Careless display costs us dear

With Saffron Walden 15-4 and struggling, it looked more likely that we would win our latest West Essex League game by ten wickets than go home defeated for the first time in the competition. However, defeat was the outcome after a collective display that showed how easy it is to get it wrong in a game of cricket.

On a pitch that stands at an awakward angle, with the ground sloping away steeply to one side, we got off to a flier with the first ball of the game, Charlie Peace's superb stop and throw running out one of the Walden openers without him facing a ball. Adam Bassingthwaighte's effort to scoop the ball on to the stumps was equally impressive, and our great start continued as Alec Chappell snared a neat caught and bowled to see off the number 3. Chappell and Sam Gardner then produced good deliveries to claim another couple of wickets, and the hosts were in all sorts of trouble. However, impressive batting from one of the openers saw them stage a recovery, and with some of our attack struggling with the slope, Walden's total grew quite quickly.

Our fielding, so impressive at the start, became slipshod, and we wilted in the heat. Dropped catches proved vital, and although we eventually broke the Walden stand that put on 80, the flow of runs continued.

Eventually, Walden's innings reached 143-9, many more than they should have scored even taking some good batting into account. Chappell (3-20) was our most successful bowler.

In reply, Will Price and Adam made their customary solid start, with Price in particular playing some lovely straight drives. When he was dismissed for 13, Alec joined Adam at the crease, and although Walden's bowling was straight, it was singularly unthreatening. But facing a total of over 140, we had to keep the runs ticking over, and as the rate grew, the boys started to panic. Acceleration is always possible, unless, that is, you are back in the pavilion, and unfortunately Adam ran himself out on 24. Alec had started fluently but as he searched for boundaries rather than continue ticking over, his run rate slowed and he was caught on the midwicket boundary for 16. The pressure on the boys that followed proved too great, and although Joe Burslem and Coby hit boundaries they had been left with too much to do by the top order.

We fell by 10 runs, a ridiculous amount to lose by in a game we should have won comfortably. Walden did the basics better on the day, but even now must be scratching their heads and wondering how they beat us.