Match Report – VCC3 Legends v Nieuwegein Sunday 12 August 2012

Young cricketers return from their summer holidays tanned, fit and raring to go.  The VCC3 legends were tanned at least. Dodgy hamstrings, stiff backs, archilles strains, tonsillitis, pulled groins and other infirmities of the aged were not going to stop us enjoying our cricket on such a lovely summer day. We decided to bat first and got off to a brisk start between Rob and Mikey before Rob was adjudged LBW.  Mikey and I then shared a good partnership.  Mikey searched in vain for the middle of his bat but alas it escaped him and he was caught behind for 30 odd.  Rutger and I then gave a master class in how not to run between the wickets.  Rutger worked out the best way to deal with this was to hit boundaries before he tried one time too many.  Mario followed Rutger and he worked the ball around nicely before I fell for 49.  This brought Hassan to the crease, who played the innings of the day, hitting the ball to all parts of the ground.  Mario was eventually bowled attempting to up the run rate in the last 8 over.  Marc struggled with a dodgy groin and couldn’t find the sweet spot (story of his life).  Hassan finished with a well-made 60 odd.  Dinesh and Aled finished not out with Aled’s score of 1 sending his average skyrocketing.  VCC finished 269 for 7 from our allotted 40 overs….a good score considering the slow outfield the ridiculously long boundaries set out by Dinesh (obviously in preparation for his bowling!). Donny opened the bowling with Kaushik and both made good early inroads.  Aled introduced us to the Welsh 4 card trick…..3 rank long hops smashed to the boundary… followed by a good length ball hit straight to cover for a wicket.  In between touches and tweaks of his groin, Marc bowled a great spell to take 2 wickets and was unlucky not to have more.  Dinesh bowled a tidy line and length before Donny came back on to eventually mop up the tail.    Nieuwegein all out for 170 or so. A comfortable win to the VCC3 legends.  The physiotherapists will be making a killing this week. Mark Mulready