Other Matches Current Season

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May 3 vs Slimbridge away (tour)

First tour match and having won the toss, skipper Rob Tate elects to field first. the Slimbridge innings is truly remarkable for the fact that there is practically nothing that makes it remarkable in any way! No big stands, no big scores, no collapses, no dramatic acceleration or deceleration in scoring: 27-1 after 10 overs; 53-2 after 20; 90-5 after 30 and 149-6 at tea! Two wickets each for Graham Stride and the skipper is about all there is to say about it... except for Deano contributing 12 wides! Rob Foster and John Lowe give a solid start of 57 before Fossie is out for an accomplished 44. Runs accumulate rather than flow thereafter, Pete Rowson’s 39 and John’s 23 being the only other scores to top 20, but nonetheless the target is chased down with two overs to spare.

May 4 vs Frenchay away (tour)

In an act of incredible bravery, Kev Grainger is made captain for the day and promptly wins the toss. IBM, no doubt having got an early night and been through their morning training session, have the opposition 12 for 1 before a decent second wicket stand takes them to 59 without further loss. A mini-collapse sees the score stumble to 92-6 prior to an excellent 7th wicket stand of 61 which sets the foundations for a total of 166-8 after 40 overs. Two wickets apiece for Pete Croxson and Graham Stride but the star of the innings was undoubtedly wicket-keeper Pete Rowson with 3 catches and 2 stumpings. The IBM opening stand this time is 115, with Rob Foster contributing 60 and John Lowe on his way to 63 giving IBM a huge advantage. It wouldn’t be IBM without a wobble though as 115-0 becomes 120-4, but with only two more wickets falling, IBM get their second victory of the tour - a rare event indeed. With the previous evening’s preparations having gone so well, IBM prepare to repeat the performance once more!

May 5 vs Steeple Langford away (tour)

To Steeple Langford, a team we have played on tour once before. Curious playing a team on tour that are sufficiently far away for it to feel like a tour match, but who are actually in the same league as ourselves! John Lowe skippers this match, loses the toss and is put into the field. Graham and Matthew Stride open the bowling and Graham makes the breakthrough with the score on 30. The next breakthrough doesn’t come until the score is 143 as the home batsmen put the bowling to the sword. Despite no further significant stands, and a cameo 3-19 by Dean Lardner towards the end of the innings, Steeple Langford reach an imposing 212-7 at the interval. The in-form Rob Foster carries on where he left off, this time opening with Phil Stride and the third consecutive opening partnership of 50 plus sees IBM at 56-1. Despite batsmen getting starts, notably Fossie with 39, Graham Stride with 31 and Ryan O’Neill with 26, no-one manages to convert a start into a big score and as the overs start to run out so do the wickets, the last one falling on 161. One loss and two wins on tour but with some promising aspects being shown for the forthcoming season.

May 20 vs Brookfield School Staff at New Place (evening)

Our annual opportunity to give “teach” a good caning; this time on a pitch best described as polymeristic! Brookfield win the toss and elect to bat first in a reduced 18-over match. With retirements mandated on 25 (should bowlers be mandated to stop bowling after taking 3 wickets, I wonder?), turnover of batting is always going to be quick. Two batsman are thus retired while the bowlers plug on, top figures of 2-13 being returned by Paul Hawkins as the home side score 99-5 in the allotted overs. In return, IBM manage to keep the run-rate under control and with retirements from both Ian Blair and Pete Rowson and a handy 17 from Kunal Bhatia, the result rarely looks to be in any doubt. The winning runs come in the 16th over with only 4 wickets down - back to school for the opposition!

May 26 Andover 6-a-side tournament

It is with great regret that IBM had to pull out of this tournament at short notice - with too many people either away over the Bank Holiday, injured or working the available numbers dwindled at an alarming rate and it soon became clear that there was no chance of getting a squad out. Our sincere apologies to Andover for this, even though the weather probably forced cancellation anyway.

June 18 vs Raymarine, away (evening)

A cock-up to start off with as both sides think they are at home. Looks like it was our mistake as well! Sorry! IBM agree to bat first while all the players find their way to Farlington Rec. from New Place. Not a great start as IBM are 13-3 in the 5th over. Pete Rowson starts his innings gently with a 6 as he heads towards retiring on 27. Aided and abetted by Pete Croxson (retired on 30) and Kunal Bhatia (run out on 23), the score leaps from 27-4 to 121-5. A handy contribution of 22 from Matt Gleaves sees IBM post a total of 133, having lost 7 wickets along the way. The Raymarine batsmen never get into their stride, with scores of 2, 14, 0, 0, 3 and 0 from the top 6. The next pair pick up 48 runs between them to post a a total of 104-8 at the end of the 20 overs, Ian Blair having bowled an excellent spell of 3-11 off his 4 overs, skipper Croxson picking up 2 wickets as well. Victory by 29 runs!

July 2 vs Purbrook, away (evening)

Purbrook Heath has rarely been a happy hunting ground for IBM and today was to prove to be no exception. Although details from the scorebook are scant, Purbrook win the toss and elect to bat first - which their openers did for most of the next 20 overs. James White claims the only wicket as the home side amass 158-1, only Matthew Stride going at less than a run a ball. A steady start sees IBM at 35 without loss. A catastrophic collapse sees IBM at 37-5 just three overs later. Cameo innings of 24* from Taddy Williams, 23 from Ray Stanley and 22* from Kunal Bhatia gave the final score of 130-7 a ring of respectability, but in reality, IBM were never in it after the 8th over.

July 9 vs IBM Hursley, away (inter-site tournament)

Suffering similar problems to IBM South Hants, IBM Hursley withdraw well in advance of the game due to a serious shortage of players. As it happens it absolutely hammers it down with rain all day anyway!

August 6 vs IBM Hursley at New Place (inter-site tournament)

In an ironic mirror-image of the preceding fixture, IBM South Hants had to withdraw due to lack of players on this occasion, and as it happens there would have been a very high probability of the game being cancelled due to wet pitch conditions anyway! Regardless, we would like to offer our sincere apologies to IBM Hursley for failing to fulfill the fixture.