WEATHER NOT TOO MUCH TO BARE*

After Sunday’s fixture Vs Baring was cancelled due to a slightly (very) damp pitch, a few Fieldsmen headed to Viccy Park for a net session. Baring CC had a similar idea and with the artificial pitches coping fine with the showers we decided to hold an impromptu 20/20 fixture.

With 2 Baring players already padded up, there was no toss and 8 of their players got going against 5 of us (RJ, Will, Ty, Faraz and Chris), plus their keeper, and the son of one of their players. Chris opened the bowling (with an old ball) and was soon rewarded with a wicket, another soon fell to RJ and Barings seemed to have, er, lost their bearings. A resolute partnership from Matt and Andrew steadied their innings, but we were boosted by the arrival of two new players in the form of debutant Matt Thompson and Ruby ‘Cat in the Hat’ Quince.

Tyrone finally broke the partnership and was unlucky not to claim a hat-trick, soon after Will also took 2 wickets in 2 balls and we looked to have wrapped it up. Barings however had managed to get on the phone to the rest of their team, who seemed to arrive just in time to keep the innings going and they finished their innings 8 wickets down with 112 on the board.

Richard (16) and Will opened our reply confidently but as Chris joined Will at the crease there were potentially disastrous off-field events taking place. A large group of kids and parents had arrived, with tables, chairs and even gazebos. Sadly they were not here to watch us and the park warden wandered over and ordered us off the pitch. Not to be beaten (we had after all relocated pitch already that day), we marched over to another free pitch and continued there. The move did for Chris who was bowled in the first over of the restart, but Faraz (25no) and Will guided us come with a mix of lucky drops and good hitting. Will clumped the winning runs for 4 and finished on 49 not out (if only he had gone for a 6!).

Considering this was meant to be another casualty to the rain, it turned out to be a great afternoon thanks to Baring's enthusiasm and the power of mobile communication. Who knows, one day it might stop raining and we might get a proper game in at London Fields!?

*Worst. Headline. Ever.