Birch Vale Blues: Evans Shines Before the Batting Brittle Sets In

It was a character-building afternoon in the shadow of the hills as our 1st XI suffered a bruising encounter at Birch Vale. While the scenery was picturesque, our scorecard was anything but, as the hosts romped to a victory that we’ll be conveniently 'forgetting' as soon as the tea is digested. The match began with a glimmer of hope as Gareth Evans channelled his inner demon, tearing through the top order to finish with commendable figures of 3-23. His spells were the highlight of a long stint in the field, keeping Birch Vale to 211-9 when a much larger total looked likely. We headed into the interval convinced that a steady diet of boundaries and bravado would see us home. Alas, the run chase was less of a pursuit and more of a gentle stroll into a blender. We were bundled out for a disappointing 84 in just 28.3 overs, proving once and for all that our batting lineup is currently more 'minimalist art' than 'heavy metal'. We’ll take the points from Gareth’s bowling and leave our batting collapses in the valley. Onward and upward; surely the only way is north from here!