Bengal Tigers^{Cricket Club}

Despite what was quite possibly the Tigers’ heaviest ever defeat, I didn’t think that this was a bad effort for the first game of the season. The opposition were excellent, particularly at the crease and after a relatively methodical start they opened up to splay our attack to all parts of the ground. Coxy was back into the swing of things quickly though beating the bat outside the off stump on a number of occasions and both openers could have been dismissed if chances hadn’t fallen agonisingly wide of the field and debutant Shelley had managed to hold a difficult chance. The breakthrough finally came off Coxy when Rob Hannon took what is surely his best catch in what must be coming up for a half century of cricket sprinting round to his right in the manner of someone half his age and taking an exceptionally difficult chance right on the boundary. Charlie and Shelley both found some decent line and length but, by that stage, the batsmen were well and truly in so the runs were free flowing. Charlie did deservedly manage his first wicket of the season with a characteristically skiddy delivery that went straight through the batsman and clattered into the stumps though.

Matters weren’t helped by the fact that Danny I had to pull out at the last minute meaning that I had to bowl three overs - best described as unpredictable – good fortune and some great work from both Shelley with a catch and Coxy with a smart stumping gifted me two wickets but, by that stage the score was already past 150 and the result was a forgone conclusion. The batting effort was largely academic but the highlight was a very organised innings from T-Man recording his highest score from the Tigers of 26, including a broken bat - he will tell it was the result of his relentless cuts through the offside but the massive seam mark at the very top of the spleen tells it own story! In any event, I understand that a replacement is on its way from the sponsors… It was good to get Dobson to the crease on his debut and both Rob and I at least got a few balls in the middle with only Coxy not making double figures – he can take some comfort in the fact that he started last season slowly but still finished top of the averages.

All in all, I think that we all walked off as satisfied as you can be with 100+ run defeat in 13 overs… Hopefully next week will bring a closer contest and maybe even some points…

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A late arrival from Skips (again), meant that the match was reduced to 14 overs on a sunny but blustery evening at the home of (Tigers) cricket. We lost the toss and we put into the field. Coxy and Danjay were both quickly into their stride, Coxy opening with a maiden and two more tight overs, one of which produced a wicket and Danny bowling an excellent spell in which he was very unlucky to go wicketless having beaten the bat on countless occasions. New cap Jon took the gloves in order that Skips could bowl (we were a bowler short, again) and looked much tidier than his predecessor throughout the innings which included a smart stumping from a Rob Hannon delivery packed with flight and guile to deceive the batsmen. A rare straight one from Cook was greeted with an even rarer LBW decision from the opposing umpire and Coxy took another deserved wicket in the final over to leave him with his second best ever figures for the Tigers of 2-25. Wrong’uns finished on 104/4 without ever really having got going.

Fresh from leading the attack and the obligatory innings break Marlboro light, Coxy walked out to open the batting and cracked four fours from the first over. He continued in the same vein, flaying a lacklustre Wrong-uns attack to all parts on his way to an unbeaten 51 and a certain man of the match award. Rob was a little unlucky to be caught and bowled trying to hit out, bringing an in-form T-Man to the crease complete with new bargain basement bat. Ad continued where he had left off against London Tigers, playing very nicely for an unbeaten 23* and Dobbo provided swashbuckling support to be 10* as the Tigers cantered to their first win of the season with nearly four overs to spare. Next week against Norfolk Martians will inevitably be a tougher test and is a must win game if the Tigers have aspirations of bettering last year’s magnificent middle of the middle division mediocrity.

• Offical Report
• Scorecard

The Tigers’ third game of the season was against Norfolk Martians, a nice bunch of lads who had narrowly beaten us last year. The match was reduced to 14 overs for the third consecutive week as a result of a slightly tardy start and the overcast skies. Kev won the toss for the first time this season but his choices were somewhat limited by the fact that only 6 Tigers were present at scheduled start time so into bat they went. Coxy and Rob started well enough and were looking pretty comfortable ticking along at 6 or 7 an over when a head height leg-side beamer was followed by an entirely unexpected inswinging yorker to remove Rob just as he was looking to get after the bowling. That brought Danny I to the crease (Adam’s new bat in hand) and he played very nicely indeed for his 34*, at nearly two runs a ball and including a massive six to the biggest boundary in the park. Coxy is becoming more RB’esque by the week and his chanceless 51* was the glue that held the Tigers’ innings together – more than 100 runs in a week is fine effort. He retired in the penultimate over and a few dashed two’s and three’s between Imison and Cook took the Tigers total to a defendable 124/1.

Bowling conditions were not the easiest with a stiff breeze and an aging ball resulting in more swing that a Saturday night in New Orleans (*snigger*). Both Coxy and Charlie struggled a little in their first over before finding a decent line and length in their second. Noticing Coxy puffing a bit bowling up the hill (combination of some good running between the wickets and habitual innings break cigarette), Skips decided to give Danjay a bowl. Full of confidence from his batting exploits he bowled beautifully, keeping it tight and frequently beating the bat before the batsman finally clipped one and Jon took a comfortable chance for his first Tigers’ catch. At the other end, Charlie was also bowling very nicely and took 36 for 1 from his first three over spell. He was replaced by Cook who bowled his usual unpredictable mix-bag but could have had three wickets, a very tough dropped chance that didn’t stick in Jon’s gloves standing up, a plumb LBW that wasn’t given as their was a suspicion it had hit bat (the umpire later apologised for not giving it after the batsmen had complained to him that his toe was killing him whilst at the non-strikers’ end!) and, most amusingly, a catch that fell inches from Higgo’s grasp off a ball that bounced no more than 10 feet down the wicket… Martians were always behind the rate and by the time that Coxy and Charlie returned for the final two overs, something like forty runs were needed. Charlie bowled a cracking final over to finish his spell and the game looked out of reach as Coxy took the ball. He didn’t help the team’s nerves with four byes from an “effort ball” gone wrong but was probably unlucky to finish wicketless in the end. A good spirited game ended with a Tigers’ victory by 9 runs putting them in a good position to secure a place in the second division for the second half of the season.

• Scorecard

A match report will be written soon, please check back here later for details of the match. Please try the links below for more information.

• Scorecard

Under overcast skies at 6.15pm, the toss was won. A tough one to call, to be honest, as our team had been depleted by the absence of our three top bowlers (by economy rate). With that in mind, and with the long-awaited return of our top-order anchor, RB, the decision was taken to bat.

Turns out that decision may have been a poor one... with a wicket that was skiddier than a waxed ice rink, and with the ball swinging more than a group of drunken forty-something couples, batting was initially tricky. A stoic opening partneship saw off the worst of the new ball... and the not-so-friendly sledging of the 12 year old saffer wicket-keeper! With the batsmen trying to push on, it was inevitable wickets would fall. John, was the first to go, and Coxy followed a couple of overs later. RB and Charlie added some much-needed runs towards the end of the innings, however, a calamitous final over - which saw four wicket fall - curtailed our 'run-fest' to a slightly disappointing 85.

Our bowling was initially tight, and kept their openers reigned in. However, when the odd loose ball did appear, it was generally dispatched with relish. A capable bowling performance form our under-strength attack followed, highlighted with a stumping by Mark 'Dobbo' Dobson off the bowling of our returning hero / right arm pie bowler (delete as applicable) RB.

In the end, they reached their target with a couple of overs to spare, and our glorious defeat was topped off with a Champions League final, 'coke and hookers*' party at our absent skippers mansion... hoorah for weddings in Ireland!

Finally, a special mention for Mav... he will not only risk the wrath of the skipper upon his return, but stepped up for his first ever game of cricket, and fielded like a seasoned pro. Excellent work.

• Scorecard

A match report will be written soon, please check back here later for details of the match. Please try the links below for more information.

A match report will be written soon, please check back here later for details of the match. Please try the links below for more information.

Please accept my apologies if there are any errors in the scorecards of statistics that have been created. Please use the contact form to get in touch and I will update them as soon as possible. As the season progresses the accuracy of recording the statistics will improve and become more accurate. Please bear with us until that point.