Doctor Injects Life Into Academy Batting

A very youthful side made their way to Market Rasen, well eventually, as when the game started we only had six players on the ground!

Charlie Portlock opened with Jon Begley and the pair were making good progress until young Charlie mistook old man Beggers for Usain Bolt as a run out saw us lose our first wicket. Young Sam Nuttall strode to the crease and he and Charlie batted expertly on a difficult pitch against an experienced bowling attack. Sam got into double figures for the first time this season which surprises me for a batsman with such obvious talent. They both fell by the wayside as some tight and downright mean straight bowling wore them down in the hot sun. Harry Lewis went in four and lost his wicket after his customary couple of lusty blows. This brought Nabil, yes he did manage to finally find the ground, and skipper Kempton to the crease. Buoyed on the by the catcalls of the home crowd the skipper repeatedly attempted to either late cut the ball and miss it or kick the ball away (employing the Boulton never gives out on the front foot tactic). The pair put on 34 before Kempton fell for a very well constructed twenty three ball duck.

Eshan and Mr Alan then frustrated for a short while before following suit. Gautum and the diminutive but always smiling Dhruv held on to leave us 92-9 (all out) in our last over. Special mention to Nabil who played some truly beautiful shots and if you thought his 41 was impressive just imagine how many he would have got if he had a sat-nav that worked and opened like he should have done!

The skipper, desperate to bring back some credibility with the home fans, decided to open with spin. Gautum and Dhruv wove their magic spell, taking a wicket apiece. Kempton then came on to leave the game finally balanced at 46-3 with three of Rasen's big guns in the hutch. Sadly an injury to Harry behind the stumps led to the resident Dr Finlay attending to him and banishing him to boundary fielding with some heavy strapping saying all was OK. Kempton donned the gloves but with ten men and with one of those injured with what is later found out to be a broken finger (good diagnosis Dr No!) the brave Academy team fell by the wayside in the scorching July cauldron of Rase Park.

There was time though for Jon Begley to end up on a hat trick! Still seething from mini Brett Lee running him out, he steamed in down the hill, hair flowing gloriously in the early evening Rasen breeze. At 92-3 and scores tied Beggers sent the home changing room into panic with two wickets in two balls. A huge LBW shout on the third ball was turned down #BoultonFrontFootRule

Alas it was not to be. What a team effort with just ten men against a very experienced home team who were in no mood for charity to this young Academy side.

Onward and upwards. Waddington away........Ted Robinson you're boys are going to take one hell of a beating!