Frail batting costs Llamas in Moles drubbing

2nd in the table by 2 points behind Wimbledon, opponents East Molesey arrive at Park Lane with a very experienced team. The Llamas sitting in 3rd place were 19 points (a win) behind the leaders so still had an outside chance of the title although they not only needed to beat today’s opponents East Molesey but also needed to rely on Wimbledon slipping up. East Molesey had beaten the Llamas earlier in the season so we expected a tough fixture.
Overnight and early morning drizzle disappointingly caught us on an uncovered wicket so losing the toss and being asked to bat on a difficult surface was not the start the Llamas were hoping for; particularly with our own team packed with 8 bowlers; including youngsters Ollie Thilo (U16) and Will Hodgson (U15).

Conditions were bowler friendly and Llama openers Henry Tye and Ali Raja had to cope with early seam and swing movement from Moles opening bowlers Jason Moore and particularly Evan Beck. We struggled to get any kind of momentum when with score on 13in the 7th over Ali Raja was out for 7 to a spectacular diving one handed catch in the slips off the bowling of Evan Beck. Henry then survived a drop in the slips off the bowling of Jason Moore before he was next to go caught behind for 6 off the bowling of Evan Beck-score 25-2 in the 11th over. A couple of balls later with the score still on 25 the Llamas lost their 3rd wicket when Will Irving was also caught behind off the bowling of Evan Beck. Chris Bond hit a 4 straight back past the bowler before he became Evan Beck’s 4th wicket (4 for 16 from his 10 overs) when he played on to be bowled for 5-score 32-4 in the 13th over.
Rory Haughton and Matt Hutcheon began to rebuild and 10 overs later we were on 66 when Hutch (22) hit spinner James Smith to deep mid wicket where Jason Moore held the catch-score 66-5 in the 23rd over. Just before drinks Will Hodgson was caught for 2 at short cover by Jason Moore off the bowling of Ben Campbell (10 overs 2-36)-score 74-6 in the 25th over.
Straight after drinks Rory was out for 16, LBW to Ben Campbell-score 74-7 in the 26th over.
Jack Beaven joined Galer and took us onto 90 before Galer got an edge and was caught behind off the bowling of leg spinner Daniel Foy for 15-score 90-8 in the 32nd over.
We were in danger of being out for under 100 but Jack Beaven and Ollie Thilo got the Llamas to 115 before Jack Beaven (17) fell LBW to Jason Moore returning for his 2nd spell. A boundary to Ollie got us to 119 before he too fell to Jason Moore for 11 in the 41st over.

From the game at Molesey earlier in the season the Llamas expected the Moles to race out of the blocks and they didn’t disappoint as with both openers on 28 each they reached 58 after 10 overs. Neither Mobeen Tahir (5 overs 0-36) nor Jack Beaven (6 overs 0-29) could break through and Captain Ali turned to his youngsters Ollie Thilo (U16) and Will Hodgson (U15).
A breakthrough came straightaway as Ollie Thilo bowled the Moles Captain Kieran Burge for 28-score 58-1 in the 11th over. Will Hodgson then had a hard chance blast through Hutch’s hands (it went for 4) and another even more difficult chance by a diving Hutch in the gulley but Jason Moore and Toby Green powered on for the Moles. Jason Moore passed his 50 and then Ollie got his second wicket (5 overs 2-23) getting Toby Green thanks to another spectacular one handed diving slip catch, this time by Chris Bond-score 105-2 in the 19th over; before they reached their target of 120 in the 20th over to win by 8 wickets..
Wimbledon won again to stay top with East Molesey still 2 points behind in 2nd place with 2 games left. The Llamas slip to 4th.