Verwood fail again

Having missed last week's game due to visit to Yorkshire, cricket was on the agenda again on Saturday. With one win from four games and a match against the bottom placed side, victory was of paramount importance but it was not to be as too many players failed to contribute, something that has happened far too frequently this season.

We were at Exbury in the New Forest on a lovely warm day and were put into bat but were quickly in trouble. It was the first time this year Exbury had put out a full side and it showed with the return of two fast bowlers who bowled well on a difficult pitch. By the time I made it to the crease we were already 8 wickets down for just 67. The next two wickets helped put on a further 57 runs to leave us at 124 all out but almost all of those runs came from the new player, Jerry, was ended in the fifties not out after 3 towering sixes. My contribution was to hang around which I did for 4 runs before falling to an appalling lbw decision. The ball hit me at the top of the thigh and was going miles over but the finger went up. I know everyone complains about being out but it was a dreadful decision in every way.

We felt we were still in with a shout but the pitch settled a bit and ball got softer and batting became easier. I managed to get 3 for 30 in my overs but they ended with just 4 wickets down in reaching their target to leave Verwood very much in trouble with three teams being relegated at the end of the season. We're going to have to improve a good deal between now and the end of August.