Great win on Sunday for the mighty 8.
Here is the match report:
***MATCH REPORT*** TCC vs Nutley
22nd May 2022
A lack of early availability had left this fixture looking very much in doubt, but having cobbled together most of a team and hearing that Nutley were likely to be similarly short, a 9 v 9 reduced overs game was agreed. It was just as well, because Sunday's weather was idyllic for a game of village cricket – cloudless skies, warm, and with a hint of a breeze. Not bad for May!
Gaz had been forced to withdraw before the game, leaving a team of 8, albeit one which looked reasonable on paper.
Nutley had managed to locate a 10th man (for the first half only), and upon winning the toss, opted to make the most of their two man advantage by asking Tatsfield to bat first.
Stand-in skipper Precious hastily put a batting lineup together, asking Wino and Toes to go out first with instructions to ensure that Tatsfield at least batted the majority of our 30 overs.
Both batsmen started circumspectly against some accurate opening bowling, before Toes (0) got one that cut back in and rearranged his furniture.
Wino meanwhile survived two early chances, being put down at cover and mid off in the space of 3 balls, and Tom, batting at 3, was likewise fortunate to see a slower ball chipped back at the bowler fail to nestle in the hands and instead bend back a fingernail, causing a premature end to opening bowler’s spell.
Wino (45) and Tom set about building a platform, putting away bad balls whilst keeping the straight ones out, to punish Nutley for their early reprieves.
Wino was eventually bowled attempting a back foot cut to the spinner who finally got one to jag back in, and new man Christian (0) fell to a very similar shot just two balls later.
At 95 – 3 after 22 overs a base had been set, but a strong finish to the innings was still required to post a competitive total.
Tom started to strike out with more fluency and quickly reached his half century before being bowled for an excellent 53 leaving the score at 117-4 in the 25th.
Damien (11*) hit some crisp straight shots early in his innings, then passed the baton to Precious who, after a slow start, exploded into life in the last two overs with the only two sixes of the game, a smattering of 4s and a number of twos which definitely became more reluctant as the innings drew to a close!
Taking a mammoth 22 runs from the final over, Precious finished unbeaten on 39, and Tatsfield had been propelled to an intimidating 170-4 from our allotted 30 overs.
The first post-covid teas were warmly welcomed, and the 8 men of Tatsfield took to the field with a spring in their step knowing that the game was there for the winning.
In the first two games of the season, Tatsfield had perhaps been guilty of being a little profligate with the ball and wasteful of chances - big innings by Gaz in particular had not been enough to overcome the deficits – so it was imperative that Tatsfield started brightly.
Smallsy opened the bowling and was immediately threatening, causing one to jag back sharply and castle the middle stump of the opener. It should have been two in two as well, the number three poking at a jaffa first up, getting a healthy edge through which was well held down low by Toes with his new shiny gloves. However, inexplicably the umpire had some doubts, and the batsman decided not to walk, giving himself an undeserved life on nought.
Showpony (5-1-22-3) bowled fantastically from the other end, uprooting the stump of the number two, before trapping the Nutley number 4 plumb LBW and then knocking over the number 5 with the very next delivery with an unplayable jaffa that no batsman ever wants to receive first ball.
Wino (5-1-26-0) bowled fairly economically without reward, while Damien (4-0-21-1) capped a threatening spell with a fantastic delivery which came back through the gate and pegged back the leg stump of the number 6 who had provided stubborn resistance for Nutley.
Christian (3-0-24-1) was rewarded with the wicket (the first of what will undoubtedly be many for Tatsfield) of the very fortunate number 3, who had poked his way to 36 after his inexplicable early reprieve, Tom taking a good catch at square leg from a ball which ballooned up from a top edged pull.
Smallsy (6-2-16-1) returned to conclude his spell – having bowled brilliantly throughout he was unlucky not to have more wickets to his name by the end.
It was left to the skipper for the day, Precious, to wrap up the innings, first getting one through the defences of the Nutley number 7 to clean bowl him, before putting down the only catch that Tatsfield missed in the field all day when the dangerous number 8 popped a return ball to him that he couldn’t quite cling onto. Finally however, he induced a rash shot from the number 8 to a legside delivery, which deflected back off the pads onto leg stump to end his belligerent innings on 47, and to leave Nutley short on 145 all out, with two overs and 5 balls of their innings remaining.
Credit must be given to the efforts of every Tatsfield player, who gave maximum effort throughout the game and contributed to an all round performance which was enough to overcome the deficit in personnel.
A well-deserved beer was enjoyed by the team at the Pilgrim brewery in Reigate; the perfect way to cap off a really excellent afternoon.
Well done chaps (perhaps this week we can try for a full team?!)
Wino.