2s Begin With A Win

Lindum 2nd XI started the new season with a comfortable victory over Market Rasen 1st XI on a glorious April Saturday at the LCG. The lineup included two new recruits... Jack McLagan, a wicketkeeper-batsman who joins us from our partner club in Australia, Plenty Valley CC. Jack enjoys a good knock with the bat on a Saturday, a cold pint of Strongbow Dark Fruits, nachos, and once had a near death experience while scuba diving in Thailand. The second new recruit, Jodie Cook, is the wife of new Club Captain Rob Cook. She has represented Notttinghamshire and England Women, and won the 2017 Kia Super League with Western Storm. So the newbies have fairly similar CVs. Anyway, skipper Ollie won the toss and elected to bat on a slightly green April deck, but what else are you supposed to do when the sun's out?! It was looking like a dodgy decision early on, as Aidan, Ollie and Jodie all fell cheaply early doors to leave Lindum 21-3. A much needed fourth wicket stand of 50 between the overseas-ish pair of Jack and the balding Grant Watkins steadied the ship for Lindum, before the Aussie was bowed for a commendable and solid debut score of 39 (commendable = bottled a 50). Grant shared another stand of 50, this time with Max, who hasn't eaten since the final game of last season, before the former was bowled for 55. 124-5. Max then slapped a few fours and tried to slap another but was bowled for 43, before a very useful partnership of 40ish between Mr Angus Darcy and Mr Sean Dyche (Dan Taylor) took Lindum close to 200. DT was bowled for 16 with the score on 196, before Harry Wells, batting with a plank of wood he'd picked up off his work site Friday evening, was caught for one. Angus holed out for 39 and Ted was caught for five to leave Lindum all out on a very defendable 210.

A cracking tea, courtesy of the Cooks (pardon the pun), was demolished before Lindum took to the field to defend their total. Openers Jordan Peters and Angus started well as the Rasen batsmen played loosely, with several aerial shots somehow evading the fielders in the early stages. The breakthrough was made as a leading edge off Gus found its way to Ollie at mid-off who gobbled up the chance like a slice (or 12) of watermelon at tea. 14-1 became 29-2 shortly after as the number three chopped a half-volley from Gus onto his stumps, and Lindum were in the driving seat when Gus clean bowled the dangerous captain to make it 33-3. Gus got his fourth when a 'plumb-as-plumb-can-be' (maybe) LBW decision was given, but his chances of a second career ten-fer were stolen from him as Grant produced a sharp piece of fielding at square-leg to run out Rasen's number six. The fact that the umpire gave the decision from somewhere in the vicinity of deep cover is a mere sidenote which shall be severely glossed over. Anyway that left Rasen in a spot of bother at 39-5, which became an absolute splodge of concern when the aggressive and very chatty opener was caught behind for 19, handing Gus his fifer and Jack a first catch in Lindum colours, which are the same as any other cricket team's colours; white. Meanwhile, Jordan was toiling away at the other end to no avail as Gus took all the limelight. So it was time to see what the England Women rep and Kia Super League winner and expert tea producer had to offer. She was given the nod, and what a nod it was. First ball, left arm spin around the wicket, drifted in towards the batsman, before gripping, turning and bouncing, and flicking off the batsman's edge towards DT at slip. Time froze as the ball looped towards his hands in slow motion, before he grasped it like a bar of chocolate from the confectionery aisle in Aldi to spark jubilant scenes on the field. 41-7. Gus got his sixth with a stunning caught and bowled which he COULDN'T BELIEVE HE'D CAUGHT (in a very high pitched voice), before Jodie got her second and third Lindum wickets to bowl Rasen out for 94 and hand Lindum the comfortable and much deserved victory.

An excellent performance all around and a great result to start the season - the standards have been set!

UTL