Saturday 3rd June was meant to be the biggest fixture in the 1st XI calendar, hosting Newport Fugitives @ The Welfare… unfortunately we didn’t show up.. quite literally!

With 5 1st XI players missing from the team the week before, John’s headaches had already started on Wednesday!

With a depleted team, we all met at The Welfare at 11:30, ground was set up and warm ups commenced.. the skipper spent the next hour being “paly” with the opposition, he may as well wore a Fugies shirt he spent that much time with them before the game!

John lost the toss as per usual & fugies elected to make use of the rock hard wicket - unfortunately for us we knew how bad the 2nd innings wicket would be, made even worse with 4 spinners in the opposition side.

Jaik Ramji (1-21 off 9 overs) started off up the hill and as per usual put massive pressure onto the openers Jones & Tovey. John Berry (2-23) bowled a nut to Tovey who drove aggressively nicking behind to Kieran.

Jaik then picked up the poles of Jones junior, who ran down the wicket trying to hit Jaik off his length!

In came Didcott (40) & Millichip (67) the key partnership (75) in the game. Gareth Tyler and Sherry Kurian struggled to find a line & length to bowl against the pair.

Didn’t help that Holdaway dropped a cut shot of Didcott in the covers & then decided to throw the ball for 5 over throws to further embarrass himself! (What a Wally!)

The pair continue to pile runs on, and the score look like it was heading to 260+, especially with the big hitter Millichip still at the crease

Holdaway (4-32) was then thrown the ball to have a go, after his 8 overs he took Didcott’s wicket first ball, and then got both Jones LBW & Maden LBW with a quicker ball. Alec also got the wicket of Chorley to get through the tail.

Tommy, doing Tommy things caught the last wicket jumping full length, with his left mit.

Fugies finished on 223 AO.

All the boys were very positive about the run chase, but in the back of everyone’s minds, we had seen how tough the wicket looked to bat on first innings & then having to peer out the changing rooms looking down at Fugies 4 spinners warming up.

Onto the Sahara Desert we went.

Audi TT opened the batting (Trinder & Tutton) and unlike a TT the space between Tommy’s bat and pad was very roomy, being adjudged LBW early on. Jiffin was sent into to bat due to having to leave at 6pm.

Jiffin (31) was frustrating the left arm spin of Didcott, constantly just hitting over the infield.

Holdaway entered the crease, after Trinder’s Audi partner Tutton being bowled with a ball that stayed low, in all fairness should of got forward to it.

Holdaway (17) was a short stay after nicking one behind against Didcott. The Rogey collapse then started losing 4 wickets for 32 runs.

Anser (20) & Ramji (19 not out) batted sensibly securing us an extra 2 batting points. Fahad Anser showing his maturity over the last 3 weeks & playing the match situation, and ensuring batting points were secured.

Former captain and player Andy Harris popped down the grounds and was very impressed with Fahad’s batting stating “he’s the best youngster he’s seen for a while”.

Eventually we were all out for 153 AO.

Unfortunately for 2 weeks in a row, the wicket was nearly unplayable & almost impossible to score at a quick rate in the 2nd innings. With the opposition and the umpire agreeing “It’s way too dry”, accompanied with poor availability seen us lose by 70 runs.

We go onto Vale next week.. let’s hope the availability is good once again!