The end of the World Cup dream

The West Indies match was the one we had been waiting for. We started off fantastically and were 77 without loss. Ceil (37) and Lenny (25) were in flying form. From a start like that 220 was easily on the cards but, as we all know, cricket an dplans don't always gotogether. We suddenly found ourselves 91 for 4, we had lost our top four bats in the space of 2 overs. Shock doesn't even begin to describe it. Beggsy and Max batted well, but all too soon Max was out for 16. Una (21) came in and with Beggsy (31) consolidated well. They ran very well between the wickets, stealing cheeky singles here and there. We ended up on 159. A disappointing end to what had been a very prosperous start. Mind you we bowled the Windies out for 54 last time and there was no reason not to do it again.

We had a fantastic start with Shillers catching a flyer off Babs' bowling and Headsy getting an LBW appeal - Windies found themselves 25 for 2. What happened in the overs that followed was summed up in the disbelief of our supporter's eyes. Suffice to say that we picked our most important match to field and bowl like we never have before. And sadly I don't mean spectacularly. There was a scurry of misfields an dmissed opportunities. It was a match where the balance didn't swing our way at all, so all credit to the Windies who notched up the runs in 36 overs.

As you walked into the changing room, you might as well have walked into a graveyard. The shock and disbelief was in everyone's faces and there was nothing you could say, especially when we had given the match away. We weren't beaten, we lost it.