Football tournament and cricket

Glen had a football tournament last weekend down at Potterne Park and his 6 a side team, the B team, emerged creditably from the league leading into the knockout stages but just failed on goal difference to go through. On a baking hot day they drew two games, won one and lost the other.

Cricket went well again yesterday with another win to keep us at least second in the table. Playing the 3rd placed team a close game was on the cards but Bashley took the initiative as they batted first. At 103 for just the 3 wickets off just twenty overs they were in the driving seat. John Driscoll proved the catalyst for a collapse which left them at 138 all out with 10 overs of their innings still remaining. I bowled just the 3 overs as a result of a groin strain which meant my contribution was just a catch taken at point.

I was not required to bat as Verwood madea very comfortable start and needed just 40 off the final twenty overs with seven wickets intact. A major slowdown followed along with the loss of four fairly quick wickets but Ali and Eric knocked the few remaining runs off quickly.

Looks like I'll have to give our Monday football a miss this week especially as there is a staff versus student football match after school onThursday.

Verwood storm to victory again

On Saturday we faced the challenge of Bransgore in the cricket and managed a fairly comprehensive five wicket win on the hottest day of the year so far. Unlike last week, we were put into the field first and found wicket taking difficult on a dry, flat pitch. The hosts managed to get to 186 for 6 wickets with my contribution being 7 overs for 23 but with no wickets.

The tone for our reply was set by Eric hitting a quickfire 19 before steady innings from Steve, John, Nick, Chris and Mark saw us hone for the loss of just five wickets and overs to spare.

No batting required this week.

Hard to beat but still losing

Thirty Plus, soon to undergo rebranding with a new sponsorship deal, the details of which are so top secret they must remain obscure a while longer, have one of the best defensive records in the league. Sadly, they also have one of the poorest scoring records meaning that even one goal against is regularly costing us the game or at least a point. That was the case on Monday after we suffered a one nil mauling.

The pressure was on from the start and large periods of play were confined to our half although the defence battled bravely to limit open chances. Simon was left exposed, oooh er missus, on few occasions and dealt with the goal threat with aplomb standing by his motto of going down early. One save deserves highlighting as he fell to the ground like a Canadian redwood to spread his frame and push aside a goalbound shot with a strong right hand. Like all the best goalkeepers, he did so whilst acutely aware of the oncoming forwards and ensured the ball went out in the general direction of safety.

Their goal came midway through the second half and left Dougie with little chance. Part of me is reluctant to admit that the opposition were a man down by this stage because it looks even worse. The referee, who seems to love us because we're no trouble, especially to the other teams, had taken sympathy on the battering we were receiving and made our plight easier by sending a player off. The effect was to make them angry and they celebrated the goal like world cup winners. Another part of me wants to admit this as there is a certain glory in being quite so poor. If you can't win, then you can at least be terrible. Somewhere in between is mediocrity as we don't want that. You can't chat about that in the pub afterwards.

As a result there is no need to update the scoring charts. I'm not sure their keeper saved a shot with his hands in the game and can recall just one save with his feet as he slid out to block an early chance. Glorious stuff!

Next week - how ou new formation is shaping up. There are still combinations we have left untried and the idea, I don't think the opposition will be reading this so I can let this secret out now, is that Kev will play up front while I slip into the hole behind.

Finally I should make it clear, everyone played well on Monday. We're just a little bit limited by age and pace. Matt I is playing very well in defence and the others did what they could well. We'd have walked this league ten, no five years ago! Maybe.

Even better than the World Cup

Thirty Plus have won a game after several weeks of heartbreak. We played the bottom side two weeks ago and were beaten 2 - 1 by a fitter, more committed team. Our goal came from a penalty by Kev although the ball had already been put in the net. The less said about the actual game the better.

Fortunately that win for the bottom placed team meant another side took over that distinction and we played them on Monday. It was a close run thing though and took a last minute goal from Kev to bring the points home.

We'd taken the lead early in the first half with a strike from myself which beat the keeper at the near post. With Dougie in goal we looked solid enough but his only error led to their equalizer as he kicked out at a ball when his hands might have been a better option.

The winner came from a throw in which Matt C played onto Dave in acres of space in front of goal. A loose first touch saw the ball taken a little wide but Dave adeptly swivelled to lash a shot across goal which the keeper only managed to push out into the path of Kev who scuffed a shot into the goal. It was literally the last kick of the game.

Dougie Dom Matt I Matt C Kev 1 (2) Dave (1) Iain 1 (6)

Verwood won at cricket again as well with a victory at Pylewell near Lymington. Fears about missing England's world cup opener proved unfounded as we won the toss and batted. Dan and I esconced ourselves in the clubhouse which provided cooling shade from the exhausting heat and did the scorebook with the TV on. We reported back to the rest of the team about what was happening but most of them weren't interested!

We batted well and scored 183 - 9. I batted near the end and faced one ball for a useful 0 not out leaving my average at 40. Their innings was a pretty good response but they were always behind the scoring rate. They were out in the last of their overs for 153.

My opening spell went for 16 from 7 overs but my return when they were seeking quicker runs near the end meant the gloss was taken off and I finished with 2 for 49 from 12 overs leaving my return as 9 for 120 this year.

Elm on tour

Murdina and Paul were up from Plymouth on a football tour with their successful under 14 side. They played three games with two wins and a draw against good opposition. The photos are from Winterbourne Stickland and show another hot day with the two sides contesting a close game which finished 1 - 0 to Elm.

Verwood move up to second

The result has left us in second place in the table, perhaps a reflection of the quality of opposition faced rather than our prowess. Playing Centurions, Verwood opted to bowl and looked to have the game sewn up early in dismissing them for just 98 on a scorchingly hot day. I took just the one wicket while Dan and Chris M both took four apiece.

What should have been a modest ask became quite a task when we slumped to 50 for 5 and then 57 for 6. Having come in with the score on 50 I was joined by Marc, and together we managed to see off the remaining runs quite comfortably as the second string bowlers came on and lacked much threat.

I'm not sure we will sustain such heights for long but what a contrast with last season!

Bowling 1 - 29 meaning I have 7 - 71 overall
Batting 21 not out meaning my average is now 40

Brownsea Island

We enjoyed a day out at Brownsea Island during half term having set out slightly late while I collected our new car. The weather held fair and we were treated to a great view of one of the red squirrels. I was busily searching through the tall pine tree tops scouring the horizon for sightings, when Glen just popped along and said there was a squirrel by the bins! Shows how much value I am as a tracker when my son casually comes across the squirrel while chasing around the trees in a blur of hyper activity.

The Canada Geese were out in abundance and kept visitors at distance with their fierce hissing. In contrast the peacocks and jackdaws were persistent in attempting to steal picnic food at every opportunity.

The other picture is of a common tern returning to its nest with a small fish. I took the photo while waiting for the ferry back to Poole.