May 8 vs Woodgreen at IBM Hursley

Winning the toss, skipper Stride opts to put the visitors in to bat first. A modest start and the first wicket falls on 33 in the 9th over.  66-2 in 18 and then the 3rd wicket falls in the 21st over with the score on 91. An amazing 4th wicket stand ensues where out of a total of 111 the incoming 5th batsman contributes only 13 runs. When the opening batsman is finally out in the 36th over, he goes for 139 having inflicted mortal damage to the IBM bowling. The remaining batsmen see the innings out for 258 - Simon Martin with 3-35 and Mel Rayer with 2-40 are the pick of the bowlers.  IBM’s reply does not get off to the best start with the top 5 being back in the hutch for 25 and it never really improves. The home side capitulate for 69 off a modest 19.3 overs and receive a crushing 189 run defeat.

May 15 vs Hyde at IBM Hursley

Hyde win the toss and having viewed the wicket decide to bat first.  In the 6th over, with the score on 33-0, they probably think that they have made the right decision. A good spell from Phil Stride with support from all the other bowlers rein Hyde back and IBM eventually get right on top of them - a captain’s performance from Phil of 4-28 restricts the visitors to 124.  Always guaranteed to make a game of it, IBM are 46-4 after 12 overs, but an unbeaten 49 from Pete Rowson and 27 from Simon Martin in support see IBM home for the loss of 5 wickets. 50% record after two games - could be worse!

May 22 vs Langley Manor II, away

A trip along the M27 sees IBM visiting Langley Manor.  The home side win the toss and elect to bat first.  A long afternoon ensues where, despite the best efforts of the bowlers, little goes for them.  The first wicket falls to a catch by Josh Jayes off Kev Gledstone’s bowling with the score on 79 and the only other wicket falls 62 runs later, the other opener being trapped LBW by Mel Rayer. With the 42 overs completed, the score is 224-2 - a challenging but achievable target. Rob Tate immediately gets off to a flyer, scoring 37 in the first wicket stand of 47 on his way to 53, but is out when the second wicket falls on 69. Neil Haworth picks up where Rob leaves off and gets IBM into a very strong position with a useful 40. A middle order wobble sees the total go from 143-3 to 159-7 in the space of four overs and the momentum is lost.  Despite a bold recovery from Andy White (25) and Josh Jayes (10), there is just a little too much left to do in too little time.  IBM fall a mere 16 runs short when all out with three balls of the innings unused.  A good game of cricket, but not the result that was desired.

May 29 vs Compton & Chandler’s Ford at IBM Hursley

Weather! Wet variety! No play.

June 5 vs Fawley II, away

On the road again, this time to the edges of the New Forest. The home side win the toss and elect to field first.  Rob Tate and Steve Haslett get off to a flyer, 37 coming up in the first 5 overs. The pace steadies a little and two wickets in two balls takes the score to 48-2. The progress is steady thereafter, with runs coming reasonably easily, but there are no big stands and no-one pushing beyond Pete Rowson’s top score of 35.  At 151-9, a below-par score beckons, but Andy White and Matthew Stride push on putting 44 on for the last wicket to end the innings on a respectable 195. Tea taken, Fawley start the run chase and score steadily, if unspectacularly.  Crucially though, the IBM attack fails to get a breakthrough until the score is on 86 in the 19th over. Two further quick wickets restore balance to the proceedings before the home side put on another decent stand, broken by Mel Rayer - in a spell of 3-47 - to take the reply to 138-4 which quickly becomes 140-5.  The next wicket is elusive though, and when it finally falls, there are 6 overs left in which to score 25 runs with 4 wickets in hand. Despite the best efforts of the bowlers, no further wicket is forthcoming and Fawley notch up the win with 13 balls remaining.

June 12 vs Sway at IBM Hursley

A first-ever fixture against Sway - the opposition winning the toss and electing to field first. Steve Haslett is out early, but with Rob Tate (51) and Neil Haworth (43) at the crease, a big partnership of 97 follows. 118-2 becomes 121-4 and the momentum of the innings is lost. Failing to take full advantage of the overs, IBM are all out for 174 in 37.5 overs, Sway’s opening bowler returning the highly-commendable figurer of 8-4-14-5. On a decent Hursley track, 175 is a realistic target, but IBM take early wickets to put the pressure on the visitors. Two 50 stands sees Sway in the box seats at 139-4 before a top bowling performance of 3-13 by Phil Stride, supported by 3-37 by Mel Rayer dash their hopes, leaving them 9 runs short when Kev Gledstone cleans up the last wicket - despite being hit for two 6s earlier in the over.  Another close game and a much-needed second win for IBM.

June 19 vs Hamble ASSC II, away

IBM win the toss at Folland Park and elect to field first on a hot afternoon.  Yet again, early wickets are elusive, the score being 108-1 off the first 26 overs. Pressing on, the home side inevitably lose a few wickets in the latter stages of the innings, Kev Gledstone picking up 3-41, Phil Stride and Andy White picking up two wickets each as the opposition reach 187-8 off their 42 overs.  In reply, the IBM innings never really gets going - batsmen get starts and then get out - Haslett 20, Rowson 25, White 21, Rayer 23, but no-one pushes on with a decisive innings.  The wickets fall too frequently and too cheaply and in the end IBM fall well short, losing by 54 runs.

June 26 vs Nomansland at IBM Hursley

Playing Nomansland away from their errr... ground for the first time, skipper Stride wins the toss and elects to bat first.  A steady start opens up proceedings - the first wicket falling at 56 in the 11th over, Steve Haslett having contributed 5! Debutant Prithvi Hebbar came to the crease and plays a solid supporting role as Rob Tate works his way to 100 yet again.  The middle order all provide valuable runs - Prit, Pete Croxson and Andy White all getting on the right side of 20 and with that valuable second top scorer (Mr. E. Xtras) contributing 34 runs, the home side score a decent 255-8 at the end of the 42 overs - IBM’s 9th highest ever League total. Nomansland’s innings starts off badly with the first two wickets falling with the score on 15.  A modest recovery to 56-2 is undone by the next two wickets falling without further addition to the score, before this curious stop-start innings regains momentum with a stand of 59 for the 5th wicket.  From 115-5, two more wickets fall before the score reaches 148, before a final rally takes the total to 213-7 at stumps. As usual with the current, restrictive bowling regulations, the wickets are spread around with Andy White and Mel Rayer bagging two apiece. A good, much-needed victory to keep IBM away from the relegation zone.

July 3 vs Calmore Sports II, away

A first visit to Loperwood Park and winning the toss, and with a shortage of bowlers, the ever-controversial Phil Stride elects to field first.  Phil himself, and Kev Gledstone open and this sees Calmore’s wickets falling at 0-1, then 19-2 and 26-3. With the bowling having the upper hand, Phil elects to keep the bowling unchanged, but the early successes don’t translate into a cascade of wickets. Equally, there is no cascade of runs either. Half way through the innings and the score is 56-5 with Steve Haslett and Mel Rayer now bowling.  At 66-6 in the 23rd over, IBM are looking at dismissing the opposition cheaply. However, in the bowling equivalent of a middle-order collapse, over 100 runs are put on for the next two wickets and with Pete Rowson coming out from behind the wickets to bowl two overs, the upper hand is lost.  Calmore reach 180-8 in their allotted overs - Phil, Kev, Mel and Steve all picking up two wickets each.  Any thoughts of running away with a victory are soon dashed as the early part of the IBM innings reflects Calmore’s - 1-1, 17-2, 18-3 and 32-4 - all in the first 11 overs. A smattering of maidens helps keep the score down and IBM struggle to get the innings started - batsmen get in; batsmen get out.   Only Asif Raza, Nick Ross and Mel Rayer get to the right side of 20 and the innings tails off to end on 151-9 - 30 runs short of victory.

July 10 vs Trojans II at IBM Hursley

Phew, what a scorcher! The visitors win the toss and decide that it is best to be out on the field only two at a time.  Andy White and Kev Gledstone open the bowling and get off to a tight start with only 5 runs coming from the first 4 overs.  Unfortunately the next 4 overs yield 33 runs as Trojans’ batsmen seize the initiative.  The skipper brings himself on and then son, Graham, but fail to make inroads as Trojans build successive stands of 52, 54, 37, 7 and 58 to take them over the 200 mark. A late flurry of 3-41 by Steve Haslett gives a slight air of respectability to the bowling, but all in all it’s a batsman’s afternoon with the total making its way to 245-7 in the 42 overs - only 9 of those runs being conceded as extras.  With quite a total to chase IBM need to get off to a flyer, but instead only score at 2.4 an over for the first 10 overs, losing one wicket in the process.  There is a modest improvement to 4.2 runs an over by the 20th over but by then, 6 wickets have fallen leaving the remaining 5 batsmen to score at nearly 7.5 runs an over for victory.  Leading the charge is Nick Ross with 63* as the lower-order batsmen give it a fair shot, but the wickets keep on falling and in the end the task is too much, Kev Gledstone being last man out with the score on 193 with just under 6 overs left. It could have been quite an interesting finish if Kev had got his eye in early. As it is, IBM stumble to their 6th defeat of the season and now sit perilously close to the relegation zone.

July 17 vs Sarisbury Athletic III, away

To the green at Sarisbury - perhaps the only ground in the league where the pavilion is the opposite side of the road from the pitch.  Skipper Stride wins the toss and elects to field first. Openers Andy White and Graham Stride keep the runs down nicely without making the vital breakthrough.  Roland Barnard, making his first appearance of the season, and Mel Rayer keep the pressure on and as Roland bags the first 3 wickets, IBM are looking good with the score restricted to 88-3 after 28 overs.  Whilst Sarisbury lack runs, they still have wickets in hand and can afford to take a few risks.  In true Hampshire League style, this results in an increase in both the run rate and the wicket rate - Mel Rayer picks up 2 wickets and Steve Haslett 3 - while the batsmen add just under 100 runs in the last 14 overs, the final total being 181-9. After tea Rob Tate gets IBM off to a great start with 3 boundaries in the first over, but the 4th and 5th overs see 3 wickets fall for the addition of only one run. When Rob is out for 25 with the score on 34-4, things look less than rosy. However, the in-form Nick Ross comes to the crease and proceeds to hit 58 in singles and boundaries, but wickets fall around him. Pete Rowson adds a useful 22 and Roland Barnard matches him to set up a great finish - the 39th over is a disaster though, as first Nick and then Andy fall leaving 20 runs needed off 3 overs with one wicket left standing.  Despite their best efforts, Mel and Graham can only accumulate odd runs and in the end fall 6 runs short of a much-needed victory.

July 24 vs Portchester II at IBM Hursley

Back home for the match against Portchester. Skipper Phil Stride wins the toss and elects to bat first, stirring the batting order around but still opening with Rob Tate, who starts in characteristic style with 12 off the first over. Phil, himself, fails to emulate Rob and finds himself back in the pavilion before the third over. Andy White comes to the crease and proceeds to score his personal best for IBM - 81 - with great support from Rob (30), Nick Ross (25) and Steve Haslett (21) before losing his wicket with the score on 169-5 in the 33rd over.  A cameo 23 from Pete Rowson sees the score climb to the right side of 200 before Kev Gledstone is last man out with 4 balls to spare, leaving Portchester a target of 217 to win. Obviously not having done enough in the day so far, Andy White opens the bowling with Matthew Stride and after 12 overs, IBM are well on top with the score on 33-3.  The fourth and fifth wicket sees a rebuilding exercise under way, with 64 runs added for them , but crucially with 27 overs used up. Portchester try and force the run rate, but in the process wickets start to tumble. 97-4 becomes 105-7, then 118-8. Mel Rayer takes 3-27 before Matthew Stride picks up the last wicket, returning figures of 3-20 himself, while Kev Gledstone chips in with a valuable 2 wickets, as Portchester succumb for 147 - some 69 runs short, but IBM fail to climb any higher in the League, remaining a precarious 4th from bottom.

July 31 vs Portsmouth & Southsea II, away

St. James’s Hospital is the venue for the match against Portsmouth & Southsea’s second XI.  The home side win the toss and elect to bowl first. Tight bowling restricts IBM to 10 runs from the first 6 overs for the loss of one wicket, setting the tone for the day. 19-2 in the 9th over and 24-3 in the 12th. Nick Ross creeps into double figures with 11, supporting Steve Haslett on his way to a high score of 32, before being 4th man down on 45. Mel Rayer joins Steve and hits a steady 23, Steve falling at 65. The tail fails to wag and, as their second change bowler picks up 5-11, IBM succumb for a paltry 97 in 31.1 overs.  With very little to defend, IBM need to get off to a good start. Andy White provides the good start taking two wickets in his first 3 overs to take the home side to 19-2.  A period of consolidation follows and Matthew Stride, brother Graham and Mel Rayer fail to make any impression.  It takes the experience of Stride the elder to break through the defence, taking two wickets in his first over and then two more in his next seven to put the pressure on Portsmouth & Southsea at 78-6. Unfortunately, that was where the wicket tally remained, and 5 overs later the opener hits the winning runs off a no-ball to bring up the victory.  Another loss, but not without credit, Phil’s 4-23 being comfortably the pick of the IBM performances.

August 7 vs CBBEA at IBM Hursley

The corresponding fixture in 2009 was a good, close affair, IBM prevailing by just two wickets.  After the early-morning rain, the match starts on time with the visitors winning the toss and electing to bowl first.  Rob Tate and Steve Haslett get IBM off to a good start with a stand of 48 before Rob is bowled. Gavin Allen, making his annual appearance, is back in the hutch with only 10 more runs added to the score and Steve follows him back very shortly afterwards.  Batsmen come and batsmen go, getting starts, but failing to go on - Nick Ross with 35 and Andy White, with an unbeaten 38, are top scorers as IBM reach 180-7 at the interval - pretty much a par score for Hursley. The visitors are 16-1 in the 4th over and 25-2 in the 7th before a devastating 8 balls sees 3 wickets fall on 38, shared between Andy White (on his way to 3-34) and Matthew Stride who picks up his first 5-for for the club with 5-29.  Graham Stride and skipper Phil fail to make any impression before Roland Barnard comes on to pick up 2 wickets relatively cheaply - CBBEA all out for 145 and a win by 35 runs.  Also of note is Gavin Allen taking 4 catches (only been done twice before for the club), all 4 fielding at slip, aiding and abetting Pete Rowson behind the stumps!

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