MARRESS V INVERCLYDE (20/07/08)

The last match before the league splits into 2 groups. Before the start we knew we still needed 1 pt to be certain of a top 6 finish.

We were desperately hoping to win the toss and field first and therefore we would be almost certain of the minimum points required. With Mike Ingram having a terrible record of winning the toss everyone looked with hope as the coin was tossed, no suprise Inverclyde won it and we were sent into bat.

The opening pair were announced and after 10 minutes Mike lost patience with Shahid( had a problem with his jockey's) as he made the decision to open himself with son David.
The innings got off to a slow start and we quickly realised that Inverclyde had only 1 very good bowler who rarely pitched it badly.
After 5 overs Inverclyde made the breakthrough and had David Ingram LBW for 3 runs( this will dent his average now). Next man in was Shahid as he had finally got his underwear sorted out. Shahid quickly attacked the bowling and he and Captain Magners Ingram were turning the screw and starting to get on top when Shahid went for one too many shots and got a top edge straight to one of their fielders.
Marress were now on 41 for 2, but the skipper was secretly worried as he had seen his team fold tamely when batting first many times before. Next in was VC Derek Park or for some reason nicknamed the ODM. It wasn't long before Inverclyde discovered why he was called this as Derek (The Squirrel) dispatched several big blows to the leg side. With the skipper at the other end, He and the VC quickly moved the score onto 78 before Derek was eventually bowled.
Next in was Ronnie Gilliland and with this brought together the two oldest men on the pitch, with the average age being 45 the quick running between the wickets were bound to stop, or so Ronnie G thought. Next delivery and Mike and Ronnie set of for 4 runs(yes actually runs)and Ronnie had to be giving mouth to mouth to revive him after scampering for the 4 runs. With the two old timers at the crease it looked like Marress were going to get the one point they needed to secure a place in the top ten, when Ronnie G was bowled by a delivery that Shane Warne would be proud of.
With the score on 98 for 4 this brought Josh Conway to the crease, Josh had been struggling in recent weeks and he hoped to put things right. With Josh defending his wicket with ease at one end and Mike attacking at the other, Marress cruised onto 113 before Mike edged one to first slip and he was out for another fine knock of 53.
With the departure of the skipper it seemed likely that we would soon collapse and struggle to get many more runs. Especially as 2 quick wickets followed with the loss of Conway and Cooney.
With the score now 122 for 7 the skipper was not expecting what was about to happen. Messr's Doolan & Mudunuri edged, chipped, blasted and stroked their way to a magnificent 64 partnership before Mudunuri was crazily run out by Jamie Doolan.
The score had now moved onto 186 for 8 and the game complection had changed and swung in favour of Marress. Doolan was joined by young Robbie Ferguson and the 2 of them put on another great stand of 19 and the moved the score onto 205 before Robbie was ct.Jamie Doolan made a PB of 47 not out and held the middle order together, well done Jamie.

After another top rate tea from Mrs Park we set out to try and knock the inverclyde team. It was a slow start and Inverclyde dug deep and battled well and the opening bowlers of Conway and Mudunuri could not get the breakthrough the skipper made the first change and brought on James Cooney, Cooney soon made the breakthrough as he gained the first of 3 wickets, with wickets not coming easily, the skipper made several bowling changes, but struggled to make any impression.
It was quickly becoming obvious that Inverclyde were not going to try and reach the Marress total as they rarely made any attacking shots.Overs went by and Inverclyde coped quite well with everything we threw at them.

A further 2 wickets fell during their innings and the game ended with Inverclyde on 155 for 5.

This result leaves Marress firmly set for the last 5 games against the top 6 and Inverclyde will need to wait and see how results went over the weekend.

We travel to the Alps next week and similar batting will be needed, but we will need to up our game on the field.