Minstrel 114-5 off 25 overs.
Black Horse 101 all out.
Minstrel WON by 13 runs

As usual the toss was conducted in the pub and Minstrel ended up batting.

Hannon, captain for the day, refashioned the batting order and Rob opened with Grainger. Beddows managed a 10 ball over (4 wides) and managed to claim Rob's wicket for a duck. Jig joined Grainger and, slowly at first, they built up a 62 run partnership finally being separated by Erko who took Grainger's off stump when he had reached 25. Fisher (2) joined Jig for a few seconds before Jig fell for 38 with the score on 90, Crippo taking 2 quick wickets. Morgan and Hawkeye (6) put on a quick 13 before Morgan was joined by James for the last 3 balls which James despatched for a 4 each finishing on 12 not out and Morgan on 14 not out. 17 extras brought Minstrels' total to 114 - 5.
The pick of the Black Horse bowling was Crippo with 2-5 off 2 overs and Erko with 2-13 off 5.

Jimmy and Crippo got the Black Horse innings off to a sound start before Jig bowled Crippo for 6 and Rob took Jimmy for 27 with scores on 31 and 37 respectively. Rob then caught Steve Beddows LBW (41-3) and Prosser bowled Sam Beddows to make it 46-4. Prosser then took Tiswas and Jarvis to reduce Black Horse to 59-6. Brent then went mad for a bit scoring 24 in no time. He ran out of partners, though, when Fisher stumped Urko (6) off Hannon who completed his hat trick by bowling Albert and Disco Dave for ducks with his next two deliveries. 101 f0r 7 ended up as 101 all out and Minstrel won by 13 runs. Pick of Minstrel bowling: Hannon clearing up the tail
(3-1-5-3); Rob 5-0-11-2; Prosser 5-1-13-3 and pride of place to Hawkeye’s 2-0-26-0.

Champagne moment: Disco Dave – 3 matches with 3 different teams - 3 ducks!

*****************************************************************

Mistrel vs. Knobs XI. Saturday
May 6th 2006
20 overs
Minstrel 79-8 (19.5 overs)
Knobs 71-8 (20 overs)
Minstrel WON by 8 runs
*Seems we should have been in Wood Lane, Handsworth NOT Erdington. Council's mistake.

The season started in the sort of fashion to which both of these teams have become accustomed: there was no pitch! Birmingham City Council seemed to have excelled themselves this time. The pitch was Wood Lane. This was booked. We had a permit number. We were to be invoiced soon. Trouble is there is no longer any grass in Wood Lane, let alone enough for a cricket pitch. Factories were built on the site many years ago. Eventually it was decided to nick a people free area on the Jaffray Pitches. Having gone through the hole in the fence and decided on a flattish, reasonably buttercup-free area of 22 yards, we marked out a pitch and put the stumps in. All that was now needed was Pete and Hawkeye to return with the booze and we could start. This fixture was never destined to be that straightforward. Walking along minding your own business is not a usual precursor to spending the weekend in hospital, but if you’re Michael Leacy of Knobs then it is! Mr. Leacy slipped and broke his ankle. This was before the match and actually before the beer arrived. After interesting attempts to carry him to the hole in the fence he finally ended in Pete’s car on the way to Heartlands to find out that he has to have a plate put in. As Cartman went to hold his hand, Knobs were 3 down before the start. (**More injury news later!). There was no scorebook to be found and Jean sat heroically in the drizzle doing her usual miracles with a pencil and a scrap of paper. When she’s sorted this out and transferred it to the scorebook, the bowling averages will appear here. My apologies also, therefore, for any spelling errors with people’s names.

THE MATCH

Minstrel 0-1 after the first ball.
James may have created a record by being out from the first ball of the season (records are being checked) when he returned a catch to Jim Eggison. His opening partner, Jake, also went for a duck but took 8 overs to do it. In the meantime Hawkeye got about the bowling and ended up with 24, top score alongside Extras. Hannon got 10, Rob 8, Kev 1, Leigh 2 (** twisted his knee after completing a run and retired hurt), Compo 2 and Jig 0*. Fisher finished the inning in farce by being run out for 0 when he thought that Jig had already been run out at the other end.

Knobs finished on 71-8 with no first-ball disaster. Scores were low, generally (Jim Eggison 1, Grice 1, Waterhouse 0, John 2, Astbury 0 and Darren 2) BUT 13 from Lee and a well crafted 33 from Vale meant that the last over from Jake had to be bowled well. It was and Minstrel hung on for the draw.

See you next year or, maybe, later this year.

Saturday 24th June
***AMS CC
Holford Drive.
*** This fixture may change (may be different team).
More details nearer the time.

Saturday 1st July 2006
Amy Memorial Day
Football, Cricket and Darts all to take place in Coleshill. Details nearer the date.

Saturday 8th July 2006
Dog and Partridge, Walsall
Holford Drive.
Pool and Darts at Dog and Partridge
More details nearer the time.

To Arrange:

Section 19 and
MAYBE a visit from Sully Centurions 4th XI

ANYONE like to arrange a tour?

2005 Fixtures
NB ALL 2004 and 2005 REPORTS are now on the ARCHIVES site http://minstrelarchives.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/

MINSTREL are now looking for fixtures for next season (2006). If you would like to give us a game, home or away, contact Dave Fisher at d.j.fisher@wlv.ac.uk