The Quokkas game is back around, this season we got lucky with the weather and even though it was extremely blustery we got a game in. Remembering last season where we only got the game up in London, no home tie due to the rain. With the “series” tied at 1-1 there was some huge pressure (yeah right) on this game. With Steve “Nordic” Bramley having to leave he volunteered to run the bar and score as he had to leave before the end of the game. Because of this, Duncan “Longdog” Wooloff took up the captaincy reins. Losing the toss, luckily the Quokkas decided to have a bat, which is what we would have set them to do if we had had the choice. Stuey “Danger Angel” Bullpitt opened the bowling with Goeff “Daddy” Wooloff. After Bully had bowled 4 overs he was taken off, ending with figures of 4-1-11-1. Angels only wicket was slightly controversial, its been said that the umpire, not being sure of the decision gave it out on his captains advice (who was batting at the time). Caught behind, good hands by Rich. Replacing Bully was Tom “Fielding Captain” North who bowled 5-0-16-1, the single wicket a clean bowled. At the other end, Goeff had got tired of bowling, his 6 overs finishing with figures of 6-2-17-0. Carl “Lard” Wooloff dropped a tough chance at gully off of Geoff, one of those ones which drops just in front of you. A whale like bellyflop forwards only meant that Lard over dived and “wristed it”. My apologies for not running through everyone’s bowling individually, 9 of you buggers got a bowl, basically everyone bar myself and Rich (he had the oversized gloves on). So I’ll do figures and a comment on everyone else… (in no particular order): Paul “TBC” Cripps: 4-0-19-2 : First time bowling for the club, 2 weeks, brilliant! JUG! Olly “Chief” Haine: 4-0-27-0 : Solid bowling, apart from the one which pitched 3 strips wide… David “Muppet” Henson: 3-0-27-0 : Conceded the same runs as chief, in less overs, call yourself a bowler? Tim “Harry Potter” Weekes: 5-0-14-0 : Economical for once, WOW! Lard: 2-0-21-0 : Your realllllly quick carl Longdog: 2-0-21-1 : Solid, got a key wicket. A big well done/unlucky goes to the Quokkas opening batsman (and I think captain, but don’t have score book) who batted through for 99*. If only he had taken the single off the last ball. The Quokkas finished on 166 for 5 off of their 35 overs. A good score in the windy conditions. Teas were done by Tweekesy, the away team described them as the best teas they have ever seen. Cannot really argue with that, they were damn good, you have done the club proud sir! So to start the chase. Opening the batting was myself (Pod) and Lard. Dak (again, no idea on the spelling sorry, “commentcorrect” me) opened the bowling, firey opening spell with some juicy short stuff. Which for once I put away for boundaries, apart from the one which nearly knocked me over my own stumps. We saw him off and each over bowler in fact. After around 10 overs we had not lost a wicket and were going along nicely at nearly 10 an over. Lard rushed to his 50 with me on 40. At drinks, we required 30 more runs to win, I had got stuck on 48 and Lard had rushed onto 80. Strike hogger! I got my 50 just after drinks and we went on to get the winning runs in the 20th over. Carl got himself stuck on 98* and myself on 57*, some scoring irregularities however brought the question up of how can our two scores plus the extras not equal the total. At this point Chief stated that he though he had forgotten to add one over to the batsman. By the look of the over we had scored 2 runs each in it, sensibly I got given all 4 runs, as why would Carl want a 100 in that manner? So I finished on 61 and Chief earned himself Pigs Ear. Champagne moment went to Geoff “Daddy” Wooloff for a juggled slip catch off of Paul’s bowling. It really was a cracker. Pushing the ball up as it flashed at him and having the composure to grab it on the second attempt. Man of the match, deservedly went to Lard for his runs, the team generously let him off for the hundreds of runs he had given away whilst bowling and the dropped catch. Good spirited game and look forward to the next installment of the Wantage vs Quokkas story. Pod