Wednesday 21st Home To Little Ribston
Team to play.. Anyone not availiable please contact asap. Stox Matty Lenny Olie Andy Rob Rob stokes Trev Rose Grant Lievers Craig Summerville Dan Herron Harold Dawson

Grant can't play IN COMES THE BISHMEISTER !!!!

For D. Owram ( Appologies for the lack of match reports Dave, Due to unfortunate circumstances regarding my current employer i am unable to play saturday cricket so have not felt motivated enough to write a report about a game i didn't feature in and with the evening league being a shorter format i never feel it deserves a war and peace style review. Matt passed on your comments and i now feel it my duty to satisfy my audience with a review of my most recent outing on to the field of play.There are however many other sources of enjoyable text such as books, newspapers and even cereal packets out there to read and learn from but i will endeavour to make you smile !! (ps If you know of any Jobs going feel free to get in touch ! ) And so it began !!!! When an army is small it is generally understood to be weakened and vounerable to attack, to have it's honour spilt out in blood at it's feet, to see no more dawn and no more sunset, to run away with tail between it's legs and to put up little resistance. The Spartans won many battles with few and they came up against many, this inspiration has reached the quaint settlement of Little Ribston and word has spread of their passion and determination to field an army of any size and go to battle whatever the odds !!! With a small kickabout taking place a few thousand miles away in the red city of Moscow Ribston struggled for numbers but turned up for our evening league fixture with 8 of their faithfull to give us a game. The pitch looked excellent and seeing a degree of bounce the previous night i was happy to bowl first, skittle em, have Olie knock em off and go see some of the worlds finest divers play football. Out they came to bat and didn't waste any time in starting up the total 2 stroke engine and dispatching balls to the boundry, i was determined to not come off with a depleated mind and " NUN FUR" so i kept plugging and got my rewards, just short of a lenghth, batsmen on the drive, nicely lobbed up the Leaping ginger Salmon Andy rob at mid off, that will do for my bowling i think. Matty at the other end bowling tight got his quota and it was time to get some young blood on to claim the rest. Wee Danny Heron bowled some good tight lines and interesting angles but it was the classic half tracker that dislodged the wickets like a hot knife through butter !! Henry Bish at the other end got his pudding and pie and it was all change again. The call went out for Rob the Builder Stokes sporting his hard yellow construction cap to get lose and the excitment mounted in the field, His first bowl for Newby " Cricky" Coming all the way from oz BOBBY hasn't set himself or the pitch alight yet with the bat so maybe the ball could be his W.M.D !!! BUt the big ginger express at the other end soon put the fire out with an L.B.W shout and Ribston were swept back under the carpet for 81. A total to get with the ease of a mole through loose soil !! Picking the batting order was a difficult choice with the total being one of those. " Do i get the big guns in early to get it over with " or " give some people a go who don't normally get much of an innings" A bit of both was my thoughts so sent Olie and young Summerville out to ease through the gaps (and they were big gaps with only 8 fielders) Things were going well till the first ball which whizzed past Olie like arrow from Robins bow ! Didn't take to many more of em before Olie edged and was comfortably caught behind. In went Bobby Oz to work his can you fix it magic and he didn't fix anything apart form his average to below 5. Matty next who put up a bit of resistance and got the second biggest cheer of the night when his wicket was taken. Summers run out things not looking good !! Time for the captain to step in , steady the ship, plug the damm stop the rot. In i went, confident, athletic, determind to see it through and chalk up the 40 or so we needed to win. BUt like the Spartans Ribston saw hope, a glimmer of a victory from what should of been a quick and painless death. The bowling got faster and harder, i finally got one away to the fence, ran two fast, looked up for a third, fielder hasn't got it, Has it gone for 4 ? Who cares run !!! I ran ... I stopped....I turned....I dived.....I'm out. A good throw from the deep and it was goodnight vienetta. MIke Shires, our last recognised batsmen could he finish the job ? NO !! Triggered LBW on a good stride. ! Who was left.. Andy Rob !! Go steady Andy, plenty o time nowt daft lad.. Too late....went big guns got pea shooterout instead and safely into the hands of mid off. Harry Dawson..3rd team opening batsmen, he can do it, he's got a level head... Which club, Driver, 5 Iron ??? NO .. LOB WEDGE !!! Another easy catch. 9 down and still 15 runs to get. Trev Rose.. the Ledgend he can nick it go on ledge .. After a few dusty Yorkers Trev hael strong but his partner at the other end a young Danny Heron didn't pick the pacey swing and was bowled. The end of a game that should of been easily ours, a game we had won before we even started. A game which shows the power and determiation of the underdog, Ribston got into the game then had a real hunger to see if they could pull it off and with all credit to them and especially their excellent bowlers cleaned us up for a chicken and goose like 66. A dark hour loomed... Hopefully Bilton will bring eleven next week and we will beat them without consideration for the small army of Sparta. Hope that tickled your eyeballs Dave. Best wishes Stox

Excellent STOX. You paint a vivid picture. It's just like being there!

Anyone wants any jobsdoing? I think I've found someone who has too much time on his hands! Still, an excellent acccount of an embarrassing night!

Good to have the match reports back Stox although what number did you send yourself in again?!?

Went in number 5 matey, to steady he ship, did a decent job till i thrw my wicket away for a cheap third run that was never there. !!