1st XI v Yarlet Lost by 3 wickets

S. Anselm’s  69 all out  (23.4 overs)    Yarlet  70- 7 ( 24.2 overs)

Just when you think the season cannot get any worse after the poor performance the week before at Trent, it did. After losing the toss and being asked to bat, the team with few exceptions once again played the wrong shots and showed little application or fight. Eight batsmen lost their wickets by being caught, although Yarlet took some very good catches and their fielding was good, if the ball is hit along the ground one method of being dismissed is eliminated. At 40-9 all looked lost but David C and Luke T had other thoughts and they showed the other boys what could be achieved with determination and application and brought some respectability to the scoreboard taking the total up to 69 before Luke was bowled for 10, David remained unbeaten on 11. To stand any chance of winning the match the team had to bowl extremely well eliminating wides, no balls and byes and the fielding had to match the standards set by Yarlet. The team showed some real fight and reduced Yarlet to 30-5 at tea. Max H taking two wickets,  Jack H also took two with David C chipping in with one. After tea the team continued to battle with Jack H taking a further wicket and Luke T one. With Yarlet now 40-7 there was a sniff of a famous victory. But the fielding which had been good up to this point started to fall apart under the pressure with three opportunities of catches being missed and three misfields going for four. The Yarlet number 6 and 9 batsmen played well to score the remaining runs and S. Anselm’s lost by 3 wickets. A disappointing day, the difference between the sides was Yarlet’s fielding being superior and S.Anselm’s gave their wickets away hitting the ball in the air. The positives to be taken away was the bowling in general was good and the team battled to the end in the field. Everyone needs to practice hard and learn the lessons from the last two weeks when the performances have not been what is expected of a good team. I know what the team is capable of and they need to strive to reach the standards set at the beginning of term.

MAC