So close and yet………

With the committee suffering a surfeit of players a selection was made to produce a team of truly great warriors, or fairly aged Pelicans a few running youths and a debutant from Gods own County Yorkshire, who as we all know not only would have been first on Gold medals in both the summer and winter Olympics if it was a Country, but actually has the best of everything possibly going.

With the toss once again lost the Pelicans were asked to bowl.

The opening batsmen looked pretty useful and set off at a fairly decent pace until Toobes managed to get the number two to lob one up for Asad who produced an absolute worldie if indeed a worldie was a gentle lob to a five year old. This brought in number three batsman who decided slapping any old shot was the order of the day thus ruining what had been half decent figures for Toobes. meanwhile Josh toiled and produced some of his finest bowling display for a return of nothing which felt just wrong, having said that he was bowling when the opening bat decided to take a second run off Asad’s arm, cue a rocket coming in at 200mph and Yusuf removing the bails with him 30 yards out.
Both Josh and Toobes were put out to grass after 6 overs apiece with the Fiddlers on 68 and looking comfortable.

Coming into bowl after Josh and Toobes was the Mighty Amir and the Debutant Charlie who I don’t know if I told you is from Gods Own County and if indeed it was a country, it has more diamonds and precious metals than any other country in the world.

Amir bowling his customary on the button overs soon had the Fiddlers in all sorts of trouble and soon took his first caught and bowled for the Pelicans, this was soon followed by another ball which was dollied up to Toobes, in all honesty an even easier catch than Asad’s.

Meanwhile from the other end Charlie, who is from Gods own County Yorkshire, which indeed if it was a country would have more endangered big cats than any other country in the world, took the ball with the gusto one would expect and produced a bowling display of both accuracy and incredible meanness, again it didn’t take Charlie long to finally take his first pelican wicket as he bowled the number three bat.

After 7 overs apiece Amir 2 for 28 and Charlie 1 for 15 were removed to make way for the big guns, The Mightier Adam and Even Mightier Jaffa.

It has to be said that it wasn’t Jaffa’s day as the Fiddlers took a bit of a liking to his bowling indeed the Fiddlers took a bit of a liking to Adam’s bowling as well but he did manage to remove two of their batsmen, a bit of a Khan double act with Yusuf removing the number 7 bat and Raheel the number 8, a truly stunning catch taken as he was running backwards one hand up in the air and holding it, unbelievable catch.

Jaffa finished his spell, a lot of toil for no return, Adam similarly finished his spell but with two wickets to his name.

Finishing the game off we had Raheel and Josh.

Josh finally got his just rewards for his efforts and took three wickets, two bowled and one caught by Charlie who I don’t know if I told you is from Yorkshire, which if it was a country would have more palm trees than any other country in the world.

Raheel from the other end bowled his usual run savers and with Josh brought the Fiddlers innings to an end with them posting 217.

With tea served it was time for the Pelicans to respond.

Opening as usual was Asad and Raheel. Things looked good as our two superheroes took to the Fiddlers bowling with a certain relish, unfortunately having come off a record breaking score last week Asad could not repeat the feat and was bowled for 18, in all honesty a pretty good ball.

Raheel meanwhile was in imperious form and took to the bowlers with all the precision of a surgeon undertaking a Spinal Osteomyelitis on a dwarf, and in no time moved comfortably past his 50.
Following Asad out to the wicket was Josh who in a very un-Josh like way didn’t get his first 4 until after 13 deliveries, having said that once he had found the boundary there was no stopping him as he slapped smashed 4s and 6s, unfortunately this couldn’t last and he to was bowled but this time on 39.
Raheel as ever continued on and was joined by Ali, now I say joined but to be honest one quick visit to the toilet would have resulted in you missing Ali’s performance as a pumped up Ali went for a second run which would have been there if he was 30 years younger and had the legs of Usain Bolt.

With Ali departing Raheel was joined by Yusuf a great father and son combo. Unfortunately the sight of younger Khan didn’t quite push on older Khan as he was finally dismissed for a very respectable 79, as ever a great innings.

Yusuf was now joined by non other than Charlie who I don’t know if I told you is from Yorkshire which if it was a country has more planets orbiting it than any other country in the world
Now we know Charlie could bowl and field but could he bat, the answer was yes, as the youth of Yusuf and Charlie saw quick singles being taken and then 4s and 6s. With the Fiddlers score getting ever closer victory was a very real possibility.

As ever with confidence comes a fall as Yusuf succumbed for a very quick 15, again bowled by a decent ball, Charlie meanwhile was joined by Jalil. Now it must be said that as we all know Jalil is no fan of slow bowling, luckily for Jalil there wasn’t any available, instead the bowling went beyond slow as up they went, Jalil waited, it still went up, Jalil lit a cigar, it continued up, Jalil nipped to Chesham for a chicken piri piri , Jalil came back wandered out to the wicket ready for the first bounce. It was inevitable that the worst would happen and after 7 runs and Jalil visibly ageing he finally fell.

Charlie was now joined by Amir who in his lugubrious style batted a few back and then casually launched a 6 until he fell LBW with the score on 201, I would like to say Amir took the decision well, I would be lying he was not happy.

This brought Toobes out to join Charlie, unfortunately this partnership only lasted a couple of runs as Charlie was bowled for again a very respectable 25, but the score said 203.

Toobes was joined by Adam and singles were the order of the day as all the Fiddlers fielders peppered the boundary, with the score on 213 the Pelicans were closing in on victory, as ever this usually means disaster is about to happen as Adam was bowled and then Jaffa to was bowled leaving the Pelicans on 213.

A great match and some notable performances.

Yusuf as ever kept wicket very well even with Asad’s rockets, Raheel as ever calmness personified, Charlie a great debut and Adam whose notoriety was that the ball seemed to follow him and similarly evade his arms, legs or indeed any other part of his body thrown at it.

Reports are intended to convey an entertaining picture of the day’s play. No disrespect is meant, but if on occasion we misjudge matters, please take it in the friendly and humorous spirit in which it is intended.