The 2nds opened their season with a losing draw at home to Budleigh.
Budleigh 2nd XI: 230/4 (Newing 85, Mattock 15-3-1-45, Robins 2-57)
Plymouth 2nd XI: 164/8 (Ferrao 68, K Barlow 33)
Plymouth (7 points) drew with Budleigh (15 points)
The 2nd team began with a losing draw at home, against newly promoted Budleigh Salterton. Although there were several issues arising from the game that need to be corrected over the course of the season, there were also some pleasing positives to take away from the game.
Tom won the toss and shrewdly elected to field. Immediately, chances were obtained by accurate bowling from Steve Mattock, but spurned by poor Plymouth catching. Tom himself dropped their opening bat at cover, and Ben dropped him shortly afterwards at mid-off. At the other end, Ben sprayed it around a bit with the new ball & was soon replaced by Charles Hill, who bowled a generally tight line. Steve Mattock clean bowled their right-handed opener to get the breakthrough, but Plymouth kept dropping chances; with wicket-keeper Phil Stephenson putting down at least two chances, slip Andy Ware spurning another, and Victor Kandampully and Steve Mattock dropping chances on the square-leg and mid-wicket boundaries respectively. Andy Ware did hold a good one at midwicket to redress his personal balance but it was too little, too late.
Due to excellent death bowling from Steve and Ben, Budleigh were restricted to 230/4; but it has to be said: if we had held our catches (7 clearcut chances missed), the score would have been radically different. It's not a matter of good or bad "luck"; catching (with the possible exception of some chances at slip/short leg/silly point) is inherently knowable and 100% the responsibility of whoever's under it, and the culprits had better whinge a lot less about doing catching practice at training, because there will be a lot of it if this continues. Having dropped one on a Saturday, I'll be there until my hands are red, and I hope you will be too.
To the batting, then: and Phil and Ben got us off to a good start until Phil inexplicably decided to play football and was adjudged LBW not offering a shot. Vic was disappointed to miscue a cut shot straight to wide slip off a spinner, and Andy Ware played a hideous heave and was caught at cover. Keith and Ben then salvaged the innings together with a sizeable stand. Keith played with considerable power allied to substantial maturity and good sense before being run out on 33. Ben showed some lovely touches of class and timing, playing with common sense and intelligence before finally getting out for 68.
We then turned our attention to getting the losing draw. Steve Mattock and Paul Butson were still there at the end at 164/7; but Paul brainlessly slogged the last ball up in the air for absolutely no reason to give Budleigh another bowling point at 164/8.
A disappointing start; but Ben F and Keith batted well, Steve and Charles bowled tightly without catching support, and Ben R bowled well in his 2nd spell.
The catching was our main bugbear; sort that out, and I confidently predict it will all come right soon.
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