Zed's Diary
Follow our new A Team skipper through the trials and tribulations, heartache and pain, during his first season in charge

ATTOCK (118-2) ACCRINGTON A 115 ALL OUT

The day began with me winning the first toss of the season...this in itself was a cause for celebration (losing 6 consecutive tosses is no fun) and I had the urge to pack my bags go home and declare victory! Without hesitation I decided to bat.

Unfortunately even before the match began we only had 10 players as Paul Young did not turn up. The most unfortunate thing was that his dad turned up to watch him!. We started the innings off as Accrington A only know how....badly. I opened the batting for the first time in the season in the absence of Paul and saw the team reduced to 15-3 (Berny 1, Ian 0, Immy 0) inside the first 8 overs.

Dave came to the crease and together we managed to stabilise the innings taking the score to 35 before Dave went for 10. Luckily myself and Alvin managed to hang around for 18 or so overs adding 60 together, after our all too familiar slump. In the process we managed to take the score to 94-5. I was teetering in the mid 40's when Alvin was caught for a patient and dogged 19. I 'played' several Chinese cuts at this stage..and I 'reckon' by bat knows how to speak fluent Mandarin now.

I did manage to reach my 50 in the end. All the while I was knocking in the edges of my bat in, the other saw Mark Ashton and Andy Eland go for ducks before I was next out for 62 in the 31st over.

All the credit for my innings goes to Accy A's formidable former batsmen Nigel Stockley. He was a role model, icon, legend and a absolute stalwart and backbone for the A team...so if your out there Nigel we'll welcome you back with open arms on the provision that we can use a sub fielder for you when were fielding! [Mmm.. I must say that's tempting Zed. Will you pay for my physio, acupuncture etc if I do come back? By the way, congrats on winning the toss. A few more and you could be up there with our best ever tosser - Donners. NIGEL]

Our innings finally ended on 115 all out. It was obliviously not enough but that's what you get when you have so many ducks in the innings (5). If you ever interlinked all the ducks we've had this season then we could make a chain to anchor a ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!

For Attock, 6 bowlers took wickets, Liaqat the spinner led the figures with 2-8. Attock chased our score nonchalantly and got it within 16 overs for the loss of 2 wickets. Immy and Ian were the bowlers who got a wicket a piece. Liaquat led again this time with the batting honours scoring an undefeated 48. He was dropped on 8 at slip. This is another bad habit that we have got, dropping key batsmen who go onto score big.

Nevermind it s not often a captain goes away satisfied for just winning the toss!!!!!

Don't miss the other installments
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 8