Weybridge (H)

Scorecard

There has been much talk of the exceptional depth of Llamas’ squads this season, but despite boasting a bolstered batting line-up, the 3rd XI didn’t turn up with the bat and were well beaten by title rivals Weybridge this week. Several of the top six began their innings with breezy boundaries but a lack of application and questionable shot selection left the Llamas’ much fancied top order reduced to rubble at 41-6, having been inserted on a showery afternoon at St. Albans Road. Incidentally, all six wickets fell to bearded opening bowler Day (6-45 from 10 overs), although none of us were really sure how.

The umpires kept the players on the field in worsening rain for quite some time but the discovery of gills forming on the throats of some of the visiting team finally prompted the officials to call a halt to the game with Llamas floundering at 61-6 from 15 overs.

The delay couldn’t have come at a better time for the home side, who for a while looked rejuvenated after the resumption thanks to an excellent counter-attacking partnership from Alex Robinson (33) and Shayne Cossey (30). Taking advantage of some post-rain-break sluggishness among the Weybridge fielders, Alex and Shane played some expansive shots to take the Llamas past 100 and back into contention. The momentum had well and truly shifted, but the Llamas’ tail fell away as quickly as the top order and the best the team could muster was a below-par 126 from 28 overs.

It was miserable, the pitch was soggy, but we expected better from our batters in what could prove to be a crucial top-of-the-table encounter.

Defending a rain-reduced target of 109 in 37 overs was always going to be difficult, but Nick Harmer (0-14 from 8 overs) and Shayne Cossey did their best to put the visitors under pressure, bowling tightly to keep runs to a minimum. Wickets were hard to come by – particularly for Harmer Llama, who was unlucky to go home with just his bus fare having at one stage beaten the edge three balls in a row to increasingly loud groans from the catchers.

Weybridge plodded along and were only 50-2 at the half way point of their chase. However, despite a disciplined bowling effort and some tight fielding, the home side were always one or two wickets away from putting the visitors under genuine pressure. Irfan Hameed made a breakthrough, as did Luke Haughton with his first ball (the rankest half-tracker of his spell, mind you), while Kamran Mirza watched at least three edges go un-snaffled.

By the time Llamas’ admirable fielding began to unravel in the dying stages with two tricky boundary catches going down at deep midwicket off skipper James Brickley (to avoid incriminating myself I won’t name either of the culprits), Weybridge were almost home. And before long a miserable day at the office was complete. Llamas had made a game of it, but really the game was all but lost by 2pm.