Last Sunday the YGs faced off against Queen Ethelburga's School, just the second time the two teams have faced off. The YGs won the toss on a boiling hot day, reaching nearly 30° at times and captain Alex Bindloss chose to bat.
Rich Exley opened the batting but got a brute of a ball second up, it lifted sharply from a length and clipped the gloves to give a regulation catch to the schools keeper and captain O.Chamberlane, the other opener Geoff Barker was joined by James VDM and the no.3 didn't struggle to find the boundary, the outfield was very fast and the school opted for 3 slips and a gully for most of the first 20 overs.
Geoff was also a victim to the large amount of lift QEs bowler L.Wilson found and took a hit to the hand that sadly forced him to leave the field of play. Craig Chafer joined VDM in what was a crucial partnership for the gents. Sadly it was broken with the score on 60, VDM (44) was caught playing with a positive mindset. Ed Bindloss supported Chafer as a useful 31 was put on but the gents needed to keep building. Mike Chatham looked in fine form as he attacked the spinners the school had brought on and both batsmen looked very settled until the last over before lunch, when Chafer (35) went for a shot too many leaving the gents effectively 133-5.
The school had quick success straight after lunch as Harry Paver was removed for a duck. This brought captain Alex Bindloss to the crease and he dug in a bit to try and help his side post a respectable total. The pair steadily kept the score ticking and brought up the 200 for the gents. But then both Chatham (51) and Bindloss (35) were removed in the same over and only a couple more runs were added before the declaration came, the score 208-8 Dec. That left 45 mins for the gents to have a go with the ball before tea.
In Jordan Richardson's first over he took a nasty blow from the schools opening batsman after a drive was rifled back at him in his follow through. He was able to continue despite a rather numb arm. He had his revenge in his second over as he made a breakthrough for the gents. However that was the only wicket the gents managed as the school got off to a solid start reaching the break at 37-1. By this point after Chatham's innings in the heat he had to leave the field suffering from some dehydration, and earlier umpire Mike had to also leave for similar reasons. The gents took a further hit as G. Barker, still nursing his finger injury, was unable to take the field after tea leaving the gents with only 9 fielders and a tough session ahead.
Soon after lunch James VDM and Daz Lovett were introduced to the attack. James started with some seam bowling and bowled a good line forcing some miss judgements from the batsman and was eventually rewarded as he removed the other opener. This brought Wilson and Chamberland together and they began what looked to be a match winning partnership. The pair managed to keep finding the boundary seemingly just when they needed to and at 5.30 when the last 20 overs were to be bowled the school only needed 91 runs still with 8 wickets in hand.
Lovett had been bowling tidily and in his 8th over was finally rewarded as he broke the partnership, removing Wilson for a very impressive 65. The gents sensed a chance back into the game and both opening bowlers returned, there required runrate was still very low so wickets were the only way back into the game and they got them, Bindloss removed the no.5 and 6 with almost identical caught and bowled dismissals and Jordan picked up his second as well. Chamberlane (57) was still going but was running out of partners and started to feel the pressure. At this stage he was turning down singles to keep the strike but that only put more pressure on himself as a couple overs went past only conceding a run and suddenly they needed almost a run a ball.
Richdson had toiled away for 14 overs in the heat and his great control rewarded him with the big wicket of Chamberlane. He was looking to clear the ropes but ended up getting clean bowled in the process. This left the Gents needing two wickets in 3 overs but the school were also within touching distance requiring just 12 runs for victory. A couple of edges to third man and paired with a very nice straight drive and the school edged closer. Richardson had his fourth as a wide ball was scuffed to point and this meant the game went into the final over with the school requiring 5 runs win, the Gents 1 wicket to win.
Bindloss to bowl it. The first ball was a wide full toss that was smacked through the covers, some fielders feared that it was going for 4 but it held just inside the boundary. A couple of dots followed until L.Wilson went for glory but couldn't clear the safe hands of Rich Exley at mid off and the Gents were triumphant winning the nail biting game by 3 runs, taking 8 wickets In the final 20 doesn't happen very often a remarkable turnaround especially considering the missing fielders. Well played Queen Ethelburgas we look forward to next year.
