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Hursley Park IV, May 30 '09 (home)
When the sun shines, win the toss and bat. That's what the Big Duck always tells me, and on days
like Saturday, it seems the only sensible decision.
But with half the side out and the score at only 125 after 24 overs, the plan could have back-fired
spectacularly. Tubby was well stumped down the leg side after looking in good touch, AJ fired his
guns a couple of times before departing for 24, and JD received the umpire's finger. Painful at the
best of times, but especially when on 0.
Charlie had displayed some clean hitting on his way to a rapid 37, but his departure left Jimmy H,
not for the first time, in need of some support. Fortunately the skipper emerged from the pavilion (some
might suggest ran to escape his crying daughter) to consolidate the position. In no particular hurry
due to the quick runs Charlie had put in the bank, the old opening partnership circa 1932 batted sensibly to
pass the 200 mark and then opened up in the closing overs as the Hursley heads began to drop. Jimmy in particular
enjoyed the width afforded him, revelling in his favourite cut shot and leg side pick up, and cruising to yet
another 50, ending on 89 not out. At the other end, Turkleton focussed more on driving down the ground, at least once the
tricky 11-year-old left armer had been negotiated, and ended with a flourish to reach 43 not out. The pair
added an unbeaten 118, lifting the 'Parish total to a commanding 243-5.
The Hursley run chase never really materialised in the face of miserly bowling, Turkleton and Charlie enjoying their usual
economical, if wicketless, opening spells. The skipper was replaced by debutant Tom Mundy from the Football Ground End,
and his extra pace certainly ruffled a few feathers, not least in the close catching cordon as well as the visitor's dressing room.
Picking up the first wicket of the innings when he yorked the resolute opener, Tom hinted that there's plenty more to come once
he regains his rhythm and finds some flow to his run up. There's a good chance Lee and Tubby may need to work on their agility
in the coming weeks to snaffle the exocets coming their way!
In stark contrast, JD was continuing to bolster his CV ahead of applying for a job with Bassetts, the Hursley batsmen looking
to get after him in preference to the pace at the other end. With good support from the field, not least another stumping for
Lee "better than David Bairstow" James, and a good piece of work from The Guns to effect a fine run out, JD claimed yet another
4 wicket haul, narrowly missing out on a Michelle for the second week in a row.
When Jimmy H, replacing Tom down the hill, brought one back to break a bail, the visitor's middle order was in tatters and the
result assured. The only question was whether the 'Parish bowlers could claim maximum bowling points, a feat made tricky when the young
Hursley colts came to the crease and the more subtle variations of Tubby, Josh and Lord Harris were required to take the pace off and
uphold the spirit of the game, despite plenty of overs still being available for Turkleton, Charlie, Tom and Jimmy.
Despite winkling a couple out, and using a total of 8 different bowlers, the final Hursley pair witheld the final 5 balls
of the innings to deny Whiteparish maximum points.
Still, a fourth win out of four, and unbeaten through May. Couldn't have asked for much more really!
Summary
Whiteparish 243-5 (Jimmy H 89no, Turkleton 43no (partnership 118), Charlie 37, AJ 24)
Hursley Park 125-9 (JD 4-25)
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