Ramsbury vs Corsham 3s match report - July 11th 2015

Captain Liam Sumsion won the toss and chose to bat first, leading from the front with a team of young charges (plus veterans Rowey and Dave James) behind him.
Summo (pr. Sum-O, not to be confused with the ancient nappy wearing squatting contest) and Gorgeous George Freeman opened for Corsham, with Summo taking strike and taking a streaky four at deep backward point before his middle stump went to Ramsbury’s Bourne (4-1).
Tom Hyde came to the middle with George, banging to deep backward point and then surviving a strong appeal……..a very strong appeal, yes, a really really strong appeal for lbw, umpire A-Bomb unrelenting. George got off the mark with a four to deep square shortly followed by four to long leg. Hydey took a short ball four to square, George reciprocating next over to reach 35 off 6.
George fell in the seventh yorked with middle and off knocked over (36-2) to bring Cool Hand Luke Draper to the middle. Luke scored through extra cover to get his innings started, and then took 4 overthrows and a 2 to cover. Hydey drove a classy four to cow corner to push the score to 68 off 13.
The runs dried up at the first bowling change with the spinners gaining the upper hand and slowing the run rate to two an over for the next 10 overs….with the sun shining, and a couple of decent pork pies on board I was struggling to stay awake….luckily drinks break provided some action, different coloured plastic beakers are always good. Oh the score was 82 at drinks, and a maiden over for 82 off 24.
Tom Hyde sent four over the ropes at cow before he was bowled by Walker (87-3) to end a 50+ partnership. In at five came the shy and retiring Max ‘Mojo’ Ojomoh, steering to deep fine leg to get up and running. Good running and another deep and fine four from Mojo brought up the 100 in the 28th. The two young un’s were fluid before a bad call from Mojo left Cool Hand stranded to a direct hit (115-4), with Luke coming back to the hutch having put on a tidy 35.
In at 6 came the experienced gunslinger, James Rowe, who waited patiently as Mojo did the leg work to move the Corsh score to 128 before Rowey weighed in with a square leg boundary in the 32nd. Mojo was in his stride now, with 4s to long on and deep mid-wicket, and Rowey playing through cow to push on with 149 off 34. Max went bowled straight for 41 (151-5), handing over to Luc Theobold (Theodora to his team mates). Dora lasted seven balls before he gloved to the heavens and the keeper took the well wrapped gift (154-6).
Number 8 bat Ralph Toddy Todhunter came and went, victim of Bumphrey for a cross between a precious metal and a small farm yard animal best served crispy (154-7). Matt A-Bomb Angell came in next, and was in the runs for a 5 overthrows, then fours to fine leg and long off to add 13 to the score, now 168 off 38. Rowey drove straight for a classy boundary, before A-Bomb tried a ‘Woody’ over long on, falling short to be caught on the ropes (174-8). Next to the crease was Dave (pint is it?) James, smashing through long off to mark his arrival, then caught behind next ball (179-9). Last man in was double-o-blonde, Olly Overton. Rowey looked lonely as nobody wanted to stay with him…..Olly had a go, he actually defended a ball, I saw it with my own eyes…..I looked skywards to thank the Lord for such deeds….but the blonde got the upper hand and that was that, the Corsh all out for 181.
Corsham batting (only those worthy of note, or scores of 10+):
Max Ojomoh 41 (7 x 4s), Luke Draper 35 (3 x 4s), Tom Hyde 29 (6 x 4s), James Rowe 19 no (3 x 4s), Matt Angell 14 (2 x 4s), George Freeman 12 (3 x 4s, I don’t do singles)
The tea interval included some great cake, and cigarettes. Just being around elite sportsmen has a positive effect, time to pop the Pringles……
Corsham took to the field; Luc Theobold took the new ball from the far end, with Olly O at the pavilion end. Theodora loosened with a 9, Olly with a maiden, then a ten over for Luc, and an eleven for Olly……ouch, as Ramsbury rushed to 30 off 4. Luc steadied with a maiden with a strong lbw appeal, then Olly went for 18 as opener Walker tried to hit the shine off the ball with two big sixes back over the young blonde lad, for 48 off 6.
Theodora got the breakthrough with a well taken c&b, coming the entire length of the wicket to take a miscued top edge (48-1), and taking number 3 lbw last ball of the over (49-2). Max replaced Olly at the pavilion end as Ramsbury scored freely to move along to 77 off 11.
Max got amongst the wickets in the twelfth, with a full toss taking opener Walker (77-3), and with the last ball of the over, taking the off stump of no.5 (81-4). George took over from Luc, with 18 runs added from 3 overs to seen the ton up for Ramsbury off 15 overs. Max finished his spell to hand over to Cool Hand Luke. George toiled, and got his reward in the 21st, lbw no.6 (130-6).
The spinners didn’t put too much pressure on the run rate, as the villagers added 57 runs from 10 overs to reach 157 after 25. Luc Theobold came back for a couple, as Ramsbury got over the line in the 30th.
Corsham bowling: Theobold 8-1-49-2, Ojomoh 6-0-37-2, Freeman 7-0-41-1, Draper 5.1-3-19-0,
Overton 3-1-28-0
In conclusion, we were probably 70 runs short of making a game of it, but good samosas and a top cake tray took the edge off.