The Sunday 3rd team arrived to a warm welcome at Keynsham, although a little worried that they were playing a team that was in division 2 last year and which had scored heavily in the previous week.
On what looked like a good track skipper, Mark Forge, won the toss and decided to field first. Nick Heal and Steve Owen opened up and both bowled some really good deliveries. Keynsham’s opening left hander liked Steve’s fuller length and played some aerial shots but middled them all. The score was advancing a little quicker than ideal, but Adam Brace came into the attack and stemmed the flow getting the dangerous left-hander caught off a steepling catch by Nick, in fact it must have had snow on it! Nick then produced a slower ball yorker to account for the other opener and it was 59-2.
Frank Forge took over from Nick and bowled with remarkable accuracy and beat the batsmen repeatedly past the outside edge with keeper Jonny Sykes alert to a possible stumping. Then followed one of the most remarkable catches you will ever see. Frank induced the batsman to drive too soon and he slapped it hard to Adam Brace at cover, Adam got his hands to it but it burst through and hit him on the chest, he dived forward and again got his hands to it but could not hold on and ball flew over his shoulder, surely it would fall to earth, but no! it hit (the now prone) Adam flush on the hip and bounced into his hands inches from the turf! Frank then took another wicket with Nick Heal pouching an easier catch than before (but not much!) at mid-on. Frank finished with 7 overs 2 for 15.
Melissa Owen had her first bowl in an adult league game and bowled with good control and accuracy, keeping the umpire busy with LBW shouts. Keynsham had a batsman who looked to be Under 13 or so, so how appropriate that Melissa should encourage him to hit a false shot straight to Leo Brace who nonchalantly took the catch. 4 overs 1/13 was a great effort from Melissa and Leo was hoping to repeat the feat when the heavy shower came. 101-5 after 23.3 overs.
20 Minutes off the field followed by an early (and rather good) tea taken. A pitch inspection revealed that the covers had been wrongly applied and there was a huge sodden patch just short of a good length at one end, so sadly the match was abandoned with the 3rds taking their first points of the season, although who knows it may have been a game we might have won?
Next week Blagdon at home.