Detail: 28-06-2023 - Putney T20

Result: Won by 12 runs
Match report from the T20 - Still some match fees to be paid

The joys and despairs of Blues match managing was all to witness for Jack this week. Starting out the week on 15 and struggling to keep all Blues happy he requested multiple times for spreadsheets to be updated and make sure you're available. Unfortunately, this was met with lots of white noise, so 11 were chosen with four twelfth men.

Come Tuesday morning, all standbys were in the team and no 12th man could be found. Fingers crossed for no more mishaps.

Lo and behold the lunchtime text of "not going to make it mate, apologies" made the match manager end his lunch pint early and get back recruiting. Luckily Hamish Fyfe is desperate for some runs and keen to get his opportunity against Putney CC.

With 11 Blues all arriving on time, and with great surprise there was the birthday boy James Leworthy neither late / half cut / hungover, a man of his word. Maybe he will mellow in his old age.

With the toss won, Jack and Ed Jenkins went out to the middle to try and get the Blues off to a flyer. Ed almost as desperate as Fyfe for some runs as he can't dine of his 88 against Latchmere all season asked to open to give himself time to get in. With 3rd ball crushed to the boundary for 4, it was a sign of things to come.

Jack and Ed enjoyed the aggressive Putney field allowing them to get full value for their runs. With some hard running they quickly made their way to 50 off 5 overs. As the runs continued to flow, they settled into some good cricket and thought 180 would be a good total. Whilst trying to rotate the strike, Jack missed a straight one that tickled his leg stump and back he went. 78-1 off 8. A good start.

Ed continued with the James L, and quickly made his way to the 40s. Clearly trying to get to his 50 in style Ed was caught and back in for a well made 46. Next came the usual Blues middle order collapse, led by Harry Jenkins, who described his innings as 3 balls, two played very well, and then missing a straight one. Triggered by Glenn Moore LBW. Hamish Fyfe came in, with what can only be described as patchy form, having played one of the best Blues knocks in years on tour he's followed that up with a duck in Barnes (I'm sure James Howe's match report will be coming soon). Unfortunately for Fyfey, he's been getting some absolute jaffers and Wednesday was no different, top of off stump, an absolute seed.

Simon came in and ran well with Jimmy until some comical Blues running with 3 or 4 hesitations and he ran out the birthday boy. Saving grace was he knew he then had to buy a jug after the match, and he bloody loves beer.

Tom Beck came in and looked assured with some excellent cover drives and then some immaculate timing through the leg side. He ran hard with Simon until succumbing in true blues fashion by missing a straight one. Always welcome back with that performance!

With the tail suitably wagging the Blues ended on 137. An excellent bowling and fielding performance would be needed.

Chellis and Glenn take the new ball, albeit a pink one with no seam that Glenn was not particularly pleased with. What followed was a couple of beamers from each of them first up blaming the lack of seam and grip. I thought it might've been Chellis' back after carrying the blues batting on Sunday.

Starting over very tidily, Chellis got a wicket in his second over, you miss I hit. He's chasing Glenn in the bowling awards. Jack decided a two over stint was enough for each bowler to keep the batters guessing. Lewis Hillman and Vez came in to keep the scoreboard pressure and try and make the batsman play. Lewis found some excellent line and length and was unlucky with some play and misses.

Lewis got his first blues wicket thanks to an excellent catch from Simon on the boundary. The aussie bat had previously parked Glenn back over his head and into a nearby garden, and he went again, this time for Simon to run in and out again and take an exceptional catch by the rope.

This was a feature of the blues fielding performance which was of the highest of quality. James Leworthy patrolled the boundary expertly and saved countless runs from going for 4, back up by Eddie J finally taking a two-handed catch now that his left-handed wrist injury is better (might be something to do with the girl he's seeing?!).

Having had a middle order collapse, Jenks senior and Fyfe admirably put their hands up to bowl a couple to make sure it wasn't a wasted Wednesday. Fyfey bowling some excellent tweak managed to pick up two wickets with a couple of good catches from Harry Jenks and Tom Beck.

Vez having been brought back on had a couple of harsh wide decisions but came back with a Jaffer that was snaffled by Jack keeping (luckily the only thing he caught all day).

Jenks and Fyfe squeezed the life out of the game in the 17th and 18th over, going for 4 and 2 runs respectively and taking a wicket.

Chellis had 20 to defend of the final over and just bowled classic line and length to make the batsman work hard, no easy runs. The blues eased to an unlikely victory winning by 12 runs.


Allez the Blues.

[updated 04 07 2023]