A Bad day at the Office

With Skipper Sudell finding more important things to do on a Saturday afternoon, the Ashtead 4's cobbled together 11, to go and do battle at Box Hill School against Spencer.

Interim skipper Matt Jepp, had spent hours reading the rule book, and with rain looking ominous, was comfortable that he could hold his own with the minutiae of detail with the Spencer skipper.

Knowing that we did not have the strongest batting side we have ever put out, the skipper and his sidekick Andy Storey decided that it would be a good idea to put Spencer in, with rain looming, and the possibilities of being in and out all afternoon. Toss duly won, and Spencer inserted, we began.

The less that is said about the next 40 overs is probably better. Suffice to say that some of the heroes of previous weeks, did not really find their rhythm on a benign track. Spencer batted very sensibly, and Ashtead were not helped with a number of chances, some tough, some not so tough not being taken.

A potentially generous declaration at the "road" that is box hill, set Ashtead a target of 250 odd in 51 overs.

The skipper had told his troops, that we needed to get our head down, give nothing away, and we had plenty of time.

The rot started on ball 3, with the skipper being caught plumb LBW to a straight one, and forgetting to hit it, and it went downhill from then on. There were no batting highlights on the Ashtead side, as we struggled to get to 39. Spencer's B Hussein bowled at a lively pace, and took 6 for not very many.

So where was the rain? What about the cunning plan, hatched by Jepp and Storey to come out of this game with at least a point? Unfortunately, the micro climate of Box Hill, kept us all dry all afternoon, so no time was lost at all.

At least the tea was good.