3rd’s play on a left armers track!

Having had “issues” at the end of last season, the 3rd’s now in division 4 needed to get off to a good start to get back to where they rightfully deserve. Opening day of the season saw an away fixture at Warmsworth (home on the grounds man). With a similar looking team, if not stronger than last season, with all players available, a potential for early points looked good!
Nice day, nice weather, nice pitch.
Toss was lost and Warmsworth decided to give us a 1st bat of the season. Elliott Winter and Owen Bishop got off to a slow but steady start, on a wicket that looked generally low. By the 1st drinks after 15 over’s....the weather was so good, even in April!...message to push it along was noted and the run rate started to increase, until a communication breakdown saw Straws left stranded, run out for a grafted 17. This brought to the crease Angelo making his 3rd debut, looking promising again, for 2nd week running managed to come short running for a 2nd! 2 wickets down, both run outs. Up stepped the vice skipper, Edd Crafty Croft, who seemed to continue his form from end of last season and started to strike the ball to all parts. Bish eventually fell, bowled for a well earned 34. Simmo came in next, and was sent back by a slightly deaf umpire very quickly. The young Josh Varley entered, having prepared himself well on Friday night, took the attack to the Warmsworth bowling, slowly sucking the life out of them! An excellent partnership saw Crafty reach 50, and out soon after. Fiddler came in to support Varley, both scoring quickly, with Varley bringing up his 50 but exploding for a massive 6! A strong end to the innings, Varley not out 52, Fiddler not out 36, with a total of 208 for 5 at tea.
Good tea at Warmsworth!
Rob Shaw opened the bowling and was quick to remove an opener, bowled, starting off the display of left arm wizardry by Collegiate. This brought to the crease Warmsworth's best bowler, and turned out to be the best batsman too! Varley bowled well from the top end, with little reward and at least 2 chances not sticking to hand (maybe because he bowled right armed??). Goldberg had a brief spell, but struggled for rhythm....right arm bowler?? This then left both ends for left arm spin; Olli Pearson and Fiddler took control and became a personal batter who was the best left armer. Warmsworth had managed to creep to 91 for 1, the opener scratching around for 30, and all rounder at 3, making a decent 60. Fiddler stuck 1st removing the opener, soon followed by Tank taking 1 at the far end. 91 for 1 soon became 100 for 7, and the spin twins took middle order to pieces! Within a 16 over spell, Warmsworth had been reduced to their final wicket, both spinners having 4 wickets, with only 1 more to take! Tank thought he’d taken the glory with a 5 wicket haul, only for the umpire not to hear the snick. Fiddler came close next over, but Tank finished it off, bowling Warmsworth out for 121, Fiddler 4 for 27, Tank 5 for 32.
A strong start to what could and should be a very good season. Only farcical moment was during a very brief rain shower, when the umpires took it in turns to go for a larger coat, somehow have the covers put on, then drinks, and covers off, taking about 20 minutes with no cricket being played?! Hopefully not a sign of things to come this season.
1 week in....3rds joint top!