field): "I know it couldn't be Guy as he doesn't walk in."
Westhead: "You told me not to."
Benn: "Between overs, not balls!"

Dodgers Innings

McBarron Not Out 67
Bultitude c Blasi b Gorringe 57
Priest c Wk b Gorringe 3
Samuels Not Out 6
Extras 14
Total 147 for 2 wkts

Did not bat: Sandamas, Westhead, Benn
Crawford, Patterson, Adey, Roper

Bowling
O M R W
Patel 2 0 13 0
Tailor 4 0 24 0
Carman 4 0 29 0
Blasi 2 0 24 0
Raymond 2 0 15 0
Gorringe 4 0 25 2
Nish 2 0 11 0

Highway Agency Innings

Siva c Bultitude b Adey 26
Carman b Bultitude 44
Blasi b Paterson 0
Tailor b Benn 30
Nish Not Out 14
Raymond b Benn 0
Lamprill Not Out 3
Extras 16
Total 133 for 5 wkts

Bowling
O M R W
Patterson 4 1 6 1
Roper 2 0 24 0
Adey 4 0 43 1
Crawford 4 0 26 0
Bultitude 4 0 25 1
Benn 2 1 5 2


Dodgers Won by 14 Runs

Comments