Sorry Glamorgan I'm your new Captain

[mereman]

To try to make certain I don't turn Chicken I've set up a Glamorgan save. I won't be playing one day matches, they don't engage me at all.

Aim for this season is to win a match This may seem simple but after many years of playing this game I know my limits

[mereman]

1st match

Pre Match

I had the pitch prepared for seam. To that end an all seam attack. We called wrong and was invited to field.



First day: It didn't start to well a 77 run opening partnership not a chance given. Then Wagg managed to catch the edge of Leonard's bat and Walters took the caught.

At Lunch 88 - 1

After lunch we got in among them all out for 147 with 30 mins to tea



Speed up for the rest of the match we Batted to just after tea day 2 and made 464 ao



We couldn't make the break through that night. Students ended the day on 73-0. With too many catches going down.

Day 3 morning session Still can't catch a cold. Students 169-2

Afternoon session At last catches being held and it's almost all over 242-7.

We won 249 ao. We won by innings and 68 runs





A win but we need to do some work on the fielding a better team will take us apart.

Next up Surrey away.

[mereman]

Surrey away

The weather forecast is good for all 4 days. The pitch looks like it may seam later.

No changes from the first match Goodwin is given the captain role.

Teams


Very worried about Pietersen.

To the match we lose the toss and are invited to field again.

[mereman]

Day 1
Was wrong about Pietersen it's Burns that damages us with 165 no at the end of the day without him we would have been doing very well as Surrey ended the day on 296-7. Wagg getting most of the wickets 4-78


Day 2
Warped their inning up 40 mins before lunch. Burns making 165 no from 345.

Our turn now. Batted to lunch with no loses. We got to 241-3 by the end of day 2. Goodwin batting like a hero on 98no. At his age a great knock.


Day 3. We went to lunch on 431-6 Goodwin made 126 and Cooke made 104 both out.
Decided to bat on and get a good lead just before the end of the day we were all out 552 a lead of 207 now down to the bowler to earn their corn. only 4 runs was scored in the very short time left.


Day 4 fingers crossed.
Looking good at lunch Surrey were 110-4 still 97 runs on.

The wheels came off between lunch and tea only 1 wicket fell we still lead by 10 runs but the draw looks favourite. Managed to get them to 283-8 by the end. No win but a good result non the less.

[mereman]

Table

Would be nice if the season finished now



Next match at home against Gloucestershire. Don't think there will be many changes to the team.

[mereman]

Weather look to be fine and pitch set for seam.

No changes from last match.


We win the toss and bat.

Day 1
Rees went rather quickly for 2 but Rudolph 73 and Goodwin 159no did us proud on the first day. Now to push on.

Day 2/3
Goodwin fell for 172 as we made 419. Now to get at Gloucestershire.

Oh dear things didn't quite go to plan as they made 327 none of our bowlers really got on top. Still we should be fine.

Day 3/4
After the Lord Mayor.. We were skittled out for 129 with only one batsman (Rees) getting past 30 and he only got 31.

Less said about our bowling the better as Gloucestershire made 124-3 with ease.


Time to see who else can bowl.

Table


Next match is a must win against Leicestershire.

[mereman]

Now for Leicestershire.

The weather forecast is awful with cloud cover and rain.

So in come Smith a all rounder who bowls medium pace for an out of form Reed. We leave the batting for now.



We won the toss and batted.

Terrible start as both opener go early Goodwin again with Allenby steadied things a bit. Then another collapse until Walters 129no walked to the wicket. He and Smith 73 gave us a chance. Our innings ended with 372 scored.

I really must find some bowlers in conditions which should have gave us a chance Leicestershire made 432-4 dec. With Thornly 136 and Eckerley 124 the damage dealers. Our "best" bowling was Allenby with 2-79. Not good enough.

By now we had lost over an hour of play.

Our 2nd innings was better 272-2 dec. Goodwin 117 no I hate to think what we will do when he retires.
More rain and only time for 17 overs to be bowled we got a wicket But it finished as a draw with Leicestershire making 19-1.



Still waiting for a win but not bottom of the table....yet.

[mereman]

Vs Worcestershire

Weather forecast is for rain and overcast the first day then fine. So might be a good plan to bowl first, not something I like doing.

The teams



One change for Glamorgan Reed back in for the out of form Hogan. This is a match I would like to win as It's against a team below us.

We lose the toss and are invited to bat, must remember to keep an eye on the weather condition.

Bad start Rees, Goodwin and Rudolph all out in the first session. But now Allenby 145 and Cooke 110 both play an innings to remember. We end the first day on 263-3 this with 1hr 41 lost because of rain.
Now Walters show what he can do with a very good innings of 115. We make 507ao with 2 days and 5 mins to play we might be able to win.

It's that man Allenby again this time with the ball getting 3-60 and Reed 3-67 we dismiss Worcestershire for 394ao. Worcestershire are invited to have another try. There are 4 sessions and half an hour to go in the match.

We get them out with 1hr 42 to go in the match, they make 274ao and that one man team Allenby is in the wickets again with 5-49 with Reed getting 3-105.



We win at last. Rees goes early again will have to look at replacing him for the next match.

The tables

[mereman]

A bit busy at the moment so next match is delayed until next week. I play then post the result within the hour. With my memory it's the only way I have any idea what happened in the matches, can't always remember the first innings as it is

[mereman]

After the Lord Mayor......

On the road to play the league leaders Hampshire.

Some changes to the team Rees who has been out of form makes way for Lancefield who has been going well in the second team. Likewise Lloyd has forced his way in for Bragg. Poor bowling from Smith see him dropped for Cockburn.

Weather forecast is very overcast and rain on the first day clearing for the rest of the match, we really need to win the toss.

Pitch is reported as good for batting and not likely to get too bad.

Teams


We lose the toss and are asked to bat for once I'd like to bowl first.

Rudolph and Lancefield get us off to a goodish start until Wood removes first Rudolph 30 then 3 balls later Goodwin who didn't trouble the scorers. Then to make matters worse Lancefield retires hurt, he will be out for 3 weeks, just as he got his chance this season.

Allenby 30, Cooke 38 and Walters 29 all got a start but in the conditions couldn't push on to a good score.

We were all out for 228 not good enough with the conditions improving all the time.

Hampshire didn't play well but even so too well for us they made 363. We just couldn't remove Ervine who made 127no. Cockburn really bowled well with 6-99 was the only bowler to do anything.

Our second innings was worse then the first only Lloyd doing anything with 43. We made all of 199 this a lead of 64.

Hampshire made this with the loss of one wicket.



Table.


Still I have done what I set as my target a win this season

[mereman]

Return of Leicestershire

Weather forecast Fine on Day one overcast day two then fine for days three and four.

With Lancefield out injured Bragg opens with Rudolph. After two not very good matches Goodwin drops down the order.



We win the toss and have first go on the pitch.

Bragg didn't trouble the scorers and lasted all of two balls. Goodwin returned to form making 87. He with Cooke 65, Walters 51, Lloyd 46 and Rudolph 43 got us to 349, pity that we didn't get the one run to give us another batting point.

Our bowling was a bit lack luster at the start until Wagg 3-71 at last got a wicket, then Allenby 5-47 cleaned Leicestershire 290ao up.

Now to try and get some quick runs. Well we made 290 a lead of 339 but we were slow and Leicestershire only have to bat for 3 hours 20. Our bowling of late hasn't looked like bowling teams out twice.

It petered out in a draw.



Nice to see Goodwin back in the runs and Allenby still a one man team.

League



Still not bottom but going that way.

[mereman]

another match another draw

Today we are away to Essex.

Weather Overcast first day then not to bad.



After some thought we made no changes to the team. If we lose this one there will be changes made.

We win the toss and with the overcast conditions we field first, first mistake.

Mickleburgh 4 was the only wicket to fall in the morning session. (as an aside I worked with his father a few years ago). We do no better in the afternoon with Ryder going but not until he had made 56.
Things improved in the last session with 3 more wickets going 293-5. We finished them the next morning 341ao.

Our try, Two quick wickets put us on the back foot, again Allenby 101 together with Cockburn 50 saved our blushes only Lloyd of the rest managed double figures with 15. Heads will roll. All out for 207.

Essex declared on 335 giving them a lead of 469. The way we are batting at the moment I think we will have to try for a draw.

We at last made a few runs far to late with Bragg 89, Lloyd 80no, Walters 70no and Allenby 37 we saw time out and made 317-5.



Tables


Kent next.

[mereman]

Oh dear! Oh dear!

Weather looks good except for day 3 when it could be a bit overcast.

Kent are the visitors for this match.

We make one change to the team Lancefield comes in after his injury for Cockburn.



The toss we win and bat on a good pitch.... well it looked good.

The less said about our innings the better we made 283ao on a pitch which looked like a 500 plus wicket. Only Walters 84no and Bragg 53 made 50 or more, Cooke 33 and Rudolph 31 got in but couldn't push on.

Our bowling was really bad with only Billings, failing of the first 7, to get 20 plus. We came back well but far to late dismissing them for 342 giving them a lead of 59.

Our first innings was bad but we did even worse in the second. our low mark was 98-7. Lancefield 58 and Wagg 45 helped the tail to wag. All out for 223 giving us a lead of 164. No where near enough.

So it proved but our bowling was better with Glover getting 3-37 the "highlight". But we couldn't stop Kent getting a good, for them, win.

Our problem is that most of the players have lost form at the same time.



Table

[mereman]

Gloucestershire the return

Time to try and get some revenge after the first meeting when we lost by 7 wkts.

Weather is fine the pitch looks like it might break up later.



A few changes after a few matches when we didn't play very well.

Goodwin is dropped he needs a rest, Cockburn comes in his place some extra bowling might help.

Wagg and Glover both are rested in comes Hogan and Salter. A spin heavy attack but might work if we win the toss.
Oh well we call wrong and are asked to field.

First session is drawn we have injured Dent and removed Klinger.

That was our high point the first day. Gloucestershire finished the first at 271-4 with A. Gidman unbeaten on 150.

Things get better with Cockburn having a good spell. At Lunch they are 399-8. At 2:27 we finish them 423ao with Both Gidmans being a real pain Alex making 158 and Will getting 96no, wonders if we can put something in their drink.

We make 307ao only Lloyd 122 and Bragg 55 batting well. The bright side is we beat the follow on total.

Well what a turn round by the end of day 3 we have them on the ropes 52-5, It couldn't last as they recover 136 a lead of 253 with a bit over 2 sessions to get them.

We start going for it. At tea we are on target 129-2. Then a collapse so we hang on for the draw. End of match we make 195-5. Rudolph makes up for duck with a nice 91.



Table


Worcestershire next the only team we have beaten this season.