A lovely sunny game played out at Colehill vs Colehill with Colehill providing a lovely bbq with some of the cost covered by the Strollers funds.

With Colehill needing to get the bbq going Jordan took his invisible coin to the toss and either won or lost and chose to bat first.

Both teams respected a minutes silence before the game started on the 80th anniversary of D-Day – with 2 of our players involved in the Ferndown ceremonies – a moment of calm before……
……we Stormed to an amazing start.

Our opening partnership had both returned from French France so either the holiday or the Boule practice got them ready to open with 43 off 4 overs before John got a peach of a ball that lifted and just caught the edge to the keeper.

The pair confused the opposition (who likely poisoned their burgers later) with DT hitting everything straight ahead and John keeping the fielders very busy down leg side. (The sub fielder on the off side was busy but nothing went through him as he was too good!!)
As an aside – by their own admissions neither are natural opening batsmen – BUT – look at the stats and when they open together they have a sixth sense and rarely do they fail to deliver or impress.

They started what was an impressive batting display by all whom got to the crease – no duck hat was required – and only Colin was victim to the stunning pace, height and trickery of his namesake bowler Colin of Colehill – doing to him what he does to others with ball in hand!!

Our own ringer / friend / new Stroller / Johns alleged twin brother Dan Murray weighed in with a lovely, although “pedestrian” for him knock ticking over with Footy Dave (who took a penalty run up to a ball and missed thus being stumped) bringing Joff into bat.

Those demons from last years final ball failure at Corfe Mullen on his mind, would disaster strike him again??? Well, disaster did strike but for the bowlers in the form of a speedy 9 ball 28. Some would say it was great captaincy from Jordan, Jordan would argue that Joff “completely wasted 2 dot balls and what the f*** was he doing???”

Mike popped the ball all around with aplomb and he and Dan saw us through to the 20 over mark with 169 for 4 on the board, Adrian also with an accomplished 23 before playing over the top to a good ball.

Sadly the bbq wasn’t ready, so we had to go and field!!!

If you’re bored, all you need to know is we were way too good for them last night and the field placings were brilliant.

They had some good players on display but we just were better and worked hard as a team in the field.

Yes there was the odd mis-field and drop but we’re not pro’s and it happens and in the opinion of this report we could not have worked harder for each other to limit Colehill to 111 / 7.

You’ve got the stats so I’m just going to focus on a couple of things.

We bowled (generally) in the right place. Colehill is a tricky wicket and you can easily be punished for straying off line and the bowling “unit” did a great job! Well done.

So to end, let’s just focus on the last over. Up had stepped Dan Murray to bowl 18 and 20. If you don’t know Dan he is one of the nicest guys you will meet – until he has a cricket ball in his hand!

With Colehill needing 70 ish to win the match in the final 3 he decided to bowl full pace and kill a few off – including a few Strollers!!! Down the hill with fangs showing not much was added to the scoreboard.

Jordan bowled a super over 19 with movement and pace, and Joff then approached Dan and begged, pleaded and offered money for him to slow it down a bit so that at least he had some body parts left to drum at a wedding next weekend.
The kind side of Dan agreed and now with bulging wallet he dropped the pace completely fooling the opposition.

A dot ball, and then a 2 which enraged Dan so dropping to a 3 pace run up a wicket fell, we waited for a new batsman and a caught and bowled ensued, so Dan is on a hattrick!
While waiting for a slightly elderly batsman to wander up the hill Dan is saying “I can’t get a hattrick etc etc” Remember we are being fed and cooked for by their players, so he does the completely un-sporting thing and bowls a straight ball! I mean who does that??? (To be fair it wasn’t at all straight when it left his hand it was way down off side but it hit the seam with spin and that could have done anyone!)
Yep, you guessed it – bye bye bails and he’s only gone and done it!

So, taking off his chefs hat up steps Captain George, king of crowdfunding to continue us being able to play at Colehill with one ball to go!
What is it with last balls in our games and the captains having to come in to bat??
With nearly 60 required it was a tall order for poor George so he did the decent thing and went for the big shot and missed – as did Joff with a shy at the stumps (on purpose of course to save the blushes and possible food poisoning that would have ensued!!)

While this could easily have been disputed POTM went to Joff – for his knock – for the very first time since we started doing it and there is another new name on Snake of the Week. You would think with a hattrick he would have got some plaudits – but you know how this team works! For being the evil bowler he is, taking his catch as bowler and doing everything he could to delay our burgers – this weeks Serpent is Dan Murray – Jack and Frankie you have some competition now!!

Brian gave us a masterclass in umpiring last night – he’s obviously been doing his homework, and we had a Stroller who is moving away next week join us for a lovely last visit. Andy, best of luck to you with your move “Up North”! We’ll miss you and we plead with you to play some cricket up there – and that we’ll see you again soon.

There you go, more of the same next week guys, well done all on a great team performance and the final words go to Jordan –

“F@~#ing Superb Boys”!

We Stroll On!!