After the disappointment of Saturday’s loss, we proceeded to Forbes Field in Delaware on Sunday.
Our captain won the toss and decided to bat. Allentown-Panthers almost always bat given the option.
I went out to open with a new opening partner since Negi was not playing. I started off shakily with a streaky edged 4 through thirdman. Interestingly, this outfield is perhaps the only one in the league where the ball would actually travel on the grass. Almost everywhere else it comes to a standstill after 35-40 meters. I then chipped one over cover and then worked a ball over mid wickets for 2’s. I never really settled down and although I got some more doubles courtesy mistimed drives and mistimed pulls. I soon got out after their opening bowler created some good pressure on me. This was a mental mistake I need to learn to avoid. He has bowled 2 good overs and was coming close to the end of his spell given the 90+ heat and 80%+ humidity. If I had seen that over off, I would have been greeted with far friendlier fare. As was the case, i tried to hit him on the up over long off and only succeeded to skying to mid off.
A thoroughly unconvincing 14 capping a rather miserable weekend with the bat.
The rest of our lineup kept chipping in with valuable contributions with no one playing the definitive knock till our strong opening bowler came to the party. He stormed to a 50 in what must have been less than 30 balls. Our end total was a very defendable 227.
Our opening bowlers created good pressure which led to wickets and once the spinners got in the act the match was safely tucked away. I bowled better than my 6-0-35-1 would suggest with lots of mistimed hoicks falling into gaps. The stars of the show were our orthodox left arm spinners who between them bowled 12-3-26-2. The match was effectively finished once I completed my spell, although the spoils of the good spells went to the fourth spinner. They were wrapped up for 133.
The scorecard tells the tale.
The more interesting event was in the aftermath of the game. The long simmering issues with captaincy and team selection came to the fore. Lots of things were said and much rancour and animosity was the end result of the affair. I sense the team will slowly but surely dissolve.
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