Humbled at Hawley

Waverley soundly beaten after another batting collapse.

Turning out for the Wave this week were Andy Minshaw (The Mincer), Chris Beanland (Beanie), Marcus Carmichael (MC), Simon Brewer (KV), Matt du Gay (Doogs), Toby Elborough (Stokesy), Will Knox (Will, son of Knox), Jamie Harris (DJ Teabag), Kyle Moxham (Hollywood), Peter Brewer (Mr B) and Dan Litwin (Chuckie).

Having hobbled out the middle, due to a bad back, and won the toss, Doogs elected to field first. Chuckie and Stokesy looked to get things underway for the visitors. Some nice shots and good running from the off made it clear that Hawley were going to go hard at the bowling. The first wicket fell when Stokesy slightly fumbled a ball at fine leg, giving the batsman half a chance to return for a second run. However, it was all a cunning plan as Stokesy then threw the ball in for a direct hit run out. Stokesy also picked up a wicket off his bowling, Teabag holding on to the catch in covers to remove his brother Ben. At the other end, Chuckie bowled well with no reward, beating the edge on a few occasions. A change of bowling saw Mr B and Teabag introduced into the attack. Both bowled well and were rewarded with wickets, Pete first bowling the other opener Delaney, before tempting the other Harris brother down the track, The Mincer taking care of the stumping. At the other end, Stokesy returned the favour to hold onto a catch in the covers off Teabag, who then picked up two further wickets, Beanie holding onto a catch at gulley, before Stokesy took another. The home side had been scoring consistently throughout their innings though, and were approaching the 200 mark. Will and Hollywood came into the attack to try and stifle the run rate in the final overs, and both were rewarded with a wicket apiece. The home side finished on 210-9 off their alloted 40 overs.

The Wave knew their run chase was going to be difficult, and it got off to a bad start when Beanie was caught for 1 in the early goings. MC and the Mincer looked to steady the ship and add some runs. Their partnership was broken when MC was bowled. KV came and went without troubling the scorers, trapped in front LBW. Doogs was next in, but was only able to add 6 before being removed courtesy of a tumbling catch in the gully. The patented Waverley Wobble was in full flow, with Will, Stokesy, Teabag and the Mincer all departing quickly to leave the visitors well and truly on the ropes. Some calypso cricket from Mr B down the order saw the score dragged past 50, but it was all in vain as he was eventually bowled for 12, joining the Mincer (13) and MC (14) as the only batsmen to reach double figures. The chief destroyer for Hawley was Heighes, who picked up 7 of the home side's wickets.

With Waverley having been soundly beaten, there was just the awards to give out. The wAnchor hat went to Beanie, for fielding the first 15 overs of the game in a black feather boa (which Chuckie had found, alongside a size 8 heeled shoe at the agincourt the night before). The pink t-shirt went to Will for the serious offence of canoodling - he was seen holding hands walking round the pitch. The man of the match hat went to Mr B, for his good bowling spell and entertaining knock at the end of an otherwise largely poor innings from the visitors.