CAPTAIN CF'S SEASON BLOG

[braveneutral]

Ha. This report is very reminiscent of a Durham or Northants scorecard with the lower order picking up the slack. Application is exactly what you need. If you are comfortable in your ability to chase down 240 as a side then you should make sure that your batsmen are aligned to that message and work at it when there is a big target and don't just have a flail.

[alfie]

Ouch. Bad start to the season.

As a captain , when this happened I consoled myself with the thought that things could only improve

More seriously , one question : was it a very small ground ? The key to this loss appears to have been the opposition racing away at six per over from the off...hard to come back from that fast 150/2 . I would think 240 is always a pretty good score in the first game of a season so the collapse in response is not all that surprising.
Wouldn't worry too much yet anyway ...after round two you'll have a better idea of what needs addressing...good luck.

[andy]

MATCH 2:

[b]WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!! IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THIS SEASON I HAVENT SEEN US PLAY THIS BAD EVER[/b


RESULT: 8 WICKET DEFEAT

TEAM: Kept it un-changed i thought we couldnt play this bad again, and somehow we did!

1.G.Hope
2.I.Barstable
3.T.Hunt
4.N.Maynard (wk)
5.G.Jackson
6.C.Easter
7.R.Mendis (overseas)
8.CAPTAIN CF (C)
9.J.Long
10.P.Terry
11.H.Connor

TOSS: I lost the toss and the oppo skipper put is into bat

Our top scorer was Maynard with 41, Easter made 39 and Barstable made 22, no one else got into double figures as we struggled to 178-8 from 50 overs on a pitch that wasnt a bad one to bat on...We didnt get off to a good start losing a wicket in the first over and we never really recovered and were always struggling. Overseas mendis only made 3, and i only made 3 as well....

Fielding: They smashed their way to the total only taking 30 overs to chase it down. They got off to a flyer putting on 130 for the first wicket and from there, there was no coming back.. I bowled 6 overs upfront going for 35 and going at nearly 6 an over, which was poor. Pick of the bowlers was Mendis who took 2-59 from his 10 overs, i used a part time spinner who only went for 22 from 7 overs, but all the seamers struggled..

after 2 games we look a shadow of last season's side.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Were you promoted last year cf?

[Arthur Crabtree]

It's about time Mendis scored some runs. Maybe doesn't like English wickets in May.

[andy]

AC we were only a couple of points off promotion, we missed out on the final game of the season

[Arthur Crabtree]

I thought that might be the reason for the early season struggles.

[Alviro Patterson]

AC got high hopes of Ajantha, problem is he's batting too low down the order to put on serious scores.

Don't worry CF, my philosophy in long sports is not how you start is how you finish. It's better to stage a recovery after a slow start and finish strongly, that way momentum is on your side and players will be galvanised in their pursuit for victory.

[SaintPowelly]

Don't worry CF, my philosophy in long sports is not how you start is how you finish. It's better to stage a recovery after a slow start and finish strongly, that way momentum is on your side and players will be galvanised in their pursuit for victory.

Tell that to Wigan

[Alviro Patterson]

Don't worry CF, my philosophy in long sports is not how you start is how you finish. It's better to stage a recovery after a slow start and finish strongly, that way momentum is on your side and players will be galvanised in their pursuit for victory.

Tell that to Wigan

Football doesn't apply to this theory, it's a short game against the clock whilst cricket is a long game against the score.

[braveneutral]

Yes, I would like to see Ajantha up the order too. At least it can only get better!

[andy]

MATCH 3:

1.G.Hope
2.I.Barstable
3.T.Hunt
4.N.Maynard (wk)
5.G.Jackson
6.C.Easter
7.R.Mendis (overseas)
8.CAPTAIN CF (C)
9.J.Long
10.P.Terry
11.H.Connor

What on earth is happening...this is an awful start to the season and is worrying

toss: Won the toss and chose to bowl, on a green damp wicket, with overcast skies...

BOWLED THEM OUT FOR 149

Fantastic bowling performance from the boys to reduce oppo to 149 AO..it was a damp wicket but it wasnt a 149 AO pitch. I took the new ball with Long. Long got the first wicket in the 2nd over of the game, fantastic ball which hit top of off stump. After 30 overs we had them 6 down for 80. We were on fire, ball was doing all sorts, i kept attacking fields in the whole time as wickets were going to do the job on this wicket. We bowled them out for 149 with 23 balls remianing in the innings. I finished with 3-8 from 8 overs.

Batting: SKITTLED FOR 68

Was an awful effort from start to finish with the bat, and one that i simply cant explain and am still angry and shocked to the core about

J.Long our number 9 top scored with 23

[Durhamfootman]

you'll get there eventually.

[andy]

MATCH 3:

AT THE THIRD ATTEMPT WE WON!!!!

RESULT: WON BY ONE RUN

1.G.Hope
2.I.Barstable
3.T.Hunt
4.N.Maynard (wk)
5.G.Jackson
6.C.Easter
7.R.Mendis (overseas)
8.CAPTAIN CF (C)
9.J.Long
10.P.Terry
11.H.Connor

same side

TOSS: I lost the toss and we were put into bat on what looked like a glued surface.

BATTING: It was a weak batting effort and we were skittled for 130. Mendis the overseas top scored with 40. We lost our first wicket in the 2nd over with Barstble nicking behind first ball. G.Hope made a breezy 31, but we were always losing wickets throughout. I only made 1 before chipping to square leg, a half volley on leg stump and somehow went to square leg in the air. J.Long made a quick 17 but we struggled to 130 AO

BOWLING: When we came out to field the sun had baked the pitch, and it was starting to crack. As we went through the innings it took turn. J.Long and Connor took the new ball. I wasnt fit to bowl, i injured my side in the warm up during the interval and was purely fielding and captaining. Long bowled 5 overs upfront for 15, but wasnt looking overly threaning until i dropped a catch at mid off. A diving effort which i really should have held onto went straight through my hands. Connor from the other end got 3 LBW dismalls and bowled his 10 overs all upfront showing fantastic consistency and bowling really well, finishing with figures of 10-3-3-26. Mendis was then introduced. He bowled tightly but rather dissapointingly only took one wicket. He bowled 10-6-1-37. My Other spinner Terry was the standout bowler, he was exceptional. 9.2-3-4-27, and he also took the final wicket. cue the dramatic scenes at the end!

FINALLY!!! HOPEFULLY THIS KICKSTARTS OUR SEASON!

[meninblue]

Finally, the win.

I see very low scores there in all matches for 50 overs. Offcourse the conditions are bowler friendly there.