2024-08-04_Jordan’s_Taverners
Match Data vs Jordan’s Taverners on 2024-08-04 at Coleshill (Season 2024)
- Result: LOSS
- Jordan’s Taverners: 249 for 5 from 40 overs
- Salix: 209 all out from 33 overs
- Game Type: 40 Overs Game (Salix Batted Second)
Report: Davski
New Salix, same outcome, but with promise of better
On a weekend of civil unrest around the country amidst demands to get our country back, from somewhere or other, for Salix it was off to one of our oldest opponents in the green belt just outside London. As I took my place at the start of the Jordan’s innings in the traditional old man fielding slot somewhere behind the wicket alongside CK at slip, there was plenty of time to reflect on whether this was really Salix. How did the other players become so young? Whatever happened to nicknames? At least our bowling first was the result of Captain Raj losing the toss, for some things must never change. Once upon many years ago, hard though it is to believe, CK and I were the promising bright young things of Salix. Enough of the phony nostalgia, it is good to have some new young players charging in to open the bowling and chase around in the field. A lot was needed on a high-scoring pitch.
Syed and Hadi, the latter in just his second appearance, opened the bowling really well and were unlucky their first spell yielded just one wicket with numerous near misses past the edge. Will’s keeping was excellent, but the top order did well with two of the top three passing 50, and just one difficult chance shelled by that rarity, the new player with a nickname, Prison Break. At drinks it looked like the home side might be on course for a 300-total, but to prove the value of experience, Raj and CK both bowled well to slow the scoring then combined to dismiss the two high scorers, and a couple of further wickets left us a total of 250 required from 40 overs, tough but with what looked like a deep batting order, achievable.
Tea was perhaps too good. Or the new players keen to fit in with the old Salix ways, for we managed to lose wickets consistently, such that eventually we would fall short all out, while actually on the run-rate. Mostly caught it had to be said, only Arsey making no start at all in one of his traditional brief knocks. But Raj, looking in great touch, was run out after a confusing exchange with otherwise promising debutant Chetan. From the sidelines it was hard to tell precisely who was calling and who was running, but it certainly wasn’t out of the coaching manual, and ended up in the skip having to leave the field. Thereafter a super knock from Hadi kept us in the game, and threatened any wildlife in the long grass around the pitch, but once he was out the game was soon up, yours truly the last wicket, inevitably another catch.
In truth though this was a fine game played in good spirit, 450+ runs scored, and a good team performance. A bit of the old Salix perhaps, in the result, but a lot of encouragement for the new.