This week’s venue for the Coton Cricketers was Weston Colville, deep in the wilds of South East Cambridgeshire. It was a beautiful day and the match was played on one of the nicest grounds that we have played on in the last few years. A white picket fence surrounded the playing area and with the hedges and trees beyond it was an idyllic scene of English Village Cricket (until the players got there). I’m sure Richard would have found something to watch in the foliage had he been there.
From the team that succumbed to Wilbrahams, Dave Simmons, Richard & Ross were unavailable, but Captain George was back and Adam was available again (although sadly, his shoes were not) and Sam stepped in following a couple of late scratches.
We lost the toss, and were asked to field first. We had noted the very short boundaries straight of the wicket and protected those at both ends. Like The Fellowship of Ring we had 9 to start the game, so the rest of the field were deployed around the bat to prevent runs (“one ring to stop the single…”). Eschewing the shoeless-ness of Hobbits, Adam scrounged some walking shoes from Gabriel: I hope the latter has some strong odour eaters. Anyway, George took the lack of fielders out of the equation by forcing the opening bat to play on: 0-1 in the 1st over.
Rad had now arrived at the ground. He had been delayed by a bad accident on the M11. Surely even the police have spotted the correlation by now? Saturday morning, Coton cricket, Rad on the road, crash on the M11: you think they would close it down just in case. While Rad was applying war paint, adding padding and whatever else he does in his pre-match preparation our other straggler Rob McCorquodale arrived and took to the field.
George was bowling with control and aggression from the top end whilst Neil was wanging them down (his technical description) from the other. George soon picked up a 2nd wicket when the ball was spooned over his head and Sam took a fine catch running around from mid on. Neil was frustrated by a series of close misses and edges that – with the short boundary – flew away for 4 or in once case, 6. At least the regular searches for the ball in the bushes and beyond gave him a chance have a lie down, catch his breath and work on the tan.
The remaining opener finally got one top edge too many and skied the ball to a charging Alastair behind the stumps: 50-3, quickly scored on a ground where we thought we may be looking at chasing 200+.
Neil – refreshed from the regular hold ups in play – delivered a fast full pitch. The ball steepled into the air again and Neil let out a stentorian howl of “Neil’s…..”. We all looked aghast. Surely Neil has more faith in his fielders than to call for a caught and bowled when the ball is on its way to the wicket keeper? Apparently not. As Alastair safely gloved the ball we all proceeded to give Neil advice on his recent eye surgery. He should really ask for his money back!
This was the breakthrough we needed. 3 more wickets fell while Weston added just six runs: two to Scotch (who had replace George) and a further success for Neil. At this point Scotch had two runs for two wickets off three overs, both of those runs being wide. The 2nd wicket was completed courtesy of a very nonchalant catch by Adam in the gully.
Adam (can I play with my shirt over my shoulders?) replaced a perspiring Neil and joined in the fun with two quick wickets. The first removed a young Westonian who had just played an exquisite cover drive that drew nods of approval from assembled wizened fielders (some of whom hadn’t played as good a shot in 30 years or more). The second removed the plucky junior that had come in at number 11. Sensing a kill, Gabriel moved in to stand at arms length from the quivering young chap who obligingly prodded the ball into his hands. Really – we should report him to the Child Welfare Officer! In between these, Scotch had picked up a 3rd wicket. Weston had gone for just 90 runs in a little over half of their allotted overs with the wickets spread between the four bowlers. The catching was much better today than last week’s debacle, only a difficult C&B to George not sticking.
After tea, George and Gabriel marched out to the middle. George looked like he wanted to win the match inside 10 overs (on a promise, perhaps?) but succumbed to a catch off a loose shot in the 3rd over. Gabriel (“not quite a fantastic as The Fantastic Mr Fox”) Fox settled into his role as the sheet anchor and with Alastair pushed the score along and it was something of a surprise when Alastair played on. The bowling had not looked very threatening but two down soon became three.
Rob McC took Gabriel’s exhortation to “get well forward” to the spinner a little too far. The expert on the opinion on the side line was that Rob would either smack the bowler into the street, or get out. As it happened, by the time the ball nestled into the keeper’s gloves Rob was standing close to the bowler and Scotch after thinking long and hard (just how far was he out) gave the stumping.
Sam now joined Gabriel and contributed 11 to a quick partnership of 11 whilst Gabriel continued to admire the match going on around him. Adam was next up – having put his shirt on – and reeled off some fine shots including one drive that was probably even better than the one that we drooled about earlier.
Gabriel departed after another obdurate display of holding the innings together. It was exactly what was needed in the circumstance. As Neil pontificated: we have lots of “batsmen” that can score a quick 10 (“can” is important here, it contrasts nicely with “do”) but we have been lacking someone to play longer innings – now we have that person.
Adam was joined by Rab and the game was soon over – won by 5 wickets with 11 overs remaining. In the last partnership of 16, Rab made a gallant 0 not out.
So: fine bowling (& fielding) all around and a solid batting performance with Adam top scoring with 22 (not out) and Gabriel providing 21. The win moves us up one place (above NCI) and next week it’s on to Wilbrahams for the return. This marks the half way point in the season. How will we fare in the second half?
Rad's teas highlight on gloomy day
The author of the 20/20 match report earlier in the blog wisely said “If you can't think of a way to begin a piece, use a quotation”. So I have, albeit not a very good one.
Why does it always rain at home games? In what was only our second appearance at The Rec this season we were once again greeted by leaden skies. The rain held off long enough to toss up. Captain Lucky had heard that the weather would improve later and chose to bat on the premise that it would be better for 11 Wilbrahamians to suffer in the rain, well, that and the fact that Rad was still making the teas.
Just as we were about to start the rains came down again. During our innings we had to come off twice more but in the end we did get a complete game in but unfortunately it ended in defeat.
Dave dropped down the order so Alastair opened with Gabriel. The latter – in true Boycottian mode – held the innings together with a careful and patient 32 whilst Alastair fell victim to a catch behind on 12. The young Wilbraham opening bowler was generating a lively pace and the Coton wicket offered him some good carry and bounce. Richard produced his best knock of the season to date and we progressed along steadily.
Gabriel was almost out to the last ball before the first of the two rain breaks. As the bowler ran in the heavens opened and unable to see the ball clearly a catch was spooned to mid off who obligingly dropped it. The umpire - who should have stopped play a few seconds earlier - was very relieved.
We reached 80-1 but then entered into the kind of collapse that we seemed to have put behind us this year. Gabriel’s occupation of the crease was finally brought to an end, Ross smashed his second ball back to mid on for a catch and Richard was adjudged LBW. In the blink of an eye we had lost 3 wickets for 7 runs. And it got worse, debutant Rabboni “Rab” Rabi was dismissed for 4, Rob top edged a hook to mid wicket and Dave Simmons was undone by a yorker. 3 wickets down on same score and 6 in 12 runs.
We woke Neil up from his jet lag to put some pads on. It was a bit of a give away when his request for a guard was “I’ll have the beef and a glass of red wine, please”. He was still able to bat through to the end whilst Dave Scotcher was run out going for a 3rd run on the last ball. We had batted through our 40 overs for 108-9, Gabriel and Richard (& extras) being the main contributors.
Rad had arrived with the teas and very good they were too. Thanks for that, I particularly liked the Branston sandwiches with a hint of ham.
We fielded in improving conditions although both Neil and Ross had problems with the foot holds and the whole team had problems catching. We were into double figures with the chances that went down and that would ultimately be our undoing. Neil was the first to be relieved and Dave broke the opening partnership. Ross soon added a 2nd – both had the foresight to hit the stumps and sensibly remove the dependency on fielders.
Ross, bowling well but struggling with footholds, then succumbed to a hamstring injury and had to leave the field. Paul Bradbury hasn’t been able to play this year due to back problems but he gamely agreed to substitute in the field whilst Rob took over bowling. Rob promptly removed himself from the attack in favour of a proper bowler.
In the stygian gloom more chances went down before we grabbed a couple more wickets. Scotch took a caught and bowled (how come bowlers never drop the ball from their own bowling), and finally a back peddling Pete Brooks held on to a catch to remove the Wilbraham opener who had by now had more lives than a whole litter of kittens. Pete’s adoring fan club were seriously impressed by the catch – I wonder if they realise just how rare and event they had witnessed?
Wilbrahams limped over the line with 4 wickets down and 4 overs to spare. The bonus points we had gathered were enough to keep us above Weston Colville (our next opponents) and Balsham (yet to win this season).
So, Captain Lucky’s lucky streak ran out and it’s with a sense of relief that he hands back the reigns to King George for the upcoming games. He was right about the weather though.
Why does it always rain at home games? In what was only our second appearance at The Rec this season we were once again greeted by leaden skies. The rain held off long enough to toss up. Captain Lucky had heard that the weather would improve later and chose to bat on the premise that it would be better for 11 Wilbrahamians to suffer in the rain, well, that and the fact that Rad was still making the teas.
Just as we were about to start the rains came down again. During our innings we had to come off twice more but in the end we did get a complete game in but unfortunately it ended in defeat.
Dave dropped down the order so Alastair opened with Gabriel. The latter – in true Boycottian mode – held the innings together with a careful and patient 32 whilst Alastair fell victim to a catch behind on 12. The young Wilbraham opening bowler was generating a lively pace and the Coton wicket offered him some good carry and bounce. Richard produced his best knock of the season to date and we progressed along steadily.
Gabriel was almost out to the last ball before the first of the two rain breaks. As the bowler ran in the heavens opened and unable to see the ball clearly a catch was spooned to mid off who obligingly dropped it. The umpire - who should have stopped play a few seconds earlier - was very relieved.
We reached 80-1 but then entered into the kind of collapse that we seemed to have put behind us this year. Gabriel’s occupation of the crease was finally brought to an end, Ross smashed his second ball back to mid on for a catch and Richard was adjudged LBW. In the blink of an eye we had lost 3 wickets for 7 runs. And it got worse, debutant Rabboni “Rab” Rabi was dismissed for 4, Rob top edged a hook to mid wicket and Dave Simmons was undone by a yorker. 3 wickets down on same score and 6 in 12 runs.
We woke Neil up from his jet lag to put some pads on. It was a bit of a give away when his request for a guard was “I’ll have the beef and a glass of red wine, please”. He was still able to bat through to the end whilst Dave Scotcher was run out going for a 3rd run on the last ball. We had batted through our 40 overs for 108-9, Gabriel and Richard (& extras) being the main contributors.
Rad had arrived with the teas and very good they were too. Thanks for that, I particularly liked the Branston sandwiches with a hint of ham.
We fielded in improving conditions although both Neil and Ross had problems with the foot holds and the whole team had problems catching. We were into double figures with the chances that went down and that would ultimately be our undoing. Neil was the first to be relieved and Dave broke the opening partnership. Ross soon added a 2nd – both had the foresight to hit the stumps and sensibly remove the dependency on fielders.
Ross, bowling well but struggling with footholds, then succumbed to a hamstring injury and had to leave the field. Paul Bradbury hasn’t been able to play this year due to back problems but he gamely agreed to substitute in the field whilst Rob took over bowling. Rob promptly removed himself from the attack in favour of a proper bowler.
In the stygian gloom more chances went down before we grabbed a couple more wickets. Scotch took a caught and bowled (how come bowlers never drop the ball from their own bowling), and finally a back peddling Pete Brooks held on to a catch to remove the Wilbraham opener who had by now had more lives than a whole litter of kittens. Pete’s adoring fan club were seriously impressed by the catch – I wonder if they realise just how rare and event they had witnessed?
Wilbrahams limped over the line with 4 wickets down and 4 overs to spare. The bonus points we had gathered were enough to keep us above Weston Colville (our next opponents) and Balsham (yet to win this season).
So, Captain Lucky’s lucky streak ran out and it’s with a sense of relief that he hands back the reigns to King George for the upcoming games. He was right about the weather though.
Fulbourn defeated: Antipodean ringer to the rescue - welcome back Ross
In the absence of Captain George who was on a school trip (“stuck on a boat of the coast of Essex” we learned later) Rob lead the Coton team to the return engagement at Fulbourn. When they visited Coton earlier in the season the game was characterised by persistent drizzle and the need to have nominated ball dryers in the field. The weather was much better today. Ross stepped into the team for his first game of the season and Sam and Rob McCorquodale were back on duty replacing Pete and Adam.
Alastair had arrived on time, and Rads was telling all and sundry that he had been there since the early hours of the morning. This time it was Neil & Ross who made the late appearance after taking the scenic tour of East Cambridgeshire.
Last season I was very lucky at losing the toss but getting the opposition to do what we wanted. This season I continued with the tradition of losing the toss but this time the opposition were not so obliging and we were inserted to bat.
I can’t remember whether it was at this point that Neil started to build his excuses for the match (“I’m running on painkillers”) or if waited until it was his turn to bowl – whatever, it seemed to work.
We got off to the traditional Coton start with first Dave Simmons and then Gabriel being LBW. By the time Gabriel went, Mr Extras was doing a sterling job of keeping the scoreboard ticking over so Gabriel’s duck could well be the longest in Coton history. Ross entered the fray for his first bat of
the season and with the consistent Alastair put on 48 for the 3rd wicket. Ross was looking in control with fine shots including a pull that left the ground, crossed the road and entered a nearby garden. Next time we looked a guard dog was sitting at the gate and this probably deterred people from aiming for the short boundary too often.
It was then something of a surprise when Ross fished at one outside the off stump and feathered a catch to the keeper. His 25 was to prove the top score. Alastair went soon after for 23 and we then lost wickets regularly to decline from 74-3 to 119 all out. A vintage Coton batting performance that we thought we had gotten away from in recent weeks. Sam, Rob M, Richard and Neil all made starts without going on to big scores (although to be fair in Neil’s case he was trying to shepherd the tail and was left high and dry by a succession of care bears).
Painkiller Neil opened the bowling with Rob (captain’s prerogative). The latter bowled rubbish for the 3rd game in a row and quickly removed himself from the attack (also the captain’s prerogative) to avoid further humiliation. Meanwhile Neil, perhaps bowling within himself due to his pains, took the first three wickets to fall and Scotch – although not quite as niggardly as previous weeks took a 4th leaving Fulbourn struggling at 45-4. The fielding in support of the bowling was very sharp with Dave Simmons and Rads taking good catches.
Neil was visibly flagging towards the end of his spell and made way for Ross to have his first bowl of the season. The latter reeled off 7 overs of accurate, skidding cutters. A fifth wicket went down on 60 which meant that Fulbourn were exactly half way to their target with half the wickets down. The game was in the balance. For the next few overs the initiative switched hands a few times. Firstly there was a catch by Gabriel off Scotch’s bowling. Not just a catch but a well executed running & tumbling catch in the deep. As the ball went up 10 Coton players collectively held their breath hoping that this would be the one – and so it was. I don’t think I have been in a team so celebratory over a single catch and the significance must have been lost on Fulbourn: 68-6, advantage Coton.
Fulbourn’s keeper then took charge with a series of lusty blows. The ball was often in the air but evading fielders and he led two sizable partnerships that moved the momentum back Fulbourn’s way. Ross broke both partnerships. The first was a catch behind by Alastair. It’s worth sidetracking for a moment here to reflect on Alastair’s appealing. With each successive appeal more of the apparel is flung to the ground in joy, gloves, inners, masks are scattered as he runs to congratulate the bowler. I am expecting that before the end of the season he will be stripping off completely for a key wicket. On this occasion with the ball safely pouched he want to do one of those throw it in the air moves and fumbled the ball. It was obviously securely caught before this but from the sidelines it looked like he might have dropped it. 87-7 and the match back in the balance.
We then get to the 27th over. David had bowled 9 in a row. He was looking a bit shattered. What gave this away was the moment that he stopped the ball on the fine leg boundary before, in a very Robert Green like move, carefully kicking it over the line for 4. I’d asked Neil to warm up and the Fulbourn batsmen had obviously overheard this and in a frantic effort to avoid facing Neil three of them missed balls from Ross who rattled the timbers on each occasion. As Ross carefully moved his field 6” forward and 3” to the left before each ball 107-7 became 107 all out over the course of the over and we were home by 12 runs, Ross 5-24.
For once, we didn’t concede more extras than we obtained. The difference (11 in our favour) was only one less than the winning margin proving the value of tight bowling in these tight games.
We celebrated the win as if we had won a cup final. In reality the win was enough to lift us out of the relegation spots which are now occupied by Balsham (no wins yet this year) and Weston Colville. On Saturday we finally get a home game. A quirk of the fixtures is that 7 of our first 9 games are away, and then later in the season 6 out of 7 are at home. We welcome Wibrahams II to the Recreation Ground. The strip is looking in fine fettle. Hopefully the council will have harvested the pasture that surrounds it otherwise we will risk losing shorter players in the outfield. I am reading up on the umpiring procedure for lost balls now.
The Coton Twenty/20: Jokers all round!
If you can't think of a way to begin a piece, use a quotation." Well frankly that's poor advice and anyone who followed it would be mad. And mad just happens to be one word that springs to mind when thinking of the afternoon of Bank Holiday mayhem which was the inaugural Coton Twenty20 fund-raising extravaganza on May 31st 2010. Under mischievous clouds, 26 free-spirited individuals congregated for a festival of batting, bowling and burgers which was not only a massive hoot, thoroughly enjoyed by the players and the impressive crowd, which may even have outnumbered the active combatants, but also raised £500 for Coton Cricket Club's "Heavy Roller Fund".
Having organised the teams, conveniently known as Team 1 and Team 2, in honour of the order in which they batted, and spent an hour getting to know Al Breward's fiendishly complex (and hugely lucrative) rules, battle commenced with Team 1's opening pair of Gabriel Fox and Abid Abdulali, who carted the ball around the Coton Rec with gay abandon in an opening stand of 58 in six overs. At that point Team 2 seized the initiative thanks to the deadly bowling of Coton CC stalwarts Dave Scotcher and Ross Chandler, who ripped out the top order to leave Team 1 pegged back at 69-4 after 9 overs. A resurgence was led by young Ollie Bennett with two 4s and Jack "One Shot" Bowden, who embarrassedly confesses to having just a single cricket stroke in his armoury. Unfortunately for Team 2 it happens to be a six smashed over midwicket. Four of these later, Bowden was invited to retire, having passed the pre-determined run limit for the game. Team 1 eventually staggered to 142-9 in their 20 overs, with Fox and Bowden both retired-not out on 32, Abdulali 23 and ludicrously miserly bowling figures of 2-1-4-3 from Chandler.
Team 2 set off in pursuit of their target with the immediate and canny use by Dave Simmons of a joker to prevent himself being out. The jokers had been auctioned off at the beginning of the match, raising healthy funds for the club, and while Team 1 generally forgot to use theirs, Team 2 were not so careless. Simmons, immune from dismissal for the first 4 overs, proceeded to explore every known way to get out, simply laughing with disdain as catches were held, his stumps were splayed and so on. Once the four overs were done, he then proceeded to bat properly, smashing the ball to all corners before being retired. While this was going on, Team 1 had winkled out the other opener, but thereafter wickets were hard to come by. Skipper Billy Haynes crashed a couple of boundaries and Dave Scotcher followed up his fine bowling with some solid pummelling with the bat, taking Team 2 to 79-1 in the eighth, well on the way to their target. At this point Team 1 skipper Adam Wright and then Jack Bowden changed the course of the match with three quick wickets each. Suddenly, and despite a massive six from Ross Chandler, Team 2 were 100-6 and, even with 13 players a side, starting to run out of batsmen. Brief resistance was offered by Neil Sparnon, who bashed a couple of fours before bashing the ball straight back at the bowler, who stopped a certain six by catching it. It was not enough, and Team 2 could only make it to 139 in their 20 overs, Simmons retired-not out 34, Scotcher 20, Bowden ending with 3-9 and Wright 3-11.
Whether it was due to the scintillating cricket or the vast mountain of handcrafted burgers and hot dogs consumed fresh off the barbecue during the innings break, who can be certain, but there is no doubt that a fabulous time was had by all. Buoyed up by the day's overwhelming success, the club promises another such extravaganza at the end of the season and bookings are already being taken for coveted places both in the teams and around the boundary rope.
Having organised the teams, conveniently known as Team 1 and Team 2, in honour of the order in which they batted, and spent an hour getting to know Al Breward's fiendishly complex (and hugely lucrative) rules, battle commenced with Team 1's opening pair of Gabriel Fox and Abid Abdulali, who carted the ball around the Coton Rec with gay abandon in an opening stand of 58 in six overs. At that point Team 2 seized the initiative thanks to the deadly bowling of Coton CC stalwarts Dave Scotcher and Ross Chandler, who ripped out the top order to leave Team 1 pegged back at 69-4 after 9 overs. A resurgence was led by young Ollie Bennett with two 4s and Jack "One Shot" Bowden, who embarrassedly confesses to having just a single cricket stroke in his armoury. Unfortunately for Team 2 it happens to be a six smashed over midwicket. Four of these later, Bowden was invited to retire, having passed the pre-determined run limit for the game. Team 1 eventually staggered to 142-9 in their 20 overs, with Fox and Bowden both retired-not out on 32, Abdulali 23 and ludicrously miserly bowling figures of 2-1-4-3 from Chandler.
Team 2 set off in pursuit of their target with the immediate and canny use by Dave Simmons of a joker to prevent himself being out. The jokers had been auctioned off at the beginning of the match, raising healthy funds for the club, and while Team 1 generally forgot to use theirs, Team 2 were not so careless. Simmons, immune from dismissal for the first 4 overs, proceeded to explore every known way to get out, simply laughing with disdain as catches were held, his stumps were splayed and so on. Once the four overs were done, he then proceeded to bat properly, smashing the ball to all corners before being retired. While this was going on, Team 1 had winkled out the other opener, but thereafter wickets were hard to come by. Skipper Billy Haynes crashed a couple of boundaries and Dave Scotcher followed up his fine bowling with some solid pummelling with the bat, taking Team 2 to 79-1 in the eighth, well on the way to their target. At this point Team 1 skipper Adam Wright and then Jack Bowden changed the course of the match with three quick wickets each. Suddenly, and despite a massive six from Ross Chandler, Team 2 were 100-6 and, even with 13 players a side, starting to run out of batsmen. Brief resistance was offered by Neil Sparnon, who bashed a couple of fours before bashing the ball straight back at the bowler, who stopped a certain six by catching it. It was not enough, and Team 2 could only make it to 139 in their 20 overs, Simmons retired-not out 34, Scotcher 20, Bowden ending with 3-9 and Wright 3-11.
Whether it was due to the scintillating cricket or the vast mountain of handcrafted burgers and hot dogs consumed fresh off the barbecue during the innings break, who can be certain, but there is no doubt that a fabulous time was had by all. Buoyed up by the day's overwhelming success, the club promises another such extravaganza at the end of the season and bookings are already being taken for coveted places both in the teams and around the boundary rope.
Let's hear it for the Other Big Guy
Dave takes Alastair to task for missing a stumping.
When we took over the book from Fen Ditton to score the 2nd innings of this encounter we found out that they had used descriptive terms to identify our bowlers.
They had:
- Beard
- Wristbands
- Young
- Swears a lot
- Other big guy
So: who’s who (p.s. one of these isn’t true)?
We got to field first again. As we gathered around the stumps we noted that they were a good two inches wider at the top than the bottom, something like the Duncan Fearnley logo. It would make them harder to hit but at least it would be impossible to get the ball between them. “Beard” and “Wristbands” opened the bowling. One Fen Ditton opener took a liking to “Wristbands’” offerings which were swinging back into his pads and summarily dispatched to the leg side boundary. This resulted in “Wristbands” quickly being given the hook by his own team after conceding 33 runs in 3 overs. If this was a horse race “Wristbands” would now either (a) be put down or (b) be put out to stud. He has told me that all being equal he would prefer the latter. This being cricket he was sent to patrol the long leg / third man boundary and retrieve the ball from the thorn bushes at regular intervals.
To take his place we turned to Adam (“Young”) who bowled an excellent spell of wrist spin extracting much turn from the wicket and mixing up the length and speed nicely. Is he another Shane Warne in the making? Maybe, but just hopefully you will stay away from the hair treatment advertising, Adam!
Fen Ditton reached 71-0 after 10 overs with a few alarms interspersed with crunching shots to the small boundary. There was then a helter skelter of quick wickets as first Adam removed the less aggressive opener and then George removed the other aided by a Dave Simmons catch. Only two more runs had been added when George produced a beautiful ball. Their #4 made a text book leave and was comprehensively bowled: 71-0 to 73-3 in a couple of overs. George removed two more and Neil chipped in with a wicket (it provided a diversion from swearing at the batsman, the umpire, the fielders and himself) and we had 5 down.
It was then that the “Other Big Guy” stepped in. In the last few games, Dave Scotcher’s bowling has been accurate, frugal, parsimonious, miserly, niggardly and stingy. Today he added penetrative. Over 8.3 overs he rearranged the Readers on 4 occasions and added a 5th wicket courtesy of an excellent running & diving catch from Adam. Fen Ditton were all out for 170 which was a lot less than they had threatened after the initial onslaught. This was Dave’s first 5-for for Coton and very well deserved it was.
Then we batted.
Gabriel and Dave Simmons opened but the former didn’t last the first over. A straight one kept low and scuttled along the pitch and unluckily trapped him in front. Unlucky in having an honest umpire that is: best not to remind Neil of some of the decisions that he didn’t get at this point.
Fen Ditton had figured out that there was a lot of movement to be had on this wicket and the hardest way for us to score would be off slow bowling. So we were presented with spin from the outset at one end and that would be the story of the rest of the match.
Dave and Alastair were accumulating quite nicely until Dave was undone by an excellent catch after he had made fine contact with an on drive. Richard joined Alastair to move things along until a fine piece of comedy running found them both at the same end (Alastair having run 2 to Richard’s 1). Perhaps Alastair was distracted by the contents of his pocket, not having had time to partake following Gabriel's quick dismissal.
Alastair decided to (figuratively) fall on his sword at this point and stepped out of the crease to accept the run out. At this point we then proceeded to dig ourselves a big hole. Richard played an elegant forward defensive but forgot to hit the ball, his back foot was outside the crease and he was dismissed by a fine stumping. Adam slapped one back to the bowler but George was by now dispatching the ball to all corners (can you have corners in an oval?). 33 off 29 balls and the recovery was on until he cracked a loose ball to point: a yard either side would have been another 4. 99-5 soon became 103-9 as Andy, Neil and Pete all departed in quick succession.
Other Big Guy was now joined by Wristbands (aka Original Big Guy) and for a few overs an unlikely win looked possible as the two old war horses gained in confidence. Another batting point was gained and Fen Ditton looked decidedly nervous as 35 were put on for the 10th wicket (the highest of the innings – so we are reversing the order next week). It would only take one mistake though and that came when Rob top edged a chest high full toss (why wasn’t it a no ball?) to fine leg to end the innings.
We ended up 32 runs short. Dave Scotcher takes the plaudits for his 5-for and 19 not out. Dave Simmons is getting a little nervous on his pre-season bet now. George had another good game with 3 wickets and 33 runs. Adam bowled well and Alastair had a good effort with the bat.
Next week it’s the return match at Fulbourn. With George missing in action, its time for Rob to see if he can emulate last season’s record of 4 wins out 5 whilst deputizing as captain. Don’t hold your breath.
A Proper Game of Cricket - Romsey at Trinity Old Field, 29/May/2010
As I cycled away from Trinity Old Field and into the sunset I reflected on the day. We had played a game of cricket on a beautiful spring day, on a great pitch in lovely surroundings. The opposition had been friendly the banter humorous and the game competitive without any nastiness. We lost, but that somehow seemed almost immaterial given everything else.
And a proper game of cricket it was: both teams batted for the full allotment of 40 overs and that is something that happens very rarely in our league (at least for games involving Coton).
Despite conjecture in the dressing room that we would be better off batting first so we didn't have to field in the hottest part of the day we won the toss and put Romsey in. Neil was still enjoying his US trip whilst Billy and Adam were off paintballing. Had they reconnoitred the pitch and decided that bowling was going to be a tough job? They were to be proved right. The two Dave S’s returned to the team with Rob McC and Jack dropping out.
Rob & George opened the bowling again. George bowled beautifully without taking a wicket and it was hard to understand just how he didn’t manage to do that. Rob bowled some good balls mixed in with some bad ones. At that pace and on as true a wicket as Trinity they were dealt with accordingly. We got to the first bowling changes without a wicket being down & Romsey making steady progress.
Dave Scotcher and Dave Simmons were the replacements. Scotch bowled a very tight spell and removed the first of the Romsey openers with 63 on the board thus breaking his 0 runs and 0 wickets for the season drought (he also got some runs later). “Other Dave” (for Dr Who fans, not "Other Dave" from “Silence in the Library” so I guess this is "Other Other Dave") was punished as much as Rob had been and was replaced by Richard. Richard leaked runs as the others had but removed the remaining opener and the #3. George and Rob returned to (in one case) put the pressure on and stem the runs and (in the other) donate over 50 runs in 4 overs to a now rampant Romsey. Two run outs earned us another bonus point.
The boundaries were short and you could have played snooker on the outfield but the sad fact is that George & Scotch conceded runs at about 2.8 per over whereas Rob, Richard and Dave Simmons went for over 8. Romsey amassed 222-6 in their 40 overs. As they left the field there were some mutterings about this not being enough (the previous week they had grabbed 273-1 on the same ground).
After tea, Gabriel and Will lead the charge in reply. Well, maybe not a charge, maybe more of a casual stroll along a canal bank stopping to chat to fishermen, lock keepers, bargees and other ramblers. Will departed for 9 and Alastair joined Gabriel. They proceeded to accumulate runs steadily against a variety of slow, very slow and very very slow bowling, Romsey having figured that taking any pace off the ball made scoring more difficult. They put on 84 for the 2nd wicket before Alastair was lured out of his ground and stumped. He stopped at the crease long enough to exchange pleasantries with his opposite number and compliment him on the stumping (they also had a long chat about face masks, but I am told that this is nothing to be concerned about).
Dave Simmons was also stumped before an exhausted Gabriel was run out 4 short of what would have been a well deserved 50. By this stage he was delirious & dehydrated from the heat and proceeded to wander around the ground looking for sand dunes and oases.
At 112-4 the base had been laid for a late innings thrash: could we make it? For a few overs it looked on. George smashed an enormous 6 and raced to 30 off 15 balls. Sam kept him company in a quickfire partnership before being run out for 10 trying a suicidal 2nd run. He fell victim to the old ploy of the fake wounded fielder. Up to that point he had trundled the ball in underarm but now with a whiff of run out in the air (and a shout of "he hasn't got an arm" in his ear) he managed to ping the ball in overarm: fast and straight. He didn’t even have the decency to feign a bad shoulder afterwards.
George went next ball, and with him our best hope of making the score. Andy and Pete both made double figures and Rob managed to find the only fielder within 50 yards with a top edge before Andy and Dave Scotcher saw out the 40 overs. We came up 36 short with 9 wickets down but there was general agreement that last season it may well have been 100 short with 20 overs remaining.
Putting the finishing touches to the report almost 2 weeks later we now know that all the matches were called off during our blank week leaving us in the relegation zone have won 1 and lost 3. This week we play Fen Ditton over whom we did the double last year. Let’s see what happens this time.
And a proper game of cricket it was: both teams batted for the full allotment of 40 overs and that is something that happens very rarely in our league (at least for games involving Coton).
Despite conjecture in the dressing room that we would be better off batting first so we didn't have to field in the hottest part of the day we won the toss and put Romsey in. Neil was still enjoying his US trip whilst Billy and Adam were off paintballing. Had they reconnoitred the pitch and decided that bowling was going to be a tough job? They were to be proved right. The two Dave S’s returned to the team with Rob McC and Jack dropping out.
Rob & George opened the bowling again. George bowled beautifully without taking a wicket and it was hard to understand just how he didn’t manage to do that. Rob bowled some good balls mixed in with some bad ones. At that pace and on as true a wicket as Trinity they were dealt with accordingly. We got to the first bowling changes without a wicket being down & Romsey making steady progress.
Dave Scotcher and Dave Simmons were the replacements. Scotch bowled a very tight spell and removed the first of the Romsey openers with 63 on the board thus breaking his 0 runs and 0 wickets for the season drought (he also got some runs later). “Other Dave” (for Dr Who fans, not "Other Dave" from “Silence in the Library” so I guess this is "Other Other Dave") was punished as much as Rob had been and was replaced by Richard. Richard leaked runs as the others had but removed the remaining opener and the #3. George and Rob returned to (in one case) put the pressure on and stem the runs and (in the other) donate over 50 runs in 4 overs to a now rampant Romsey. Two run outs earned us another bonus point.
The boundaries were short and you could have played snooker on the outfield but the sad fact is that George & Scotch conceded runs at about 2.8 per over whereas Rob, Richard and Dave Simmons went for over 8. Romsey amassed 222-6 in their 40 overs. As they left the field there were some mutterings about this not being enough (the previous week they had grabbed 273-1 on the same ground).
After tea, Gabriel and Will lead the charge in reply. Well, maybe not a charge, maybe more of a casual stroll along a canal bank stopping to chat to fishermen, lock keepers, bargees and other ramblers. Will departed for 9 and Alastair joined Gabriel. They proceeded to accumulate runs steadily against a variety of slow, very slow and very very slow bowling, Romsey having figured that taking any pace off the ball made scoring more difficult. They put on 84 for the 2nd wicket before Alastair was lured out of his ground and stumped. He stopped at the crease long enough to exchange pleasantries with his opposite number and compliment him on the stumping (they also had a long chat about face masks, but I am told that this is nothing to be concerned about).
Dave Simmons was also stumped before an exhausted Gabriel was run out 4 short of what would have been a well deserved 50. By this stage he was delirious & dehydrated from the heat and proceeded to wander around the ground looking for sand dunes and oases.
At 112-4 the base had been laid for a late innings thrash: could we make it? For a few overs it looked on. George smashed an enormous 6 and raced to 30 off 15 balls. Sam kept him company in a quickfire partnership before being run out for 10 trying a suicidal 2nd run. He fell victim to the old ploy of the fake wounded fielder. Up to that point he had trundled the ball in underarm but now with a whiff of run out in the air (and a shout of "he hasn't got an arm" in his ear) he managed to ping the ball in overarm: fast and straight. He didn’t even have the decency to feign a bad shoulder afterwards.
George went next ball, and with him our best hope of making the score. Andy and Pete both made double figures and Rob managed to find the only fielder within 50 yards with a top edge before Andy and Dave Scotcher saw out the 40 overs. We came up 36 short with 9 wickets down but there was general agreement that last season it may well have been 100 short with 20 overs remaining.
Putting the finishing touches to the report almost 2 weeks later we now know that all the matches were called off during our blank week leaving us in the relegation zone have won 1 and lost 3. This week we play Fen Ditton over whom we did the double last year. Let’s see what happens this time.
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