| Well
what a difference a week makes. For the whole of last week I went around
with a rye smile on my face after breaking the record wicket partnership
for the Pilgrims thinking" that will take some beating!". Well 7
days later at Bramshaw, Lawrence and Malcolm walked out to the crease to
open the batting at precisely 14:30 pm. Unfortunately for Malc at nearly
14:31 he endured the long walk back to the Pavilion. This brought to the
crease another club stalwart in Paul Rendell who had promoted himself up
the order. After a few overs he came up to me whilst I was umpiring and
said that at the fall of the next wicket could I go and pad up. I
Quickly forgot this comment and for the next 2 hours 29 and a half
minutes watched a partnership of pure class as Lawrence and Paul caressed
the ball to all parts of the ground. Runs were coming quickly of the bat
and at no time did I think that any of the batsmen were in any trouble
despite facing 2 of Bramshaws First team bowlers. After about 30 overs
it was obvious to all the pilgrims players that here was another chance
of two Pilgrims batmen reaching their centuries a feat that I do not
think has been done in Wessex Pilgrims History in consecutive weeks, and
yes I almost forgot that week old record of 241 being broken. Lawrence
reached his ton first and next was the record partnership off 241 ( yes I did have my fingers crossed lads). This was passed at
about 16:30. What happened over the next half hour I hope will go down
in Paul Rendell's Cricketing memories as the most precious ever as he
flicked the ball passed deep long leg to the boundary and this brought
him his maiden century a
well deserved inning's for a man who has done so much for the club. At
17:00 the innings closed with both Lawrence a superb (131no) and Paul an
even better (101 no) still at the crease with a New
Club Partnership off 281.
Well after all that it was Bramshaws knock
at the crease, and by golly they were not hanging around either. T
Rodgers reached his 50 with some awesome hitting and after just 10 overs
were 87-1.Things quietened down for a while before Bramshaw's No 5
B.Arnold came to the crease. He literally bludgeoned us all over the
park with some awesome hitting and in no time brought up his hundred.
Not really noticing the scoreboard I looked up and saw that they only
needed about 32 to win off the last 5 overs. Then only 23 off the last 3
with Mr. Arnold still at the crease. Luckily for the Pilgrims he was
bowled off the first ball of that over and this resulted in the match
being drawn. I must say Well done to Paul Harding for being padded up
for the whole of our innings, dropping a catch and bowling really well
!!!!!!. A big thanks to Malc for unselfishly letting Lawrence and Paul
score as many as they did, well done to the Pilgrims fielders as we only
had nine men, and thanks to Bramshaw for a smashing match. Finally a
huge thanks to Dion who by stepping in at the last minute
stopped the game for being cancelled and my record would have still
stood today. Well done Wessex Pilgrims
Cricket Club. Oh
and I forgot, another tie please Dave !!!
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