Joe was dropped from this match to give someone else a shout, so the only son playing was the older son Ben. After a disasterous swimming gala the night before where all his other team mates (3 of them) all got medals and Ben came last in his race we needed for him to do well in this match otherwise he'd have been devastated.
The game got off to a steady start with our bowlers (I've changed alleigencies here - when I say 'Our' I'm assuming a stance of being B&PCC) started well keeping things nice and tight and not bowling a shed load of wides and no-balls as they have done in some of the other games. "killer" (Connor Barnes) took the first wicket in the second over only bowling 1 wide and 1 no-ball through his 3 over spell. The rest of the bowlers didn't make anymore inroads on the wickets front but bowled quite tight and giving away very little in the way of runs and extras. 'Frank' being the best of the bunch with measley 2 runs and one no-ball off his 2 over spell. Then came the moment of truth - Ben's spell. Ben's 4th ball clean bowled C.King and in the 2nd over he cleaned out M.Patel in the same manner.
Killer (Connor Barnes) went for 11 runs off 3 overs with 2 wickets (One was a run out)Ben went for 5 off 2 overs with 2 wickets (Clean bowled).All in all the B&PCC doing very well and in a bouyant mood as they went out to bat.
The batting was pretty good too despite some pretty good bowling from the Rayleigh boys. Our only loss leading up to Ben's innings was through a run out in the first over. Then came Ben's innings and he was sent out alongside Killer which was good as it meant that Killer with his experience would help Ben out with communicating whether to run or not. Ben blocked a few and then hit one and got a run. In his second over a couple slipped by the stumps and then one went down the Leg side and Ben got his bat on it and got a 2nd run. Meanwhile at the other end Killer was doing well and combined they managed to not be dismissed and batted their way to the best partnership of 11, Killer scoring 9 and Ben 2. Ben was more than happy at getting two as normally he'd expect to be in minus figures due to being bowled out. Two represents his personal best so along with his 2 wickets he was well chuffed.
At this point we were all looking at the scores and thinking this is on for a very tight finish with a chance if no wickets are taken that we may even win here? Then on came Mahir Patel their secret weapon. The short run up position was an indication of what was to come. He stood there patiently and quietly with no histrionics while the batsmen took their places and the fielder theirs. The ball was thrown to him and he flicked it in an arc from one hand to the other and then started his spell of Spin. Finlay and Anthony Ayres were his victims and at the end of his 2 overs he'd taken 3 wickets with Finlay getting bowled twice but the kid Patel turned the ball the proverbial country mile and did so with real finesse and style fligthing the ball with skill and accuracy that most adults would have had a problem dealing with. It was an amazing display of Leg Break bowling from a kid so young.
Needless to say from a position of looking on track to win M. Patel with his spin wizardry changed the outcome of the game. If you want to win you need some Spin! Hopefully Joe will play in the next match against Grays & Chadwell (My team) and he'll get wickets as he tosses the ball up with some spin and varies his speed and length. They can't wait to play my team and beat them and all the rest of the team realising that I play for G&CCC are all gagging to do the same.
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