vs Cambridge Assessment

The chance of a match seemed a distant dream on Monday, but Mother Nature intervened to delay the incoming storm. Perhaps next time we can request she delay it for a couple more hours?. It was dry, but not warm, and the sky was full of clouds. Nine brave men gathered at St Catherine’s College sports ground to take on the mighty administrators, the Sir Humphrey Appleby and Bernard Wooley of the exams world.

A lost toss resulted in Zoots batting first, in conditions that were challenging for batting and soon to deteriorate. Out strode Simon and Alex to begin the onslaught. And an onslaught it was for two overs, until a grass-cutter took out Simon’s wickets. Despite swinging the bat as Conan the Barbarian would swing an axe, Alex followed soon, and Zoots were 2 down. Captain Matt valiantly blocked and ducked, but he was soon heading back to the pavilion.

To stem the collapse Zoots sent out TV’s Bill Amos, and new man Anthony. With playing styles taken directly from the Geoffrey Boycott Encyclopaedia of how not to get out, these wily soldiers proceeded to defy the Exam’s bowling attack, frustrating the opposition ball after ball. However, this could not last forever, and both departed in quick succession.

With just a few overs to go it fell to Ullasa “I only score on the leg side” and Paul “I only score on the off side” to pile on the runs. Such a deadly combination flummoxed the opposition, making the setting of a field nigh on impossible. Scoring freely on the skiddy wicket, Ullasa pulled and hooked his way to a fine 20no, whilst Paul managed a decent 11 despite falling over more times than the entire Spanish team did in Euro 2012. Zoots posted a defendable 72 off their 20 overs.

 

Opening the bowling for Zoology was Captain Matt, and although the increasingly heavy rain and puddles did not slow him down, he was unfortunate not to take a wicket. At the other end, Paul’s straight and slow bowling proved deadly, and two of the finest bureaucrats in East Anglia returned to the pavilion.

 An over of sublime variation from Ullasa was punished by the opposition, who were closing in on victory. A change of bowling brought Anthony L. on, and a deceptively quick low full toss was edged and finely caught by the Zoots own Jonty Rhodes, diving to his right at Gully. Zoots were on a roll, could an unlikely victory be gained? Alas no, as a few quick singles and a 4 by the home captain brought the match to an end. Some fine individual performances did not bring a victory, but many positives can be taken from this match played in the rain.