On a bright afternoon at the beautiful, vast expanse of the Tidworth cricket ground, a well balanced, fairly youthful Wiltshire Queries took on an energetic, confident Army Masters team in a reduced 35 overs match.
Under blue skies and on a decent looking pitch, the Masters had no hesitation in electing to bat but were superbly contained by some top class swing, seam and leg spin bowling. At drinks after 17.5 overs the score stood at 64-5, with wickets shared between all of the bowlers. Matt Huntley and Moses Diaso had opened, both bowling with good pace and great accuracy and claiming the first two to fall with an excellent slower ball deceiving a well set batter (caught by Tom Sutthery) and an emphatic removal of an off stump respectively. Tom then took the ball and in another quality spell removed first a Caribbean big hitter caught at slip (Tom Campbell) then most satisfyingly his father LBW for 1! Seb Woodford got in on the act with his high class leg spin, deceiving the second danger hitter into being well caught at long off by Adam Battisson.
The Masters regrouped after drinks, with Reagan McLean, brother of West Indies player Nixon, hitting some massive sixes but not before giving a couple of difficult chances, neither of which could be taken. With their opener timing the ball beautifully, the two of them put on 140 in 17.1 overs despite some decent bowling and supporting work in the field. They posted 203/5 in the allocated overs, with Kevin McDelling finishing on 98* and Reagan Nixon 67*. Pick off the bowlers was Tom Sutthery with 2/35 from his 7, but in truth everyone who bowled contributed and the fielding was tidy.
We needed a good start chasing a total many thought 20 better than par, and we got it! Adam ‘Stretch’ McNeilly got us off to a flyer, hitting boundaries straight and square with aplomb, before falling for 47 with the score on 74 in the 9th over. New player Morgan Smith, who had kept beautifully, consolidated as Adam Battisson and Tom Campbell fell in relatively quick succession. Drinks were taken with the Queries sitting at 102/3, perfectly placed. Morgan fell a few overs later, LBW for an important 48, leaving Simon Campbell and Seb Woodford together, needing 80 off 14 overs. The pair set about the task with efficiency and style, striking bad balls for 4 and finding wide gaps in the field for well run twos. Sadly Seb fell, caught at square leg (off what should have been a waist high no ball) for 25 with just 4 needed, leaving Simon (a delightful 56*) to hit the winning runs with 2 overs to spare.
A Queries victory against good opposition by 5 wickets! My thanks to all who played, including Edd S who switched sides and organised the opposition! Lovely ground, good track with over 400 runs from 68 overs, lots of high quality cricket, delicious teas and a great Queries win! Who needs football for a perfect Sunday!!!