After a 10 day break from matches the 1st XI returned to action away at Bromsgrove. Put into bat on an excellent pitch with a small outfield, Fergus and Dan saw off the opening bowlers scoring 21 in the first 8 overs. Both fell quickly afterwards and with Will F playing across the line and Ed forcing one off the good leg spinner to backward point having scored a breezy 14, 65 had been amassed for the loss of 4 wickets. The game swung as Will C crashed 30 quickly, ably supported by James as 40 runs came in the next 4 overs. However one of several crucial moments in the game was to go against us. With only 2 balls left in his spell, the dangerous leg spinner saw Will swing across the line and he was out LBW. The momentum was lost although the younger boys in the team helped the tail to wag taking us to 146 all out. Eddie T in his first game hit a useful 13 with 2 successive pulls for 4.
The outfield was fast and any ball missing a fielder went to the boundary. Bromsgrove started briskly and ran good singles, immediately spotting that the Abberley fielders were just a bit too far back. No one had the gumption to move in 5 yards which would have made it harder ! A couple of catches went down early but that batsmen was soon dismissed by Barnaby who again led the attack excellently. Barnaby was on a hat-trick at 46-3 and the game was in the balance despite the quick run rate. With Fergus pouching an excellent caught and bowled another crucial moment occurred at 70-4. The Bromsgrove opener who was playing with great intelligence nicked a good Fergus ball to slip. Hands got to the ball but a sharp chance was dropped. He went on to score 95 not out as he carried his team home playing some excellent shots and again he was put down with about 20 runs needed ,again at slip this time off the promising Oliver P who bowled 4 tight overs.
Hats off to the Bromsgrove opener who played with aplomb, taking singles to keep the strike at the end of the over, seeing off Barnaby with a dead bat when he returned for a second spell and punishing the bad ball. He finished the game with straight sixes. Season best performances from Will,James,Oliver and Barnaby but catches can win matches and this game could have been so different if we had taken our chances. Once again an opposing batsmen has carried his team to victory with a score of note and until somebody can score a fifty we may struggle.
Bromsgrove were a decent side, they had already beaten RGS scoring 190 in the process so comfort can be taken for giving them a good game, but at the crucial moments of matches we are still prone to a poor decision or a mistake.

"Second XI Blown Away by Bromsgrove"

The Second XI were given a stern test by a very good Bromsgrove side. The windy conditions affected both batsmen and bowlers but it was the Bromsgrove bowlers who adapted better to the conditions. Early wickets fell and rather like a line of dominoes the wickets kept falling. Small pockets of resistance were witnessed but just as we looked settled a wicket fell. The runs total on the scoreboard was in danger of becoming redundant but a rallying act of defiance by Rupert K. , Jack C. and Toby Y. meant a modicum of respectability was achieved. We retreated to the pavilion for tea and pondered our fate; which unlike the British summer had a very predictable feel about it. (However it has been said that this summer is to be a good'un by those who know: old wives, roving soothsayers and the check-out lady at
Tescos) Nevertheless, weather predictions to one side for a moment the sword of Damocles was dangling above us and as sure as eggs are eggs that thin whisp of thread was going to break. Ouch!! And yes, despite a brilliant catch from George M. and some 'Warnesque' bowling from Rupert K. Bromsgrove cantered home in what was in effect a one horse race. Can we take any positives from the embers of this fiery encounter? Well, yes: the bowling of Dan L. , the general good fielding, the batting of Timon W. and the captaincy of Richard S.
The past is but a fading photograph but the future is bright, the future is.....orange? Surely not! No, it comes in the form of Cheltenham Junior School at Home on Wednesday next. On, on, on Abberley!

Faced with an excellent bowling attack only Max (12) was able to put up any real resistance and after sixteen overs Abberley were all out for 36.
Although the side fielded well, supporting good opening spells from both Tom (2-15) and Aiden (1-10), the end soon came with a defeat by 7 wickets.

After the match had ended Abberley stayed in the field and got in some valuable fielding and bowling practice which will hold them in good stead for their next match at Cheltenham College J S.

Fixture confusion meant this was always going to be a difficult match with Abberley 4th/5th taking on a strong Bromdsgrove 4th X1.

Bromsgrove won the toss and invited us to bat. It was a little alarming seeing the Bromsgrove opening bowler striding off to the boundary and beyond - was he marking out his run up or going to check on the driveway gatehouse? My worst fears materialised, with the first ball he steamed in like an express train, the ball whizzed past the bat and duly flatten the stumps, and the scene had been set for the rest of the day! We prodded our way to a score of 42, losing lots of wickets en route to some strong bowling.

In reply Bromsgrove were rather complacent and surpassed our target with ease.

On a high note we did field rather well with Christian and Javier in particular scampering around determined not to let the ball reach the boundary. Ed H should also be very proud of his efforts as stand in wicketkeeper.