Bowlers rescue again

Anchorman
By Grockle
June 27 2003

A few people have questioned Rob Turner's form with the bat in recent weeks but today he held together a spirited fightback after yet another front order collapse.

What to do when you're not the person in the best form of your life, and you're coming to the crease with your side at 64 for 6 against Yorkshire on the first day of a four day game? Well you've got to fight haven't you? You're name is Rob Turner and you try not to give your wicket up at the first attacking shot.

First you put on 73 with Aaron Laraman and take the score to 137. Then you have a few agricultural minutes with Nixon before you settle down to establish a 60 run partnership with the improving batsman that is Steffan Jones (who hits 39 off 44 balls faced by the way) before adding 71 with Simon Francis to get the score from 64 to 275 and giving your friends, who've you've just held out with, something to bowl at.

Unbeaten on 81, Noddy can be proud of his day's work but it is hoped that there are serious thoughts going on upstairs about why, once again, we failed to reach 50 before our fifth wicket fell.

Was it inspired bowling by Silverwood and Kirby? Bowler out without scoring after only 2 minutes at the crease, Bryant foxed by Kirby for 7 at 19 and then the loss of Cox first ball and Burns 4 balls later to leave us reeling at 19 for 4. Only Matt Wood put up any frontlione resistance and he only managed 16 off 25 balls before he became the fifth victim at 40. How can we possibly be a contender with performances like this? How long can our bowlers pull us out of the fires we put ourselves in without losing the will to live?

Let's hope they've got at least another one in them because we need them to do it again tomorrow morning.