3’s INTO 2’s WON’T GO.....oh yes they do

With last weekend’s 2nd team not being available this weekend; having to isolate due to 2 positive covid tests; this week would see the Llama resources stretched in both quantity and quality.

With the Club still being able to field 6 Saturday teams the quantity test was passed; but whether the quality test would be passed was down to 9 of the 3rd team (joining 2’s Captain Jon Smith and Ben Shoare) moving from St Albans Road to Park Lane to step up from drawing against Dulwich 3’s last weekend to play against Dulwich 2’s this weekend.

Fraser McGuinness (29) and Jordan Bunyan (25) had provided the majority of the Llamas 115-8. The innings had included the rare dismissal of obstructing the field when Ben Shoare (15), having played the ball into the field and being out of his ground, stopped a direct throw at the stumps, by kicking the ball away.

A 9th wicket stand between Steve Cross (14) and Mark Dabbs (24 n.o.) ; took the Llamas to a defendable 149-9 before Matt Packham (10) returning to the crease with a runner having earlier retired injured, was last out with the Llamas on 154 in the 54th over.

With Packers injured the call for a replacement fielder saw Max Coyle come to the rescue as the Llamas took the field with a full complement.
Opening bowler Mark Dabbs followed up last week’s 9-0-28-1 against Dulwich 3’s with an even better 9-3-16-1 against their 2’s as his accurate spell was rewarded when he bowled opener Ollie Sykes (15) to have Dulwich at 18-1. A mix up between the batters had Moin Khan (3) run out for 25-2.

Meanwhile Srikanth Vuppala was also having his accurate spell rewarded as he followed up last week’s 13-5-27-2 against their 3’s with this week’s figures of 14-4-27-3 as he firstly bowled Ben Lester (9), then bowled George Pearson (0) before a rare loose ball was smacked straight into the waiting hands of Ben Shoare and at 42-5 the 3rd’s ...whoops I mean the 2nd’s...were now well on top.

Bowling changes saw Ben Shoare replace Mark and Steve Cross replace Srikanth and it was Crossy continuing the accurate theme as he bowled Daniel Damley-Jones (11) and then had Crawford-Khan (9) lbw as Dulwich went from 57-6 to 58-7.

Ben Shoare’s turn next (& it was turning) as Ant Ireland’s diving catch dismissed Jaffer Kazmi (6) for 72-8 and Nick Rotsey, running backwards at deep long on, took a catch above his head to dismiss Matt Quaife (4) and Ben’s 2 wickets (10-2-23-2) had reduced Dulwich 2’s to 72-9.
Steve Cross then took the last wicket continuing his accuracy as he bowled tail ender Felix Allocca (2) to finish with figures of 4.2-2-5-3 improving on his last week’s figures of 14-3-48-3 against the same opposition’s 3rd team.

This win answered the quality question posed at the start as the 3’s ....whoops I mean the 2’s....went to the top of the 2nd eleven Premier division table.

A selection headache for next week’s visit to Spencer (just 6 points behind in 3rd place) with the 2’s coming out of isolation; but today proved the 3’s; albeit against relegation threatened Dulwich 2’s, are more than capable of stepping up.