Telling Tails — Mixed T20 vs Newbury Rugby Club
Beautiful sunny weather, a cricket pitch and the terraces full? Yes! Sounds like summer in Ramsbury!
Only one thing could make this better and that was our wonderful opposition. Newbury Rugby Club are a vet-team who play social rugby during the winter and twiddle their thumbs a bit in the summer. So what better way to enjoy the evening sun that with a game of cricket at Ramsbury!?
With many of the players inexperienced, it was a great opportunity for us to mix our Screaming Eagles and mens squads together. With a wonderful turn out on Spond, we managed to get as many of the ladies playing as we could to maximise game time for all.
The scoring itself wasn't really important here, the key was time in the middle. We played through the wickets and the runs to ensure we maxed the full 40 overs planned. Nevertheless the game was still pretty close. With the weight firmly on the men, it was Will, Rich and I who disappointed with the bat. All struggling to score anything sizable against the moving softball. We all fell cheaply, leaving Joe who hit 17 and our counterparts in the Screaming Eagles to make up the runs. The softball though can be tricky to score with, it doesn't leave the bat with any great pace and as some of the ladies move into hardball, I'm sure run scoring will naturally become easier with the ball 'pinging' away off the square with more ease. Nevertheless, the ability to defend, chase the wide ball and score quick singles are the real positives throughout the ladies.
In the field, confidence is most definitely getting higher. Putting the body behind the ball, chasing quicker, throwing further and towards the stumps are all vital and positive changes that I've witnessed in a short space of time.
There is no doubt the ladies can bowl. A key fundamental to the game is that line and length and we've got that in abundance at Ramsbury. Millie picked up her first wicket in the opening over, a dream start in the defence of our 102 off 20 overs. Vics followed up with a tight over before Joe slung down some pace to vary things up for the opposition. If a club captain needed to show anyone how it's done, then a wicket in your first over is surely the best way to do it? No! A wicket on your first ball! Step up Pol, who opened with a beauty to take the bails off and send another batter back to the pavillion. And whilst the pressure was on our other club captain to equal Pol, Vicki may not have taken a wicket, but did grab a maiden first over, with some incredible, straight and very accurate bowling! Believe me, thats difficult to do against any team!
Tory who was mixing in the gloves with Hollie, also opened her wicket account with a lovely catch from Rich in the direct sunlight. And Rich arrived at the crease and followed up with a wicket of his own. By this point we were well and truly in defence and things were in the balance at the half-way stages.
Newbury then brought out their most 'recognised' batters who combined to take 30 runs and take the game away from us, but not without some resistance from the full bowling attack. Despite more boundaries coming, we held strong in the field and with the ball, slowing down the oppo's progress were we could. It took the visitors 17 overs to surpass our total, on another day, that could go down to the final over and is cause for real hope of beating this team when we undoubtably face them again.
Pol worked hard in her final two overs, grabbing a caught-bowled and finishing on great figures of 2-12 off 3. And despite wearing the gloves and working extra hard behind the stumps, Hollie also grabbed two wickets with ball in hand (with 2 wickets for 11 runs off 2 overs). Newbury finished on 20 overs at 128/7, a result that gives us a strong marker for progression!
Looking ahead to the softball games, with good comms in the field, chasing and 'stealing' singles with the bat and the same accurate bowling on display, I'm really confident that our Screaming Eagles will not only shine brightly, but have a lot of fun along the way!
A huge thanks to our oppo who brought mini trophies, enjoyed by them all, as well as post-game drinks which were enjoyed in the glorious setting sun.
These development games are vital for, well, development! But to everyone whose been down watching and cheering from the sidelines too, scoring and umpiring too, thank you! It really makes a difference and I'm thrilled to say we'll be looking to do more of these games in the future. If you think you have a potential opponent for our Screaming Eagles or a mixed team, please let us know!