Fulmer (A) – 13.8.11

Fulmer 244-3
Tranter 1-12, Jagesh 1-46

RUASCC 140-8
Dip 67, Zia 25

RUASCC lost by 104 runs

Back to Berkshire and back to reality for RUASCC this week as we faced Fulmer in a new fixture and got well and truly humped in a limited-overs game at a picturesque ground just north of Slough. The day was overcast but warm and when Tranter lost the toss we were, as usual, asked to field first.

It looked bad from the outset. 25 runs came from the first two overs and although Jagesh and Withers were eventually able to bring the run rate down to below 12 the Fulmer openers scored heavily, punishing all of the loose balls and several of the tight ones too. Neither looked in any trouble at all until Ali tried to reverse sweep Pensioner Ken’s third ball and was hopelessly bowled for 43 – one wicket given away, but Fulmer had almost 200 on the board before they lost another.

Zia found a couple of edges that went into gaps in the field, including one that went very high and landed next to wicketkeeper Dip who’d lost sight of it, and Tranter dropped a slip catch via his face. The frustration continued as Dr Ashman served up a full toss that was lofted straight to Ken Stewart at deep backward square leg but the old man watched in despair as the ball wriggled free and hit the turf. Some expert shot placement brought fifties for both batsmen before Jagesh returned to remove Shyma for 53, well caught by Dr Ashman at mid off.

Field accelerated and hit 20 off one over from Stewart on his way to becoming the fifth opposition player to score a century against RUASCC this year. The onslaught continued but with the field spread we did at least manage to contain the boundaries in the final stages. Then in the 40th over Tranter picked up the third wicket as the Fulmer innings ended on 244-3.

RUASCC need 245 runs to win

RUASCC made a dreadful start when Carpenter was bowled first ball and two overs later Eagle was caught in the gully for 5 as what had appeared to be the perfect batting track when we were bowling suddenly became riddled with demons as balls spun, swung and seamed all over the place.

Dip and Zia played positively and got the scoreboard ticking along but Tamoor soon took his third wicket: Zia bowled for 25. Dersh joined his brother but after carefully playing himself in he chipped the ball up to mid off and was easily caught. With nearly 200 still needed for the win and a very long tail to follow the outcome of the match already had a depressing air of inevitability about it and there was little but pride to play for.

Rahul played a couple of lovely shots before he was bowled and Skipper Tranter was run out by a direct hit when going for a risky single, but Dip continued to accumulate and he reached an excellent fifty with another swipe to leg. Then just as we were willing him to push on and get a ton he made an injudicious dash down the wicket to the leg spinner and was stumped by some distance. A fine innings from RUASCC’s Little Master.

Jagesh had just managed to reach double figures when he became the eighth wicket to fall on 120 so it was down to Withers and Pensioner Ken to find 125 runs in the seven overs remaining. With nothing to lose Withers dusted off a couple of attacking shots and almost finished Ken off with an all-run four thanks to an overthrow. Stewart had gone a curious shade of grey by the time he saw out a final maiden over as RUASCC finished on 140-8 to lose by a great many runs. Withers survived a huge appeal in the penultimate over to end on 17 not out, more than doubling his season’s tally.

Our embarrassment was complete when the home captain admitted in the bar afterwards that he had refrained from using their best bowler, a very diplomatic way of telling us that he knew perfectly well exactly how shit we are. I wonder if England have considered pulling Jimmy Anderson out of the attack to give India a chance next time.

RUASCC Highlight: Pensioner Ken completing an all-run four. Meaningless in the context of the game, but it did at least shut him up for a few minutes.

RUASCC Man of the Match: It can only be Dip for his first decent knock of the season.

RUASCC Team: Eagle, Carpenter, Dip (wkt), Zia, Dersh, Rahul, Jagesh, Tranter (capt), Withers, Stewart, Ashman