Tis but a flesh wound

I'm invincible!!! Clarke baits the Crusaders.

One of our 'ex-pats' emailed recently from the land down under asking what I thought regarding the forthcoming Ashes series. Firstly I have to remind everyone that making predictions is for plonkers. I then stated in no uncertain terms that barring quite unforeseeable circumstances, the Engerlish would walk it yet again.

Watching the build-up to this series has been quite amusing. Clarke naming the England team (he'd struggle to name an England team these Aussies could even draw with), Pietersen hitting all-comers for 6 in his press conference (almost displaying a likeable side), Warney spouting off as usual, cultivating as much publicity for his oversized ego as he could manage. You know how bad it is for Australia when McGrath admits his stock 5-0 prediction will be unlikely this time.

Then the action begins. Those cricketing sages commentating for Sky were for once, quite accurately looking a bit worried at the start. The Brisvegas pitch being described variously as a "road", a "road and a "road". How were England going to get any wickets they queried?

Pretty soon the hosts are 100-5, and 6 down for not much more. Watson and Smith out to truly terrible shots (if you are a top order test match player playing at home on a road), Clarke, Warner and Rogers not far behind in the 'flinging your wicket away' stakes. It shows how much the roles of these two sides has reversed that Australia limping to 270 odd for 8 on Day 1 after winning the toss is something of a success. With all the Aussie Ashes venues being described as batting paradises and minimum scores of 400 going to be required to win test matches in this series, it already looks horrible for the home side.

The evidence before us, admittedly only a days-worth, makes the Australian pre-match hype look quite ridiculous. It reminds me of the scene from Monty Python & the Holy Grail where the Black Knight (pictured), lying in bits on the ground, gathers any remaining breath to once again bait his tormentor. "I'm invincible" he wails plonked on his bahookey with his limbs strewn around him. Clarke, Warner et al, maybe its time to adhere to sporting cliche #1, shut up, if there's any talking to do, just do it out on the pitch. We could be looking at an absolutely incredulous 4th successive English Ashes series victory with Aussie players still berating the oppo for being rubbish. From a team that have won fewer test matches this year than Zimbabwe.

The English performances in the summer Ashes were below previous levels I think most people would agree. Their dominance was as much to do with a very poor touring side in varying states of disarray. With an ageing England side, seemingly in decline and looking for something to kickstart their motivation, the Aussie public for some reason decided to help them out. In their wisdom, prior to this series, sections of them have rounded on Stuarty Broady. This blatantly dim tactic had Broady taking a wicket in his second over setting up a day one 5-for. Seemingly hoping to inspire him on to even greater heights, when he held the ball up to the crowd, as bowlers do after a 5-fer, there was still enough booing from the dunderheids in the stands to keep him stoked up and hunting more Australian scalps (caveat; as he did this, you can see a fair amount of Oz fans applauding as well).

When Steven Smith is batting at FIVE, what on earth are you doing winding up the second best attack in world cricket? Clarke amused me with his English team announcement but the reality is, England could pick Rankin, Onions, Bresnan, Finn or about 40 others in the 'last seamer' slot and it wouldn't make a difference, they'd still blow the Aussie's Black Knights sky high.

My masterplan for the Aussies is a two parter.

1) Shut up
2) Pray for Harris and Johnson to deliver with the ball

Otherwise its going to be another protracted annihilation.

CA's memorable moments

To commemorate CA's departure, it has been suggested that a list of his finest performances be placed on the HX blog. However another Crosser Bainbro has insisted that the focus should be on those moments which others will remember more vividly. As EC once commented, when CA is dismissed he looks completely baffled...as if the laws of physics had momentarily been suspended (something to do with Higgs boson??) or as if he'd had a black-out at the key moment. Some of the moments that Bainbro insisted I list include:

*On the Tour of 2000: getting dismissed lbw at Powerstock (was smacking it to all parts at the time after 1 hr in the nets with the Dr) then taking a trip to the local church-1/2 mile away- to reflect on the justice or otherwise of the decision.

*Making a 3ft by 2ft divot in the Glenrothes square after being dismissed in 2010-as recounted in the match report: 'Amid this collapse Calum played brightly and scored at a good rate. But, after missing with the same shot twice in the over, he tried to pull a short ball from Khan and was lb - at least he took it in good grace (I hope repairing the crater in the Glenrothes’ square won’t take too many hours/months…C. A. Smith clearly the early leader in the 'race' for the Bradley Trophy).'

* Blame the umpire! Ranting after nicking a very wide delivery in a cup match in 2011. The previous delivery had been slightly wide (but correctly not wided by umpire Pickering)...CA went off complaining about Spick's umpiring: "you forced me to play at that one".. Spicker's reply: "No, but that one really was a wide".

*D'oh! Playing like Ian Bell on steroids at Freuchie, getting himself to 40 odd with a series of superb attacking strokes-holing out to a deep square leg who CA hadn't spotted being deployed....at the rate he was going he might well have broken the 1st XI record (132) in about 80 balls...

*CA misfields on the mid wicket boundary (turning a single into 4...)...who does he blame?...his brother for disturbing his concentration!

* Telling Robin off for not giving him NOT out lbw at Glenrothes in 2011.

* Berating the umpire at Carlton in 2011 regarding a run out decision..the umpire was at least 13..

Feel free to add your own CA memories.

STOP PRESS:
Another senior HX player KF insists this be mentioned:

'There was one, maybe v Fauldhouse at home when I was captain. KF/CA opened the batting and I got hit on the toe and was manfully persevering, hardly able to walk. I inside edge/padded one straight at square leg in the same over. As I tapped my bat down behind the crease I was startled as CA suddenly appeared by my side, all red faced and screaming YES!!! I replied 'no' and he made off for his second run to try to make it back, but, despite his obligatory full length dive, he didn't make it (I've watched Dougie try to run me out in this exact way too). I made sure I was well out his way as he walked off before getting myself out next over. The sensible thing, with hindsight, would have been to leave my crease once he arrived and sacrifice me, the injured player but I wasn't sure if the ump knew I'd nicked it or if it might have been given as a leg bye to extras so I stayed put'. 

Farewell to CA

As you'll be aware, Calum is heading off to Australia this month.

To bid him farewell, the soc sec has suggested that Crossers convene at St Vincents on St. Vincent Street on Friday 13th Jan - from 7pm onwards.

Maz drops bombs

[CA reports on the 1st XI match versus Marchmont- additional comments from CJE]

Arriving for the final game of the league season was largely similar to every other home game; the opposition all there, warming up, whilst various Crossers stood outside the changing sheds smoking and chatting. As ever, Charlie was setting everything up [GT was there too - and Mandy and Michael assisted too]. In fact Charlie and McGill were largely responsible for the game being on [the sunshine on Friday and Saturday helped too], both in terms care of the wicket all summer and in the last week.

On closer examination though, there were subtle changes. The flags had a uniform distance between them thanks to Gary T's debut on the flag distribution. He will learn that this makes for rather repetitive boundary golf. Other changes were that Euan and Keith were on time. Indeed, the opposition skipper didn't need to ask at least 3 times if the skipper had arrived yet [Pietsch asked 4 times..] Out they went to toss at quarter to 1 no less. Now the common cliche is to say that 'eyebrows were raised' when the opposition skipper wins the toss and chooses to bat. EC dispensed with the eyebrows [a quick trip to Roshan’s??] and said 'that’s not what I would have done' when the opposition elected to bat.

Bat they did and out came Macgregor and Sardesai to face new new ball [a new ball belong to Marchmont CC..] combination Bonfield and Trewartha. They were appropriately circumspect, with Aaron quickly on to a couple of short balls, MacGregor chipping away patiently, with them taking singles well when the opportunity arose. This combined with some sloppy fielding [any particular examples spring to mind?] meant that Marchmont made a steady start. They were on about 30 odd before Shanton got Aaron with an absolute beauty: swinging and then holding its line on a perfect length to just flick the top of the off bail and clean bowl his man. Breakthrough made and in came Loeffen, Marchmont’s gun player who has made plenty of runs this season [652 in the league in total]. He played and missed a few times early but also a played a few class shots, including a nice flick of his legs from Shanton. This nearly proved his undoing when he flicked one off Gary that fell just short of Dougie.

Macgregor and Loeffen saw off the openers and on came Charlie and Pat. Charlie didn't seem to be proving too difficult to play but Pat (notwithstanding one nice flick for 6 from Loeffen) was finding nice lines and exerting good control. Dougie replaced Charlie and bowled a beautiful spell. Straight from the off he was on the spot, bowling with nice flight and a lot of turn. He had a big shout turned down against Loeffen and Marchmont took drinks at roughly 75 odd for 1 - very much their session.

After drinks, Russell and Lynch continued and eventually Lynch got Macgregor LBW and suddenly things seemed to change. Peachey was out stumped; well bowled by Dougie [full bunger..? but it did drift.]. Collier who has had a good season came out and was caught by Lynch - a superb catch at a sort of fly gully. Someone described this as athletic; Pat has subsequently misinterpreted this as someone calling him an athlete.

Next up was urban street philosopher Keith 'Kay Eph' Fraser with a brace of catches. One a good one in a similar position to Pat's (he didn't make such a meal of it as he fell forward) and one at deep square leg (‘claimed’ by EC as he had posted Keith exactly there). Pat had bowled out (a solid 1 for 27 spell especially considering the marsh he was running up through) and Bainbridge came on at the Castle End. He induced Maksimyck to play on and GT, back on after Dougie had finished (figures of 1-30 not doing his spell justice) cleaned out Davi Sardesai with a yorker.

Throughout all this Loeffen was continuing nicely and made a solid 50. Number 10 came in, a big unit, and hit a few lusty blows. He smacked one straight back to Gary who (mostly out of self preservation) caught it before it re-arranged his face. Loeffen saw this as his cue to hit out and hit a big 6 before trying a repeat (perhaps to a slightly slower ball?) and skying one to the safest [KF ??] mid-off in Scottish cricket for a well made 60. GT finishing with 4 for single figures in his return spell.

A strange collapse from a Marchmont team that have had a good season. The scorecard reads; 33, 10, 60, 0, 5, 2, 0, 0, 0, 6, 0. These type of things used to be referred to as 'England style' collapse or, in the Green Room [circa 1998], as a 'Holy Cross style' collapse. Still, 131, although perhaps 20-30 runs short of what would be considered par, was still going to be a hard chase.

Owais Mahzer went out to bat sporting a grey Yankees cap in the style of legendary golden age MCer Rakim. Indeed, there has been some beef over who first used this 'look'. This feud has now been retired with Rakim agreeing to re-release the seminal single 'Shif - T for president (the Eric B remix)'. This will be used in the celebrations for the diamond jubilee of our Dear Leader. Out he went with Kay Eph and the fireworks started. After having a look for a couple of overs, Mahzer Maz started dropping bombs all over the shop. It was whack. Meanwhile Kay Eph was reflecting philosophically on his bat at the other end with the occasional spat out line. He 'spat up' a full length ball to mid off who [somehow] put him down [on a par with Big Pat’s dolly at Grange Loan]. Mahzer Maz eventually ‘nicked off’ to keeper for 36 off 28 odd balls [what was odd about them??] before stating something like 'I was jus gettin ma grove on' or 'just getting my eye in'. Still, braggadocio has always has had a role in hip hop culture.

In came Charlie (more Fresh Prince than Rakim) who batted with intent. Not only had the openers put on 50 odd with their fast paced rhymes but had used up many of the Marchmont openers' overs. The Fresh Prince and Kay Eph saw off the rest of Loeffen and Maksimyck and Charlie 'whacked' Davi Sardesai's first ball and basically took it from there. Scoring a well tempo-ed 62 whilst Kay Eph dropped the anchor (managing to see off an off spinner in the process (!)) and finished 34 no. The Fresh Prince playing some pretty 'fresh' shots (in the sense that they have not been seen before very often [fair enough…not in this country anyway...]) including a hoick over cow for 6 and two lofted drives straight for 4.

A 9 wicket win then means that we finish 2nd. A well deserved reward for a good season especially considering that we lost our first 2 games - we have gone 9 and 1 since then. Characterised by batting and bowling depth and consistency and backed up by good catching and (generally) high [KF again?] fielding standards. Its been good to have Marchmont back in division 1 and also congratulations to Fauldhouse who won the league and have gone this league season unbeaten - a notable achievement. Good luck to them in their play-off next Saturday. We have our final game (against Fauldhouse) in the President’s Trophy next Sunday at Arbo and all are welcome to support.

Hollywood Legend Pictured In Edinburgh

Family Day Out

It could have been any father out for the day with his boys to watch some cricket at Portgower Place on Sunday. But this wasn't just any family outing. Original James Bond star, McGill Collins, took his boys to the set of 90's blockbuster 'The Masterton Files' and regaled the youngsters with the tale of how he bowled Don Bradman twice with one ball in the semi final.

Young Chuckie McGill (back row, left) was overheard openly questioning his fathers version of events having recently studied the account of a witness to the filming who wrote everything down in a scorebook.

Without pausing for breath, the ageing megastar explained to the first twins he had out of wedlock, EC & CA Hurley (back row centre & middle row centre) how, despite winning multiple Oscars every time he makes a movie, studio bosses keep freezing him out of summer blockbusters and forcing him to turn out in low budget B-movies.

Despite this marginalisation, ‘Cocko’ Collins still manages to direct some independent movies of an evening. He recently cast Bollywood sensation Vikramabawz Groweary in ‘75’, a short film about a street urchin who buys a magical shirt on the internet and turns into a run machine.

Cocko’s other twins, Shane (beard) & Prat Blanchett (back row right) announced they hope to shoot a movie at Portgower Place one day, though due to legal wrangles, all sets have been moved to nearby studios 20^th Century Fettes until further notice.

Geordie McGill (middle row left) appeared to be yet again engaged in his addiction to voicemail interception.

Cocko is probably best known for his role as ‘Mitch McGill’ a Portobello lifeguard in the Scorcese epic Deep Slippy Gully.

Minotaur vs McEldrey

Crossers may be aware that the Australian selectors have been searching far and wide for prospective test cricketers and have been made aware of the our long term success of Shannon and more recently Pat. As a result they have demanded either their return or Cross provide an equal replacement.

A straw poll revealed one CA Smith to be our most "Australianesque" member and we have opted to ship him off for an initial two year tenure. He'll be working as a doctor to augment any potential lack of runs.

As a result CA is determined to end 16 years of hurt and finally overall his twin in the run scoring stakes. Rumours that his initial goal of outscoring The Prince (CJE) was quickly downgraded to out-scoring EC have been denied by his "people".

As it stands there is 1 league game and one cup final left

League runs:

EC Smith: 223
CA Smith: 165

Non League runs:

EC Smith: 83

CA Smith: 187

EC - 306

CA - 352

I'm unsure which carries more weight, league runs? Cup runs are still "first class" so do they all count?

Either way it's game on for the next two matches.......................SMITH OFF!!!!

Bon-on-Fire

Div 1 (Sunday 12th) at Arboretum

Holy Cross 166-9 (50 overs)
C. A. Smith 40, C, Ellis 23, S. Pickering 21
A. Knapman 3/34, S. Azhar 2/16

Eastern Regional Academy 108ao (30 overs)
G. Buchanan Smith 54.
S. Bonfield 5-20, V. Gaware 2/33, C. Ellis 2/9

full scorecard here

On a pitch that had been waterlogged the night before but was merely soft at 1pm*, Cross took advantage of some slightly wayward Academy bowling to reach a healthy 75/2 off 25-heading for a score of 180-200 ish - above par on a v tricky drying surface.

A sticky middle section followed in which the Academy bowlers bowled tighter and the Cross middle order failed to maintain their momentum saw Cross limp to 139/9 off 45. Only some good biffing from Norrie (17* off 15 balls) and 11* from Milly got us up to 166 - a competitive score on a wicket that was unlikely to suit the Academy batsmen- used to covered wickets.

So it proved, as Shannon and Vik reduced the Academy to 1/2, then 5/3 ...and then 31/7 with Cross taking their chances. The Academy batsmen playing some ambitious shots 'on the up' - given the surface. Vik's 1st wicket (lovely ball that took the top of off) was a highlight but Shannon's spell was sheer class - extracting a great deal of assistance from the surface: the Academy batsmen playing and missing 3/4/5 times an over. Crucially we also took our chances...then we stopped doing so: coupled with Buchanan-Smith's good striking (4 sixes in his innings) and some less than brilliant bowling from the bottom end....and the Academy seemed to have a sniff. This was snuffed out as CA took a good catch at long on to get rid of Buchanan-Smith, before Ziggy took another good one (off CA)-including time for a quick 'tit-rub'.

A nice note from Bill Polson: 'Thanks too to all at Holy Cross for their hospitality but particularly to the lady and gentleman who kept the scorers, coach and administrator supplied with very welcome warming tea'. So cheers to Mandy and Michael, plus Colin McGill for scoring - plus our supporters (S. Robertson, A, Quinn, C. Graham and -most boisterously-R. Worsnop).

*The early stages of the game were momentarily interrupted by a nasty accident on Ferry Road (at the junction with Boswell Drive) in which a car flipped over-Paramedics and the Fire-Brigade were quickly on the scene: one hopes that those involved are ok. This is the third nasty accident I've seen at this spot in the last 5 years or so.

Crosstastic Saturday but don't celebrate too much as we've got a cup game on Sunday!

Div 1
At Town Park.

Glenrothes 223/5
C. Greaves 98*, F. Khan 50, G. Hopcroft 35, I. Dale 21

R. Worsnop 2/25, C. Ellis 2/13

Holy Cross 225/2
C. Ellis 107*, C. A. Smith 80*

F. Khan 2/45

Bimbo has been muttering about the lack of match reports....and has now decided that no one else was going to do it:

'At surely a very, very windy Hippo Park [yeah but it was a mere zephyr compared to the wind at Arbo on Sunday] the skipper chose to bowl first. Robin got the short straw and bowled uphill into the wind and completed his 10 overs with customary skill.
On a day where is was almost impossible to bowl with any fluency the standout was Charlie completing his 10 overs for a mere 13 runs and 2 wickets.
Glen's managed to capitalise on some wayward bowling with Farooq in particular finding the boundary with regular aplomb (50 off very few). Glen's OA opener carried his bat for 98* and they put on a very respectable 233.

I think it's safe to say that in the conditions this was a tough total to be looking at, your author had cheekily commented earlier in the day it was about time our batsman won us a game and lo it came to pass.

With a rain interruption KF and Spickers got us off to a good start with quick runs, both falling quite quickly and bringing first CJE and then CA to the crease.
In a display of consummate swordsmanship CJE played his way to an unbeaten 107 and CA 82 not out, both knocks were a pleasure to watch and well worth the late arrival back home.

Club historians have been poring through the record books all weekend and early indications suggest this partnership of 193 could be an all wicket record beating a 174 made in 1978. More details to follow....

Coupled with today's scores it looks like and excellent weekend for Charlie, Calum and the Cross as a whole, 4 wins: Crossgasmic'.

wins too by the 2nds
and 3rds (just!):

Div 5
Edinburgh Accies 2nd XI 107 (Samuel 3-20, Bates 2-12) : Holy Cross 2nds 109-5 (Bates 36)

Admin adds - A very good team performance against the table-topping Accies. Some good bowling and remarkably, given some of our earlier efforts, excellent fielding: three run-outs and three good catches. Andy Quinn was to the fore in the field, but perhaps the key moment was Norrie holding on to a rocket from the dangerous Aussie opener. At 72-2 we were cruising but three quick wickets gave Accies a sniff, before some composed and positive batting by the skipper and Nawaz saw us home, with Nawaz finishing the game in style with a pulled four and a line-driven six off successive balls.

Div 8

Holy Cross 3rd XI 186-4 (Nevin 50+, Butt 70+); Dunfermline 3rd XI 180 all out with 3 balls to go. (Wilkinson & Lucas scored well - a 50 and 30 I believe). HX3 beat Dunfermline 3 by 6 runs
-----

CA knock can't prevent Cross loss in Masterton

EC reports that in the Masterton Trophy 1st round (at Goldenacre):

Heriot's 187 for 3 - Bainbridge was pick of bowlers and V Gaware looked dangerous, clean bowling a former Scotland international.

Holy X 96 for 8 - Confident and stylish knock of 57 from CA Smith.

Good luck to Heriot's in the next round.

Coaching Corner (part 2 of a continuing series)

Last year's analysis of the forward defensive has clearly helped promote better batting technique throughout the club. Now we turn to fielding with some advice on the 'long barrier': the best means for stopping a ball travelling fast towards you or fielding on a bumpy outfield. The basics of the long barrier are:

STEP ONE
Approach the ball at speed and as you get into line with the ball, twist your upper body, leading with the shoulder furthest from the ball.

STEP TWO

Bend both knees, so that the knee of the leg nearest to the ball touches the ground, but it is also next to the back of the heel of the other leg.

STEP THREE

With fingers down and head forward, pick up the ball and then stand back up ready to deliver an overarm throw.

The need for a secure long barrier was illustrated on Saturday at Arboretum. This picture (which illustrates Steps 1 and 2) recreates the scene when a product of Smudger's loins (as KF would describe him) went to field a ball struck in his direction on the midwicket boundary.

Did he:

a. pick it up securely in the prescribed manner and fire it in over the bails?

b. pick it up securely in the prescribed manner and limply push it in 'shot put' style in the general direction of the square?

c. allow it to roll gently through a minuscule gap in his legs and over the boundary; before blaming his captain/ twin brother for 'failing to listen to him'?

.........And yes, before anyone else mentions it, cje did indeed do something rather similar in the Parks Trophy match vs Standard Life. In his defence, the outfield was very uneven-and at least he didn't try and blame someone else.

Bon-fires as 1sts claim opening win.

1st XI
At Arboretum.
Holy Cross 204-7 (S. Bonfield 68, C. A. Smith 34, A Fleming 3/52)
Watsonians 2nds 160ao (R. Crosby 58, D, Breach 32, R. Worsnop 4/34, C. Ellis 4/19)

A heavy shower at 7am had transformed a firm deck into a classic Arbo ‘sticky top’ which meant fluent batting was unlikely and some unusual bounce could be expected when the ball hit indentations made by earlier deliveries.

Cross made a very slow start against the tricky bounce of Leggett and the swing and nip of Sevak (who started with 4 straight maidens), with Rob playing a couple of good leg side shots before failing to move his feet against a fuller delivery and Charlie playing across a fairly straight one. Shannon ‘how dare you not describe me as an all-rounder in the HX fantasy league’ Bonfield then continued his fine form of the previous week with a composed and classy 68. He got good support from Calum (34 with several fine boundaries) as they put on 115 excellent runs at a good rate in a match-winning partnership. Despite a slump from 134/2 to 163/7, Dougie, Praveen and Vikram (24*) did well in the final overs to get us to a defendable total of 204 (28 wides also helped-the umpires wideing anything missing leg stump).

The solid Breach opened (though dropped 1st ball) with the aggressive (in batting style, not personality) Flannigan, who was dismissed by a Worsnop via a debatable lb decision. Then Fox (with a good record against Cross bowlers) was undone by one that kept low and soon after Yellowlees was adjudged caught behind as Robin found his line and length. 204 now looked a big total, especially after Fleming played on (just!) to Shannon, leaving Watsonians on 34/4.

But Watsonians now had their tricky wicket specialists at the crease: Breach who’d scored runs at Roseburn whilst playing for Cramond and Jaya who’d batted for several season on the Muirhouse ‘wicket’. Jaya was in threatening form and struck Robin for a cracking six before getting unluckily ‘strangled’ down the leg side. Crosby made clear his intentions early as he walloped a slow Bimbo long-hop most of the way towards Andy G’s house. He and Breach threatened to put together a significant partnership until Praveen (making up for an earlier indiscretion) took a superb slip catch (low and well to his left) off cje to dismiss the Watsonians' skipper.

Crosby’s fine striking and some sloppy fielding (sorry Dougie!), and ‘rusty’ bowling (Bimbo!-figures not for public consumption) kept Watsonians in the game but we kept chipping away with steady bowling (cje confirming his reputation as one of the most ‘boring’ bowlers in the league, just missing out on his 1st ever 5-for). With Crosby at the crease, Watsonians still had a chance (they certainly had enough overs to get the runs) before Shannon (returning from the bottom end) got one through Crosby’s defence to end the game. Certainly not a flawless performance (plus we got a larger share of fortune than our opposition) but an important opening win against a good Watsonians side.

Cross fall short after Raja assault

For the umpteenth time our attempt to win the Edinburgh Parks Trophy was ended by Edinburgh CC. A superb 100+ from Raja Javed led Edinburgh to 168-5 against a weakened HX bowling 'attack' (Skipper Smith turned his arm over, taking three wickets - but, like most of us, conceding plenty boundaries) -Bonfield, Russell and Andy G the only bowlers to avoid serious tap.

Excellent knocks from Keith F (70+) and Calum (40 +) had Edinburgh rattled before Keith finally fell to a catch by MOM Javed near the square leg boundary. We finished on 156-8.

Because of tonight's match, attendance at nets on Wednesday may be smaller than it has been. Can anyone free in the evening make every effort to attend (even if for just part of the evening) -we don't want to lose the momentum we had in the early weeks of the season.