By Garreth Duncan

Our return to last year’s mini-tour destination produced a similar thumping defeat, though this time we competed for a long time with the ball before folding dismally with the bat.

Having prepared for the game in true Allstars manner with a hearty Sunday lunch at the excellent Samuel’s Rest pub, we started brightly as Chadders bowled Rob Sanders in his second over, and my colleague Chris Mitchell quickly followed up by bowling the dangerous Ross Bullard next over.

Last year’s centurion Nick Jennings was looking in ominous touch before being surprised by Tristan’s quicker ball to leave Shedfield at 54 for 3. Shedfield captain Alex Tudge was beginning to find his range when Vivek Seth pinged back his stumps, and keeper Whitfield hit some crunching boundaries down the ground before being deceived by my googly.

But we couldn’t find a way past opener Flynn’s defences, and Shedfield showed their batting depth as Luke Douglas hit a brutal fifty to take the game away from us as Shedfield closed on 242 for 5.

Tristan and Jon Hautot began our reply coolly, but both were dismissed by Adam Hughes to set a woeful batting collapse in motion. Simon Davies looked in good touch before marking his debut in the traditional Allstars manner, being run out in a crazy mix-up with friend and fellow debutant Ray Mead.

Thereafter the innings subsided like the proverbial sack of potatoes as Shedfield’s bowlers all took the opportunity to improve their averages, Chris being the only player to reach double figures.

An early trip to the pub beckoned, just in time to catch the latest World Cup game. My local side must love playing the Allstars.

Scorecard

Shedfield CC v St Anne’s Allstars CC, Sunday 13 June 2010
Recreation Ground, Shedfield
Weather: sunny and warm.
Toss: Shedfield.
Format: time (second innings of one hour plus 20 overs)
Debuts: S.R. Davies, R. Mead, C. Mitchell, M. Thornber.

Shedfield

N Flynn not out 71
R Sanders b Chadwick 2
R Bullard b Mitchell 4
NR Jennings b T Haddow-Allen 14
*A Tudge b Seth 25
†J Whitfield b Duncan 20
L Douglas not out 51

Extras (10b, 1lb, 37w, 7nb) 55

Total (35 overs) 242-5 dec

Fall: 1-14 (2), 2-22 (3), 3-54 (4), 4-129 (5), 5-161 (6)
DNB: A Hughes, B Hughes, O Iqbal, M Jennings.

Bowling:

Mitchell 7-0-42-1
Chadwick 8-1-47-1
T Haddow-Allen 7-0-32-1
Seth 7-0-45-1
Duncan 4-0-34-1
Thornber 2-0-32-0

St Anne’s Allstars

TAR Haddow-Allen c&b A Hughes 8
†J Hautot b A Hughes 9
SR Davies run out 4
R Mead b A Hughes 2
C Mitchell b Bullard 20
M Thornber b Tudge 0
N Chadwick b B Huges 5
RJ Stephenson b Tudge 0
*GA Duncan b Tudge 0
V Seth not out 5
MJC Haddow-Allen b Sanders 0

Extras (3b, 1nb, 9w) 13

Total (22 overs) 66

Fall: 1-20 (1), 2-23 (2), 3-28 (3), 4-43 (4), 5-50 (6), 6-60 (7), 7-61 (8), 8-61 (9), 9-65 (5), 10-66 (11).

Bowling

Iqbal 5-0-8-0
A Hughes 7-1-26-3
M Jennings 3-1-12-0
Tudge 3-0-8-3
B Hughes 2-0-8-1
Bullard 1-1-0-1
Sanders 1-0-1-1

Result: Shedfield won by 176 runs.