Classy

Posting this a week late, after just returning from the following week's match. My blipping has become shockingly bad. There's too much going on to keep up.

Anyway, another home game and another hundred for Forrest. He carried his bat for 135 not out, accelerating very nicely at the end. I was an immensely proud dad. He finds writing reports hard when he does so well. He does self-deprecating much better. But here we go.

Ben Rhydding 266-2, Pateley Bridge 137  Scorecard

BEN RHYDDING'S HOUSE OF RUNS HOSTS SUMMER GARDEN PARTY

I recently bought a new house, which is quite exciting. Now don't tell Orla, but it's not nearly as exciting as the second home I have a long term lease on, Rhydding's house of runs. 

I don't know what kind of weird, freaky shit Tatts is doing out at the toss (maybe he threatens to show the opposition captain his sixth finger if he dares to bat first?) but he lost again (the maths are frankly absurd at this point), and we were stuck in, again. Do other captains not look at scorecards? Perhaps they can't see past the green veneer on top of the road which lies beneath. Either way, long may it continue. 

Vibes come in many forms. A bit of energy in the field here, a cagey 5 from 28 to see off the new ball there. It all counts. It did mean I had to play the role of aggressor, which doesn't exactly suit me. I embraced my inner peacock and led us to... 22 off the first 10. 

Big Stuff added some momentum to proceedings and the next 20 overs were a blur of hard run twos (me), delicate chips over the infield (me) and meaty boundaries plundered from a bat so heavy I can barely pick it up (Biggy).

I did also at one point hit a six so large all the lads jumped up in unison to applaud and hoot their approval. It was massive. At least 12 inches over the boundary. "Do you not hit many sixes then?" quipped the keeper.
 
Biggy almost caught me up with a series of bombs but unfortunately fell six short of a maiden Rhydding hundred. Nonetheless, a brilliant knock. The poor man will be sore tomorrow. 

I got my second hundred of the year (a real advert for turning up to nets, folks) and together with Tatts we slogged our way to 266 from a rain reduced 43 overs. Duckworth Lewis added 8 to their target to rub salt into the wounds. 

God I love batting at home, averaging a cool 92.25 on The Road at Coutances this season. I wish we could roll it up and take it with us. Once again, a real credit to the groundsteam. 

Big Stuff, the consummate all rounder, opened the bowling (before he seized up) and the universe gave him something back for missing his hundred with two of the softest wickets you'll see. The only early drama was that Harry Hannan was a couple of feet from steamrollering young Joe on his very impressive first team debut.
 
Their best batsman showed some resistance and briefly threatened to make a game of it. But big game players make big game plays, they don't call him the NUB for nothing. Alex had him stumped for the second time this season. Proving youth is no match for experience. 

From there it was a procession. Stu picked up an efficient 3-14 to make up somewhat for his pad rash. Erm, other things also happened. And Chris bowled. Well, Chris propelled the ball from his hand. And finished the game.