The 2014 season drew to a close on an overcast September day in Lode. The rest of the teams having completed their seasons the previous week, our visit to Bottisham-Lode II was the only game in J6 North this weekend. The maths, as has been stated many times, was simple: win and we would be 2nd. A defeat could have dropped us as low as 4th. In front of a crowd of around 6, including the captain of Milton, whose team we would overtake in the event of a win we fielded first.
Any thoughts of Bot-Lode (as they kept referring to themselves) stacking the team with 1st XI players was dispelled. Matt and Not-so-Speedy Gonzales took the new ball in their contrasting styles. Some tight bowling kept the scores down and Matt broke through in the 5th over bowling his opposite number who had decided to heave across the line to a straight one. Matt's 4th over featured a flurry of wides, and he did the noble thing by withdrawing himself in favour of Anthony Lamb. Overall we did a good job sending Dan Garson to Australia in exchange for Anthony (despite Gabriel's obsessions). In his first over two perfect in swinging deliveries rearranged the stumps and Bot-Lode were struggling. Next over, Not-so-Speedy joined the fun pinning the remaining opener LBW. Three wickets down for no runs. Jenny had arrived to score, we could spot exactly where she had taken over from the legibility and lack of mistakes thereafter.
Adam Bradbury replaced Not-so-Speedy and captured a 5th wicket courtesy of a running catch from Dave Simmons. Adam got a lot of turn, beat the bat the regularly but had no further successes. Anthony hit the stumps again,. At this point the only fielding Rob had had to do was to recover the ball and bails after a succession of deliveries hit the stumps. His reward was to be given the ball with score on 54-6 at the halfway stage. Rob "Slowpoke Rodriguez" reeled of 6 tight over with lots of playing and missing and two wickets. These came off successive balls, both caught by Bobby at short point.
Bot-Lode were now 60-8, which soon became 67-9 as Chirayu took a stinging caught and bowled off a well hit drive.
Matt had had enough and decided to let Bot-Lode set a target through another over of wides. If they weren't going to score runs, we would damn well do it for them. The last partnership had amassed 32 runs by the time Bobby - whose run up is looking more and more like Bob Willis - stopped the fun by taking the last wicket.
99 all out. Mr Extras top scored again. Really, if we could collectively learn to bowl straight we would win more games more easily. Anthony lead the bowling with 3-19, and Rob 2-11. The other 5 bowlers all grabbed one wicket.
We needed 100 to win for that 2nd place. Any thoughts of nervousness in the batting were quickly dispelled as Bobby and Dave Simmons rattled up the score in their contrasting styles. The bowling was steady without being threatening. Dave clubbed some boundaries in the direction of long on and Bobby alternated between graceful deflections and aggressive pulls when they pitched short.
We were rattling along and the opening partnership had reached 69 when Bot-Lode introduced their teenage spinning prodigy from The Perse School. He caused several false shots from the batsmen before clean bowling Dave - for 40 - who had stepped back to play him through the offside. 260 runs in the season is easily Dave's best return for the club.
Bobby was looking untroubled and it was a huge surprise when 3 runs later he was strangled down the leg side for 25. This meant that he had scored 298 runs in competitive 1st XI games this year, including two 50s. It is hugely satisfying to watch young players develop like this and I look forward to watching it continue: either from the sideline or wearing an umpire's coat.
Adam was now partnering Gabriel. We had got to within 5 of our target when the next wicket fell. In the previous over Gabriel had a reprieve when he gloved a beamer to the wicket keeper. Chirayu gave the catch, but Rob at midwicket had already called no-ball for the height. The next over their was another no-ball which evaded batsman and keeper alike. The batsmen ran and in the confusion both ended up at the strikers end. The keeper broke the stumps and then threw the ball to the bowler's end where Adam had safely regained his ground.
Gabriel looked aghast as Chirayu again raised the finger and proceeded to argue long and hard with the umpire and the opposition before grudgingly hauling himself off the field. The disciplinary committee fined him 6 pints (and 3 cokes) after the match.
95-3, and Adam was ready to leave. He launched the first two balls of the next over to long on, first for two and then four. We were home with 17 overs and 7 wickets to spare.
At the mid point of the season we had 1 actual win and 2 by default. The second half started with a defeat to Milton, but then turned around with a run of 6 wins out of 7, including 5 in a row to finish the season off. The one defeat was a close run affair to the champions Madingley. The juniors grew in confidence and contribution whilst the seniors showed that they weren't going their places without a fight.
Bobby was top run scorer, followed by Simmo, Richard and Matt. Adam and Paolo had the best averages.
Amongst the bowlers, the wickets were widely shared, only Scotch (18) and Matt (16) getting more than 10.
Now there is the wait until the New Year to see how the CCA re-arrange the leagues next year. In the meanwhile, everyone involved should give themselves a hearty "well done" slap on the back for finishing 2nd. In particular, well done to Matt for pulling a team together every week and engendering the team spirit and enjoyment (winning helps).
Safwan still has 10 overs left, if needed.
Adam Lay I Bounden
Score Card
League Table
I apologize for the lateness and brevity of the report. My source has been pleading overwork, so when I finally chased him down to say some words we wasn't too forthcoming.
From what I can gather, the Coton promotion machine rumbles on to the last game of the season. For the second week running we were faced by a team of nine. Is this disrespect? "Oh, it's only Coton" I hear them say. "We can beat them with nine." "Including two grannies, and a cardboard cutout."
As it was when we last played, Longstowe's ground is the epitome of village cricket. A tree inside the boundary (bloody big and no-one managed to hit it), a mediaeval church, a changing room almost as old, and long grass covering the rolling outfield. Combined with the long boundaries the long grass helped keep the score down restricting the teams to a combined nine boundaries.
We opened with Mr Fox and Mr Elmes and they gave us a solid start, 29 in 12 overs, before Bobby was LBW to the more threatening of the two opening bowlers. Bobby's glances and flicks were being swallowed by the lush outfield, turning fours into twos. That's what coaching does for you, playing the ball on the ground isn't always the best idea.
Adam Bradbury joined Gabriel and the scoring rate went up. A bit. We made it to half way with one wicket down and sixty on the board before Gabriel was bowled.
This triggered that rarest of events: Ross Chandler batting for Coton, his first game for three years. This was a chance for him to show why his coaching of the juniors has brought so much success to the club in the last few years. Anyone suggesting "glory hunting" with promotion in sight are just being churlish. Ross scratched around for a few overs before departing, muttering about his eyesight, bringing Adam Wright to the wicket.
In the bible, the returning prodigal son is greeted with a coat of many colours and a fatted calf. Adam got a pair of shorts and a tuna sandwich. He was a little out of touch, and the Longstowe skipper was soon appealing for a caught behind. Rob turned it down on the basis that it had been edged into the ground and was a bump ball. Longstowe were still muttering about it for overs afterwards. On the next delivery the Longstowe captain "Mankaded" Adam Bradbury. Adam was palpably out of his ground, but the appeal was withdrawn and Adam told it was a warning.
Next ball, Adam Wright edged to the keeper again, and this time there was no doubt. The bowler then attempted to Mankad Adam again but the latter had gotten his bat down, just. He holed out a couple of overs later for a very impressive 44.
Richard stopped watching the buzzards long enough to bat, and with Matt started to up the score. It was still difficult to get away, and aggression was often rewarded with a wicket. Richard was LBW, Cameron bowled for a duck and Dominic run out, having been sent back by his skipper (no playing for the average there, then). Rob hit a couple of lusty blows before missing a straight one, and Matt saw out the innings with Tom. 139-9 was a struggle, but the bowling had been tight, the fielding enthusiastic, and the grass long.
Longstowe had similar problems scoring. Matt and Rob opened the bowling, and although both went wicketless in their opening spells kept the rate at under two an over. A couple of chances went begging to Rob's chagrin and the nerves set in. We needed wickets and Matt shuffled his pack. Last week's bowling star, Adam Bradbury, replaced Rob and then Ross came on for Matt. Adam wasn't quite on the money as had been the previous week and it was Ross that made the breakthrough. The opposition captain was his victim and he was sure that he had hit the ball. He had, but it was pad first, then bat which makes the LBW shout legitimate.
Ross went on to reel off 10 consecutive overs for just 19 runs. He didn't get another wicket but the required run rate was growing. From 3.5 per over when they started, to 4.5 at half way, to 5. Adam wheeled away with a combination of unplayable deliveries and slightly more playable ones. It was from one of the latter that the Longstowe number three slapped the ball into Gabriel's midriff at short mid-wicket. Matt shuffled his pack again. Ross was bowled out and Adam Wright got the call. Richard bowled a single over from the other end that included 4 wides and Rob came back for a couple more unsuccessful overs. All the while, the nine of Longstowe got closer and the score moved on to 93-2 with 10 overs left. 47 needed to win, with 6 wickets in hand.
Adam Wright immediately got impressive bounce and turn and got his reward by bowling the remaining opener. Matt span the wheel again and brought himself back. This was the decisive move. In four overs, 93-2 became 104-6. Adam got a 2nd from a smart catch by Cameron behind the stumps. Ross was encouraging Cameron to get closer and stay down longer and our young keeper became noticeably more decisive as the innings progressed. In the next over, Matt struck twice. The first was a leaping, diving take at midwicket by Gabriel. Richard mused that it was like a raptor taking a small bird in flight. Next ball Matt bowled the unlucky teenager that had been next to the wicket.
36 to win, but now only 2 wickets left. Adam Wright struck twice more. A towering shot was sent in the direction of long on. Gabriel steadied himself under the ball, read the coaching manual, consulted his stock broker and completed the third of a very impressive hat trick. Each was difficult in different ways and each taken. There have been other examples of the ball following a specific fielder (Bobby, Paolo) this season, and each has been up to the task when called upon.
By now Richard and Rob were both almost unable to move with injuries they had picked up and both were trying to avoid the call from Matt now he had finished his alloted overs. Neither was needed as Longstowe's last man advanced down the track and Cameron whipped off the bails to complete the stumping.
Longstowe were 121 all out, Coton victorious by 18 runs with 10 balls left. This puts us 3rd in the league and a win against Bottisham-Lode on the final day will see us into 2nd. It was a good all around team performance. Adam Bradbury lead the batting with his 44 supported by useful runs from Gabriel, Bobby, Richard and Matt. For the 2nd week running a wrist spinner called Adam took 4-10, this week it was Adam Wright. He did it in one over less than Adam Bradbury the previous week.
League Table
I apologize for the lateness and brevity of the report. My source has been pleading overwork, so when I finally chased him down to say some words we wasn't too forthcoming.
From what I can gather, the Coton promotion machine rumbles on to the last game of the season. For the second week running we were faced by a team of nine. Is this disrespect? "Oh, it's only Coton" I hear them say. "We can beat them with nine." "Including two grannies, and a cardboard cutout."
As it was when we last played, Longstowe's ground is the epitome of village cricket. A tree inside the boundary (bloody big and no-one managed to hit it), a mediaeval church, a changing room almost as old, and long grass covering the rolling outfield. Combined with the long boundaries the long grass helped keep the score down restricting the teams to a combined nine boundaries.
We opened with Mr Fox and Mr Elmes and they gave us a solid start, 29 in 12 overs, before Bobby was LBW to the more threatening of the two opening bowlers. Bobby's glances and flicks were being swallowed by the lush outfield, turning fours into twos. That's what coaching does for you, playing the ball on the ground isn't always the best idea.
Adam Bradbury joined Gabriel and the scoring rate went up. A bit. We made it to half way with one wicket down and sixty on the board before Gabriel was bowled.
This triggered that rarest of events: Ross Chandler batting for Coton, his first game for three years. This was a chance for him to show why his coaching of the juniors has brought so much success to the club in the last few years. Anyone suggesting "glory hunting" with promotion in sight are just being churlish. Ross scratched around for a few overs before departing, muttering about his eyesight, bringing Adam Wright to the wicket.
In the bible, the returning prodigal son is greeted with a coat of many colours and a fatted calf. Adam got a pair of shorts and a tuna sandwich. He was a little out of touch, and the Longstowe skipper was soon appealing for a caught behind. Rob turned it down on the basis that it had been edged into the ground and was a bump ball. Longstowe were still muttering about it for overs afterwards. On the next delivery the Longstowe captain "Mankaded" Adam Bradbury. Adam was palpably out of his ground, but the appeal was withdrawn and Adam told it was a warning.
Next ball, Adam Wright edged to the keeper again, and this time there was no doubt. The bowler then attempted to Mankad Adam again but the latter had gotten his bat down, just. He holed out a couple of overs later for a very impressive 44.
Richard stopped watching the buzzards long enough to bat, and with Matt started to up the score. It was still difficult to get away, and aggression was often rewarded with a wicket. Richard was LBW, Cameron bowled for a duck and Dominic run out, having been sent back by his skipper (no playing for the average there, then). Rob hit a couple of lusty blows before missing a straight one, and Matt saw out the innings with Tom. 139-9 was a struggle, but the bowling had been tight, the fielding enthusiastic, and the grass long.
Longstowe had similar problems scoring. Matt and Rob opened the bowling, and although both went wicketless in their opening spells kept the rate at under two an over. A couple of chances went begging to Rob's chagrin and the nerves set in. We needed wickets and Matt shuffled his pack. Last week's bowling star, Adam Bradbury, replaced Rob and then Ross came on for Matt. Adam wasn't quite on the money as had been the previous week and it was Ross that made the breakthrough. The opposition captain was his victim and he was sure that he had hit the ball. He had, but it was pad first, then bat which makes the LBW shout legitimate.
Ross went on to reel off 10 consecutive overs for just 19 runs. He didn't get another wicket but the required run rate was growing. From 3.5 per over when they started, to 4.5 at half way, to 5. Adam wheeled away with a combination of unplayable deliveries and slightly more playable ones. It was from one of the latter that the Longstowe number three slapped the ball into Gabriel's midriff at short mid-wicket. Matt shuffled his pack again. Ross was bowled out and Adam Wright got the call. Richard bowled a single over from the other end that included 4 wides and Rob came back for a couple more unsuccessful overs. All the while, the nine of Longstowe got closer and the score moved on to 93-2 with 10 overs left. 47 needed to win, with 6 wickets in hand.
Adam Wright immediately got impressive bounce and turn and got his reward by bowling the remaining opener. Matt span the wheel again and brought himself back. This was the decisive move. In four overs, 93-2 became 104-6. Adam got a 2nd from a smart catch by Cameron behind the stumps. Ross was encouraging Cameron to get closer and stay down longer and our young keeper became noticeably more decisive as the innings progressed. In the next over, Matt struck twice. The first was a leaping, diving take at midwicket by Gabriel. Richard mused that it was like a raptor taking a small bird in flight. Next ball Matt bowled the unlucky teenager that had been next to the wicket.
36 to win, but now only 2 wickets left. Adam Wright struck twice more. A towering shot was sent in the direction of long on. Gabriel steadied himself under the ball, read the coaching manual, consulted his stock broker and completed the third of a very impressive hat trick. Each was difficult in different ways and each taken. There have been other examples of the ball following a specific fielder (Bobby, Paolo) this season, and each has been up to the task when called upon.
By now Richard and Rob were both almost unable to move with injuries they had picked up and both were trying to avoid the call from Matt now he had finished his alloted overs. Neither was needed as Longstowe's last man advanced down the track and Cameron whipped off the bails to complete the stumping.
Longstowe were 121 all out, Coton victorious by 18 runs with 10 balls left. This puts us 3rd in the league and a win against Bottisham-Lode on the final day will see us into 2nd. It was a good all around team performance. Adam Bradbury lead the batting with his 44 supported by useful runs from Gabriel, Bobby, Richard and Matt. For the 2nd week running a wrist spinner called Adam took 4-10, this week it was Adam Wright. He did it in one over less than Adam Bradbury the previous week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
