Arbominable - 2s Lose

The last time we played South 2nds it was the first game of the 2012 season. On a grey, blustery, dank April day the two sides managed a collective 119 for 18 in 56 overs on a classic sticky dog and we squeaked home by two wickets largely thanks to an excellent 23 not out from Robin.

Surely it would all be very different just over a year on? Certainly the weather was a great improvement and the pitch so straw-coloured and hard that Gus McLean was positively purring about the state of our "surfaces" before the game.

We lost the toss and were inserted and for a while at least it went quite well as Brian and Irfan obeyed the first rule of any game against any side containing Gus - "See him off" (he'd had us 0 for 3 the year before) - and we reached 30-odd for 1. But we hadn't reckoned on Tiwari who bowled an excellent full length with some late swing to rip the heart out of the innings. Two or three of us, myself included, will need to reflect on rash shots, but Tiwari's figures (9-2-22-6) didn't flatter him much and he was ably supported by Kenning (4-3-8-2). 75 all out.

After a generous tea (for which South seemed strangely reluctant to join us inside), the second half was at least better than the first and we made the opposition wait 33 overs for victory. Vikram was at his frustrating/frustrated best (9-5-9-0), bowling brilliantly but unable to get a wicket. Smudge led from the front, taking five South wickets for the second year running and at 40-4 we thought we had a sniff.

But an attacking cameo from Welsh (20), a stolid innings from Rupani who carried his bat for 19 and a clumping 28 from Johnson (who didn't bother with a box until Vik came back on) saw South home, with 6 down.

Grey, blustery Arbo, April 2012: 119 for 18 in 56 overs and Robin bats HX to victory. Bright, sunny Arbo 2013: 153 for 16 in 62 overs and Robin bats HX to victory. Unfortunately this time the Worsnop heroics were at Leith Academy as the 1sts edged out MUFS.

Thanks to South for a game played in excellent spirits throughout. We look forward to the return.