BHCC v Mendip Nomads - 24th May 2012 - Match Report

At the third time of asking, with the sun shining and the ground looking fantastic, the BHCC season got under way with a new fixture against the Mendip Nomads - a team made up of various disbanded local teams and put together by Babington's Steven Priscott and friend of the club Simon Hubner. The mind games got under way from the start with Priscott requesting an "old school" declaration match and putting Babington into bat after winning the toss. The innings got off to the worst start possible with Mark Meadows being given out LBW off the first ball from Dunkerley - a brave decision from the umpire with ball moving around and striking the front pad - made worse by the fact there were 12 people in the field and so should have resulted in a no ball and the batsmen being re-called. Chester Ellis followed, also bowled by Dunkerley, in the 3rd over and then Matthews and De Glanville steadied the ship taking the score to 63 before Mathews (15) was bowled by Priscott who was mixing it up with various slower balls and off cutters. This wicket brought Sinfield to the crease who looked like he had never been away hitting the ball hard and true to various parts of the ground. The score now accelerated to 145 when De Glanville (25) was beautifully bowled by Nick Gracey. David Sheridan now came to the crease and steadied the ship supporting Sinfield to reach 59 before he holed out to a fielder on the boundary - the innings had a ton written all over it before that shot but a great innings none the less. Matt Ellis joined Sheridan who eventually went for 34 followed by Ellis who also scored a solid 34. Tollworthy (15 not out) and Midgely (11 not out) saw off the last overs before tea both hitting big sixes. After much niggling from Priscott about when we were going to declare Matt Ellis did declare at tea but it was noted that the Nomads had only managed to bowl 34 overs in the 2.5 hours play for BHCC to reach a good total of 238 runs. After a great tea on the lawn in front of the house the Nomad's got their innings under way just after 5pm but not before Weale and Sinfield had been "warned" by the umpire after the General complained there was too much chat - we were only discussing the quality of the tea! Tollworthy opened the bowling steaming down the hill in his usual fashion and the theme of the field settings was quickly established as he found the edge of the opening pairs bats time after time. At one point we had 7 people marshaling the slip cordon/3rd man area. With the majority of runs coming from the edge of bat and with a quick outfield the Nomads reached 30 runs in pretty quick time before Peter Catrinella was rewarded with 2 wickets after consitently bowling a good line and length up the hill. Tolloworthy toiled away at the other end but was not rewarded for some really good quick bowling. Catrinella and Meadows were involved in a Run Out (great gather by Catrinella) before Chester Ellis (after being coaxed on to bowl by his father) took a wicket. Weale then picked up 3 wickets (after the Captain had stuck with him after a couple of loose overs) getting the ball to swing around a bit and including the wicket of Priscott plumb LBW - he is probably still moaning now!. Meadows then came on for a bowl to make up for his short innings picking up a wicket and Matthews could have had the game wrapped up had Weale not done his usual and dropped a high one out on the boundry - very predictable! Hubner batted strongly at the end for a good 36 before Catrinella brought the innings to an end with a another couple of wickets and 7 overs to spare. A good start to the season with the Captain getting everyone involved in the game, on a beautiful day and on a much improved pitch. Men of the Match - Sinfield for his near perfect 59 and Catrinella for his figures of 7.5 - 1 - 29 - 4 Champagne Moment - Priscotts face when given LBW !