It’s not often you can name the winners of any league after 30 minutes of the first game of the season. One team gets promoted and we could all save ourselves a lot of time, money, and heartache by declaring the winners now. Basingstoke Capital, congratulations.
Finding Their Level
Any newly formed team has to start at the lowest league, which is really only the fair way of doing it. That team will then naturally find their level over the following seasons and end up pretty much where they should be.
The difficulty for the teams that they come up against is that there is every chance of a mismatch. Unfortunately for the Oaks, this newly formed team is clearly far too good for the division they find themselves in. Not their fault, of course, but the reality nonetheless. Nice bunch of chaps too, so no real complaints – they probably understood that there would be very little in the way of resistance pretty early on, a feeling that they will get used to between now and the end of the season, and probably the one after that.
IPL Mode Activated
So it was that Basingstoke Capital’s intention was to approach their batting like back-to-back IPL innings. Racking up 270-7 in their 40 overs, the writing was on the wall, realistically, after around five overs where it was clear that we had neither the firepower nor the ability in the field to cope. We actually did very well to keep them to that, given that they were 140-0 at drinks, so to pick up seven wickets for 130 in 20 overs was, all told, pretty damn good. 270 might be one of their lowest totals of the season, as I can see a 300+ happening on a few occasions. An interesting thing to watch for in this new home and away format is whether, having copped a pasting in the first game, teams are suddenly having “failed covers,” extended holidays, or bouts of dysentery instead of being the punchbag.
No Shame in a Mismatch
However, it won’t be the last time that Capital hands the teams in their division (and, most likely, the division above and the one above that) a hiding. So, ultimately, who cares? A mismatch is a mismatch no matter how you describe it.
The Chase That Never Was
Any distant thoughts of making a game of it, and actually getting some batting practice in (perhaps even getting some enjoyment out of your tenner), were quickly put to bed by Deano and his itchy trigger finger (perhaps he had somewhere to be?) dispatching numbers 2, 3, and 4 LBW in quick succession.
I think we ended up just over 100 all out but, to be honest, it was getting chilly and I just wanted a few beers at the club, so (without looking back on Play-Cricket, which I really don’t want to do) your guess is as good as mine.
Positives? Definitely.
A very pleasing opening spell of bowling from Harrison Bird – good rhythm, excellent movement, and the promise of more pace to come.
The continuing development by Noah Beckell into an excellent off-spinner – some calm amongst the carnage, and another eight-over spell which troubled even the aggressive Capital batsmen. A good wicket and unfortunate not to pick up more.
An excellent catch by Alex Holman, added to a good eight-over spell.
Some useful time at the crease for Jeff Triner and Steve Savage, hinting at runs ahead for both this season.
A few boundaries for Harrison who, if he can listen to the regular advice given to him about his head being over the ball and playing straight, is showing signs of being the next talented all-rounder to come through the Colts set-up to make his mark on the adult teams.
A good debut for Will Hodgetts who, despite getting a whack on the knee (lucky he was fielding, otherwise he’d have been given LBW), struck a couple of nice boundaries and looked to play straight whenever he could.
Onward and Upward
Time will tell if this result is an outlier. I sincerely hope it is.
We are a much better team than this result suggests. The challenge will be to put this behind us, treat it as the one-off it is against a team far too good for this division (and the one above it), and go again next week.