After a rather dispiriting beginning to the season at Cookhill last week, where the highlights in a 9 wicket defeat were Ian Garrett making 40 and having tea provided, and the low points were two players ending up in A&E at the end of the match (literally). We wish James White and Hannah Murray a speedy recovery. Thankfully, this week was more competitive on the pitch and less dramatic off it.
The usual struggle to get 11 players on to the pitch for the 3rds was solved by Abi Crampton bringing most of Coventry University with her, including three who turned out, and all performed well. Abi too had a very good all round game, and got us off to a good start in our innings with 21*, before having to leave to go to work! Ways were excellent in the field overall, with some great ground fielding and a particularly good performance behind the stumps from Kiyan Jayhanie, with a catch and a stumping (and an even better catch, which unfortunately was from a free hit!). All the bowlers bowled well, and although several of their batters got good starts, with four of them getting at least into the 20s, but they never got away, and no bowler of the six used provided an obvious weak link to be attacked. Brian Varley took 2-33 in his eight overs, Sam Pryde was possibly the pick of the attack with 1-26 including the important wicket of Sidaway for 30, slicing a forcing short into the covers where the catch was neatly judged by Harvey Field. Charlie Killeen was the other wicket taker, although John Harrison (these last three being our Coventry contingent) was unlucky not to pick up a wicket in his eight overs, being at one point denied by a slightly debateable no ball call. Overall, holding Oldswinford to 173 was by no means a bad performance.
And Ways performed with grit and determination with the bat too. As mentioned above, Abi got us off to a bright start, benefitting from a couple of chances, and having reached double figures, Charlie was unfortunate to pick out substitute fielder Dave Bowley at a deep mid off, whose commendable honesty outweighed his loyalty to his actual team! After Abi’s departure, there was a good partnership between Ian Garrett (five boundaries in 33, including three in front of square on the offside for once), and Andrew Stewart, and at drinks, with the score effectively 85-3, a famous victory looked not out of the question. Unfortunately in the over after drinks, both Andrew then Ian fell to Oldswinford captain and left arm spinner Wall, and winning was now beyond us. Even so, the lower order fought on, Kiyan playing some big shots before unsuccessfully trying to reverse sweep a straight ball, and a determined partnership between Sam Pryde (whose off drive off Willets was possibly the shot of the innings) and Brian Varley shepherded us past 120 and the third batting point. After Sam was out, Kerry Simons was the unlucky victim of a run out in the final over to bring the innings to a close. One significant statistic – last week against Cookhill, there was six ducks, and yesterday, albeit against a less fearsome attack, no one dismissed by a bowler for a duck. It was a thoroughly enjoyable game of cricket, in perfect weather, and on that basis, we should be winning before long.

Report by Ian Garrett