Armadillos 181-9 (40 overs) beat Buccaneers 160 all out by 21 runs
A long wet spring meant the Sheffield Park outfield had only had its first cut a few days before the Buccs’ arrival. Nevertheless, despite the lush outfield the pitch itself played remarkably well with little variable bounce. A close fought 40 over game followed, which the Buccs narrowly lost by 21 runs.
The Armadillos were put into bat by the Buccs’ skipper Simon Leefe, to groans all round. However, a tight opening spell (Robertson 3-36, Rydon 1-14) soon had the Armadillos at 38 for 4 and struggling to score. The Dills’ skipper, Ant Pickering, held their innings together and was out to a good ball from Moules, clean bowled on the last ball before lunch. After lasagne and rosé, Miller and Davison started scoring freely and took their side to 140 for 5 before debutante Rhys Skinner bowled a very tidy spell of medium quickish to finish with 2 for 8. Berry joined the party with two quick wickets (2-35) and Jim Mann showed typical Buccs’ ruthlessness by catching out son Ollie at cover point. Plaudits should also go to Kalidasan who showed great athleticism and skill behind the stumps having been persuaded to don the gloves. A total of 181 for 9 off their 40 overs seemed eminently gettable.
Berry was the star of the Buccs’ innings. He kept the scoreboard going by leathering anything that was up to him, frequently taking the aerial route rather than trying to hack his way through the undergrowth. Unfortunately, partners came and went. Moules looked particularly dangerous and scored a useful 30 but was unlucky to be out to a pea roller. Rydon and Skinner also contributed, but once Berry had fallen for the day’s best of 67 there was a certain inevitability to the outcome. The Buccs got close but were finally undone by a direct hit from the boundary which did for a hurtling Close (are you sure?, Ed.), trying to get back for a second.
As always, a great fixture and for the first time in a while, actually played under a cloudless sky.
Armadillos innings
A Pickering bowled S Moules 46
S Maclay ct Kalidasan bowled H Robertson 3
J Bebb bowled R Rydon 3
H Park bowled H Robertson 3
D Myrtle ct Kalidasan bowled R Skinner 0
E Davison bowled H Robertson 31
C Miller ct J Mann bowled A Berry 47
O Mann ct J Mann bowled R Skinner 15
B Pickering ct and bowled A Berry 0
G Colville not out 8
J Colville not out 0
Total 181 for 9 off 40 overs
Bowling
H Robertson 10-1-36-3
R Rydon 6-0-14-1
S Moules 5-0-23-1
R Skinner 6-2-8-2
S Leefe 4-0-13-0
R Hobbs 5-0-37-0
A Berry 4-0-35-2
Buccaneers innings
A Berry bowled H Park 67
J Milne ct S Maclay bowled J Bebb 1
E Kalidasan ct O Myrtle bowled O Mann 9
J Mann bowled C Miller 5
S Moules bowled E Davison 30
R Rydon ct ? bowled B Pickering 16
R Skinner bowled G Colville 14
R Hobbs bowled H Park 1
S Leefe not out 10
H Robertson bowled G Colville 0
D Close run out 2
Total 160 all out
Bowling
J Bebb 4-0-14-1
O Mann 8-0-25-1
C Miller 6-0-27-1
E Davison 4-0-23-1
B Pickering 8-0-42-1
H Park 6-0-30-2
G Colville 1-0-1-2