Watch the Windows!

User Rating:  / 1

Rain, rain and more rain and this weeks tie against Hampsthwaite was looking doubtful with more rain forecast later in the afternoon and Angry was worried he'd not get a game for four weeks now his trip to Frogland was looming on the horizon.

Two o'clock came and went and still no play, a two thirty pitch inspection was agreed and Sherman was hoping for an early entrance to the Joiners Arms. The sun tried to break through and with a slight breeze at two thirty it was agreed the game would commence at three o'clock with thirty five overs per side being the order of the day. Angry winning the toss and decided that Blubbs would have a bat on a wicket that could, and probably would do anything and Sherman shook his head.

Bubba and Angry opened up the innings knowing a one eighty plus score was needed with the short boundary on the far side of the field, Bubba set off like a train, hammering anything loose to the boundary as the score raced towards the fifty mark. The Hampsthwaite home owners cowered in the corner as ball after ball went into the gardens one narrowly missing the gnome fishing in the pond. Mr Grimble at number seven retrieved the ball from under the wooden toadstool and refused to return it to the Hampsthwaite players, a promise of a packet of sunflower seeds and a bag of compost eventually persuaded him to return the ball and play continued.

Forty five on the board, forty to Bubba, and the hosts finally got their man and the windows breathed a sigh of relief when Mr Sulk edged one straight to the keeper and Winton was making his way out to the middle at three.

Winton continued where Bubba left off as the score continued to climb at a brisk rate, eighty nine on the board and Angry "The Wall Dravid" was back in the hut for twelve and Blubbs were two down.

Bertie was next at the crease and the Blubbs three and four turned on the gas as the score raced past one hundred with still plenty of overs left to play, Winton passed fifty and the score passed one fifty and three hundred wasn't an out of the question total as the hosts struggled to find line or length. A brief exit from the field for rain and the game was now down to thirty three overs and Blubbs needed to accelerate. A Bertie top edge narrowly missed the greenhouse as the umpire raised his arms for six but nine short of fifty and Bertie was next to depart the crease, failing to clear long-on and Angry summoned Whacker "The Six Machine" to bat at five as the windows started to tremble once again.

Winton and Whacker continued to build the score but Mr Six was struggling to get bat on ball this week only managing two sixes, one ball remaining in the innings and Winton on ninety nine, a signal from the changing room and Winton steered a single through the leg side to claim an unbeaten century and Hampsthwaite were looking at two twenty eight for victory after the humble tea.

Winton and Whacker opened up the attack and the hosts made a steady start, twelve on the board and Whacker dismantled the stumps when Amsterdam missed a straight one and the Hampsthwaite opener was hut bound and putting on his clogs.

The home team pushed the score along to fourty four before Winton struck, bowling a straight one to Barratt and the umpires finger was raised. Taylor (A) came to the crease and took the attack to the bowling team and all of a sudden the Blubbs total didn't seem enough. Sherman and Gobby both ran in but away the ball went, and Angry was getting angry as the run rate started to drop like a stone.

Hoff was thrown the ball and given a go, and it wasn't long before he got the break through, Cottonham skying one to a miserable Gobby at point and Blubbs were back in the game. One run later and McKittrick was back in the hut, edging to Vassey who'd forgotten to apply a coating of teflon to his gloves this week and Hampswaite were ninety eight for four.

Bartlett came out and swished at a few whilst Taylor continued the attack before Hoff took his third wicket, Bartlett looping one to Winton and at one hundred and twenty nine for five, the game was falling away from the hosts.

Winton returned and eventually got the dangerman, Taylor hitting one out to Angry in the deep and at one hundred and fifty for six, the points were within reach for Blubbs. One ball later, the finger was raised again and Winton had his third wicket, Marsden out LBW and the Hampsthwaite batsman would have to settle for a point. The overs ticked away and the home side finished one hundred and seventy nine for seven and Angry's men looked forward to the visit of second in the table Pannal for next weeks fixture.

Points: Hampsthwaite 1, Blubberhouses 5

Fielding Points: Vassey (x2)

Quote of the day: "What's going to happen if that hard cricket ball hits my car?" Errr hello Einstein.

• Next >