Bootham Park v Wellington July 30th at Bootham Park

Back Row: Nathan Ellison, John Patrick, Tim Wills, Jamie Case, Nick Thompson, Richard Todd. Front Row: Kev Scully, Chris Burns, Pete Mitchell, Jack Gabbatiss, Judi Paul.

Bootham Park (161) lost to Wellington (162-7) by 3 wickets

Another scorching hot day beneath the relentless North Yorkshire sun. Looks daft when you write it down but that's the way it was. A shower overnight had perked up the few surviving patches of grass but the pitch looked drier than a week-old Pringle, promising uneven bounce and turn. It looked like a day to win the toss and bat. So I did.

The interesting nature of the pitch (one ball pitched on the line of off stump and skewed off at such an angle that it was picked up at short third man, yards wide of the bewildered keeper) was offset by a hard, fast outfield that gave full value for strokes along the ground. John Patrick and Jack Gabbatiss opened the batting, hoping to build on their lightning-fast century stand of two weeks before. Sadly it was not to be, Alan Baldock threaded the juiciest of Jaffas through Patrick's lately-impregnable defence and the keeper was soon picking up the bails. I came in at number 3 and somehow managed to negotiate some fine attacking bowling from Baldock and Andy Cockett. Gabbatiss advanced quickly to 14 from 10 balls before giving himself a little too much room to play through the off side and getting bowled by a good straight ball from Cockett.

I was then joined at the wicket by Kev Scully, who, in amongst his usual hefty clumps and crossbat swipes, hit an off-drive of almost spiritual beauty. It's a good job it went for four, because I was going nowhere; stock still, awestruck and completely stumped as to how it could possibly have happened. I mean, no offence to Kev, but those of us who've played him for years would attest that he's never really been one for the high left elbow or the classical flourish, but that shot was the real thing. Class. Unfortunately it wasn't to last, as he nicked a ball from David Baldock and was caught behind for 6.

Each time I see Judi Paul bat I have a feeling that a big score is not far away. With his strong wrists and great bat speed he makes the ball fizz across the outfield, often with a startled fielder in hopeless pursuit. Judi made it to 13 before he was trapped in front by an excellent delivery from David Baldock.

Taking advantage of the fast outfield and the odd loose ball, I was able to advance to a satisfying 52 from 51 balls, before chasing a wide one from Danny Sampson. John Galloway took a fabulous diving catch and hutchward I trudged. Nick Thompson was keen to resurrect the excellent comedy running skills displayed last week in Bradford, as he attempted to run himself out not once but twice. The first one had everything bar the Keystone Kops, but it was the second one that worked. Thompson almost ran two on his own, to the soundtrack of Richard Todd at the other end (quite rightly) screaming "No!".

Todd hit a few lusty blows including a peach of a six on his way to a quickfire 20, but the wickets had been falling steadily all afternoon and our run rate soon began to flag. Jamie Case and Chris Burns both got a start but soon perished as the Welly's bowlers turned the screw. It was left to Nathan Ellison and Tim Wills to try and bat out the final overs, but thanks to a ball that kept fractionally low, Ellison tickled the finest of under-edges and Galloway swooped to cap an excellent day behind the sticks with another fine catch.

At one point, we'd looked dead set for 200+ but the persistent loss of wickets cost us dear and we were all out for 161. Touch and go. It was by no means an easy pitch to bat on, but I couldn't help thinking of us, three weeks ago, chasing down 261. We would have to bowl well.

Things couldn't really have started much better, with Jamie Case inducing an uppish drive from Danny Sampson, which just carried far enough for me to take a low catch at mid off. Meanwhile at the other end, Howard Leadley was calmly and infuriatingly accumulating runs. Don't get me wrong, Howard's a top bloke, but he's one of those players who looks like he'll get out any ball. He seems to enjoy dangling his bat like a limp rag outside off stump, only to pull it out of the way at the very last picosecond, just as the keeper can almost feel the ball in his gloves. Then, just when you think you've got a straight one through him, it disappears back over your head like a bottle rocket while you mutter vile curses.

Tim Wills bowled a great spell from the Bootham end, mixing spin and seam to keep the batsmen guessing and returning figures of 8-4-13-0. Malcolm Harrison played an innings of real grit to hold the Welly's reply together, grinding his way to a battling 29 before Nick Thompson persuaded him into a loose drive and Gabbatiss held the catch.

Nathan Ellison found some useful turn from the hospital end and Judi Paul revealed yet another skill with a spell of pacey legspin. Both bowlers got the odd ball to spit before Judi sent a fast one scuttling under Howard Leadley's bat to end his resistance for 41. Jack Gabbatiss and Chris Burns built up some good pressure which was rewarded when Steve Relf obligingly slapped his second ball from Gabbatiss straight into my hands at wide mid on. It was in this same position that I picked up my third catch of the day, a top edge from John Galloway off Burns, who also snared the wicket of Laurence Hill with a neat caught-and-bowled.

With excellent boundary fielding limiting Graham Roberts to ones and twos, and Nick Warlow struggling to find the gaps, it looked like we might be able to contain them. Alas it was not to be, the Welly these days are made of sterner stuff. After Warlow edged one of my better balls through to John Patrick behind the stumps, Alan Baldock came to the crease to complete the job, striking consecutive boundaries either side of the wicket before hitting the winning runs through the covers.

After another great competitive game played in a wonderful spirit we adjourned to the pub. I think we'll leave it there for now, at least until I've checked how the libel laws apply in the blogosphere...