On Wednesday I was ready to concede this game, having asked pretty much everyone we’ve ever met and managed a meagre 7. It would have been our first ever -20. A junked friendly and a shifted holiday meant we ended up with 10 and a half, and the ignominy of a conceded game was averted. Probably the closest we’ve come.
Amport is a really lovely cricket ground. Gifted to the club by the local farmer, a wonderfully remote cricket-only field surrounded by trees and arable fields, with the enormous rambling old estate manor house in the distance, it’s the only one of the far-flung games we’ll miss when the league rearranges itself to more local fixtures next season.
They were a strong seconds team today, with a young quick from the firsts with some proper wheels, who did for our openers in short order. We did not bat well, and generally got out carelessly to an otherwise entirely manageable attack.
Except for Ryan, who batted with patience, firm defence and some flair in attack, his best innings for DCC. We scrambled to three figures, aided by a fun rearguard from Rob and Tappers.
Those two bowled with purpose, defending nowhere near enough runs with excellent opening spells, one run off the first four overs, followed by decent efforts from all the bowlers, spread around to try and make something happen. They were 65-2 as 20 overs and drinks arrived, the game very much still alive, but it slipped away in another half a dozen overs as the finish line drew nearer and their caution dissolved.
It was a solid bowling performance with some actual options, something we have had precious little of this season, just not enough to bowl at. But a fun game in a beautiful spot, and some joy back in the game after a month of slog and mismatches.
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