Pirates! In an Adventure with Cricket Bats!

On the 19^th May 2012 the good ship Coton CC set sail for Barrington under overcast skies.  Thankfully the rain held off.  Winds were set fair and we made landfall at 1pm.  In deference to the junior crewmembers we decided to forego the raping and burning and content ourselves with pillaging (runs that is) in one the nicest places to play cricket in Cambridgeshire.  It was first mate East’s first game of the season and we got the traditional text warning of stormy waters on the M11 and a possible late arrival.  He still got there before able seaman Akram who had been cast adrift in a longboat.

Captain Kaye lost the toss again and there was talk of mutiny amongst the crew which the skipper dodged by taking first watch as umpire. We were to bat first.  Ship’s surgeon Gabriel Fox opened the batting with able seaman Garson.

The opening skirmishes were, as they often are, just a sounding out of the opposition but crewman Garson was lost in action missing a straight one from Barrington’s youthful opening bowler.  The other bowler was (shall we say) less youthful and was quickly hit out of the attack by surgeon Fox and able seaman Akram.  He retired to nurse his wounds.  Crewman Akram took the attack to the enemy with some lusty blows whilst surgeon Gabriel dropped anchor: a role in which he is well practiced.  The best of Akram’s shots included a straight driven four past the remaining opening bowler and a drive for six over extra cover to the short boundary. So serene was the progress it was something of a surprise when able seaman Akram lost his wicket for 41.  It had been a good, quick, start and we were set for plundering a useful score.

Helmsman Sparnon now entered the fray.  He is to be commended for all the additional rowing duty he has been undertaking – often hauling the club forward when we are becalmed – but his quiet (!) authoritative presence is welcome on the cricket pitch too.   After Safwan’s quick scoring Sparnon and Fox kept the scoreboard ticking over with some steady play and it was something of a surprise when helmsman Sparnon clattered a long hop straight to the fielder at the point boundary.  Returning to the safe harbour of the pavilion our Chairman demanded of the tallymen to know how many he had scored.  “15 or 20?” he guessed.  “9!” came the reply.  Neil withdrew to a safe distance to consider this.

Cameron the cabin boy was now pressed into service.  One good shot brought three runs but for the second game running he managed to pick out a fielder with an otherwise good shot.  Surgeon Fox was undone after 26 patient runs by a ball that misbehaved, kept low, and snuck though the otherwise solid defence to dislodge the bails.  The old boat was creaking somewhat and taking in water: time for some rebuilding.  Cabin boy Bobby belied his youthful age with an innings of great patience and endeavour.  Along with able seaman Chandler the innings was brought back to an even keel.  18 runs to Matt and 19 to Bobby set us for a final flurry.  Able seaman Kodandaramaiah and (less) able seaman Scotcher took us through to the end.  Ullasa seemed unable to get bat on ball at first but ended with some lusty blows that yielded 21 runs and Dave ended not out 7 and in need of oxygen after “running” a 3.    

1^st mate East and captain Kaye avoided batting duties and may be keelhauled later.

After a fine tea, featuring homemade biscuits we took the field.  Captain Kaye called up Dan and Dave to open the bowling.  Dan produced some unplayable deliveries but also some short pitched bowling that was dispatched over the very short square boundary for maximums.  

At the other end Scotch removed two Barringtonians to claim his 98^th and 99^th league wickets for Coton.  It was time to change at the top end and the captain surveyed the field for a likely volunteer.  His gaze settled on Ullasa who had not been able to hide.  It turned out to be a good move (better sometimes to be a lucky captain than a skilful one).  Ullasa produced 10 tight overs.  There was only one wicket – a beautiful cutback that removed off stump – but little to be hit and several near missed.  

At the other end Scotch was tearing out his hair (don’t worry, you have lots to spare) as the ball repeatedly missed the stumps, and the fielders.  The 100^th wicket wouldn’t come and the opposition skipper was pulling his team ever closer.  Time for change.  Neil ran in and wanged it down straight and fast: compulsory rowing for all the crew is order perhaps.  He also suffered from the ball in the air but not to fielder syndrome but did engineer a classic fast bowlers dismissal: full length, moving away, drive, edge, pouched by the keeper.  Four down and the game in the balance.  Ullasa continued to pepper the increasingly defiant defenders at one end, Neil was firing broadside after broadside at the other but the wickets did not come.

A double bowling change brought Matt to the top end and Scotch back at the other.  Matt’s first few balls gave Barrington the edge but it was Scotch’s eight over that changed the match.

First ball: wicket, his 100^th for the club, was followed by a nervous dot and then a smart stumping from captain Kaye.  It seemed that the umpire’s finger would never go up, but it eventually it did.  Another dot followed and then a third wicket for the man of the moment.  Suddenly with seven down and still 50 to get the wind was with Coton.  Setting our sails a sixth wicket soon followed for Dave.  For once, people had caught the ball off his bowling: Gabriel, Rads and Dan all took good catches for him.  Dan’s parry and dive and Rad’s lumbering casual one handed take were particularly worthy of note.

Matt had got his rhythm by now and the Barrington number nine launched the ball high in the air on the offside with a desperate swipe.  Up it went.  Albatrosses circled, Coton crewmen looked for places to hide and Bobby Elmes was left under the swirling ball, silence prevailed.  Down it dropped into his safe hands and he looked around quizzically as if to ask his cheering shipmates, “why the big fuss?"   It was a great catch, young man, that's why!

Neil finished off the innings with a snorter that clattered into the stumps, and it was a win by 44 runs.  

The most pleasing aspect was the all round performance.  40+ runs from Safwan, 20s from Gabriel and Ullasa and high-teens from Bobby and Matt.  5 good catches taken from aggressive straight bowling from Neil, Ullasa and Matt, and what can you say about another 6-for haul from the evergreen Dave Scotcher?  

It should now have been time for some carousing in the local tavern, racous drinking of ale and lusty tavern wenches.  Instead we went to the Barrington Social Club and watched something called “football” while Scotch got in the jugs that his six wickets demanded (he had conveniently forgotten to bring any money, however).  But still, we have some good tales to tell of our raid pirate raid on Barrington.

"The Pirate Captain".