Rangers Vs Lemmings
November 29th & 6th
Premiership
REPORTS
PAGE
It was a new look Rangers XI that lined up to face the Lemmings in our second two-dayer of the season, with big names Orth, Baldwin and Lynch missing. Across from the Ramjets came Dale �Biceps� Stevenson and Cody Hart, out of retirement came everyone�s favourite advertising symbol Bundy, and skipper Elliot�s mate Dave came down for a game. The pre-match focus was on enjoying the game, after a tough last start against the Neddies.
Doc lost the toss and the Lemmings elected to bat in muggy conditions. Gav and Undies took the new ball with distinction, hitting great areas and building constant pressure. Despite their efforts, the early breakthrough did not come, with the Lemmings openers grinding out a slow but effective innings. The heads stayed up in the field, though, with plenty of chat spurring the bowlers on. OP, Gihan and Dale followed with the ball, with several close chances and shouts adding up to no wickets but not many more runs. With dark clouds accumulating, Ashgrove captain Chris Pine raised a few eyebrows when he suggested leaving the field due to lightning. Not entirely sure of his reasoning but keen for a break, the Rangers left the field, only for the heavens to open minutes later in a large downpour. This gave the boys a chance to clear their heads (and fill their stomachs) with the score on 0/96 off 37 overs. Nine maidens had been bowled up to this point, attesting to the tight bowling and sharp fielding we had displayed, with several diving efforts by Cody worth a mention.
The rain subsided, and despite a damp pitch and a few puddles, both teams were keen to get the game back underway (fortunately, a pile of woodchips next to the field served perfectly for soaking up the pools on the approach to the crease). The Lemmings may well regret the decision to come back out, as what was to follow was a collapse of biblical (that�s not blasphemy, is it?) proportions. The first fell at the hands of Gav, who still showed amazing control of line and length despite a saturated ball. At this point the score was 102.
The captaincy of Elliot then came to the fore, introducing comeback kid Bundy for his first bowl in many, many months. Let me tell you, he has not lost a yard of pace, and somehow combined this with inswing with a wet ball to rip through the Lemmings middle order. The first ball of his second over brought about a great stumping by Shandy, and the fourth clean bowled the other opener (beaten for pace I assume). The left-armers kept coming, with Chad introduced and picking up a wicket in his first over. He would go on to claim two more in his second over, including an incredible catch which had to be seen to be believed.
The batsman blasted the ball at cover (think OP but seven times the power) where Undies could do little more than bend an inch before the ball cannoned into his shoe�on the full. To everyone�s disbelief, it ricocheted upwards, ballooning back to the waiting hands of Gav at mid-off! Undies celebrated more than anyone, before realising that pain was imminent in the foot region.
Bundy claimed two more wickets, one bowled and one stumped in a fashion that had Gavin salivating at first slip � �I�ll dream about that tonight.� New man Dave then claimed the last two wickets, with Cody filling in for Mickey Baldwin in being due for the next over when the last man went. The Lemmings total was 137, bowled out in 54 overs � a terrific comeback by the Rangers.
This left a tricky half-hour batting session for our openers Gihan and Dave, which they handled comfortably, despite Cody�s audible squeals from the sideline as the next man in. The score finished on 0/30, with the Rangers in a great position to claim first innings points and hopefully get in the runs next week. I know I�m salivating at the prospect of a big innings�or maybe that�s because I can�t feel the bottom half of my face after wisdom teeth extraction�let�s say both.