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Sir Isac' double Jugs
herro writes "Why is it that no Welford games are simple to manage? 12.30; a call from Jason lets skipper know that Bala’s train has been cancelled and the replacement bus will not get to Newbury until 1.45’ish. With the guys getting a lift after that from Herro time will be tight to get to the ground for 2.30. Jim is give the instructions to toss up if skip is not there at 2.20 but to call first but we must field first.
Jim tosses.... loses, Welford bat, all as Herro enters the car park….great start to the day! Everyone seems more intent in having a net than getting the side organised, so a quick mustering into the changing rooms allows Herro to give his rousing team talk about what he expects, before Boy Wonder and Bruce (now is that Batman and Robin?) go to open the batting.
The wonder dab initially is not working but 16 runs from the first 4 overs turns into 30 from 8 and then 44 from 12. Bruce (30) then goes for the hit over the top and it caught on the run by a play out deep who was certainly not seen by the pavilion dwellers and probably not Bruce either. In comes Sir Isac, having requested the no 3 slot and to be fair does a good job in keeping the flow of runs going. By the time drinks are taken at 20 overs 80-1 is a very respectable start. Herro asks for the push on and Mike duly obliges by hitting the ball over the bowler but not quite high enough as is caught and bowled for 19. A quick fire 31 partnership off 6 overs with Jason (16) and then another 31 from only 4 overs from Bala (18) has moved the score onto 149-4 from 31 overs. Herro now joins Sir Isac and next over a maiden half century is registering on the board. Runs still flow at the same rate as this partners yields 33 from 4.5 overs before a tired Sir Isac is bowled for 54. In comes brother Stinger but there is no time to bed in as at least 4 suicidal singles are taken, two of them turned into doubles. These last 4.5 overs add another 39 runs to the total with Herro 34no and Stinger 11no as an impressive 221-5 was posted. The best thing about the whole innings was the side batted in partnerships. The lowest being 31, the highest 47, great work by everyone but the job only half done.
AS partnerships work with the batting the same was tried for the bowling With Stinger and Joe Brown opening the attack, then yet more repetition. Stringers 6th ball of his first 3 overs all took the edge, the first off the inside which Jason did well to get a glove to, the second a thin outside edge and then the third a thicker one which went through the vacant slip area. Three chances but no wickets for the Stinger. Joe was looking dangerous and eventually got Lyons to play a false drive which was well caught by Bala. Next over Joe’s drive hit ran out Hammond who hadn’t faced a ball and Wanborough were 25-2 which became 33-2 after 10 overs, only 2 runs behind our score at this stage. Enter the next bowling partnership of Greeno and Mike Carter and 4th ball in from Greeno (or should he now be called “YMCA” the timbers went. He somehow managed to deliver his next two balls whilst in fits of laughter following the YMCA comments with the batsmen only scoring three runs. As the drinks break loomed Greeno took a good caught and bowled to finish his 5 overs for 2-13. The home side were now 80-4, so the same amount of runs but 3 more wickets down. This could turn into a close game. On come the spinners to try to strangle the life out of the game. Herro knew the plan conceding only 8 runs in three overs but Sir Isac had gone for 18 from his 3, which could have been more had Michael not taken a fearsome blow just above the ankle at backward square leg. Boy Wonder now moved to the “45” with Michael going in slips. Despite barracking from his brother Sir Isac held his nerve took the edge of Will Smith’s bat for “little Michael” to take the catch at slip…..inspired captaincy to put him there. Next over Lyons smashed Sir Isac to the boundary but then fatally went back on his stumps to be given out LBW. Another drinks break at 30 overs with the score on 111 saw stinger pleading to bowl his last three overs and get brother off, but Herro was going to let Sir Isac was to bowl all his 8 overs should a fifer be on the cards. The last ball of the 32 over saw Feeney ski the ball behind square. Boy wonder called, Sir Isac called neither gave it up and….what both forgot was….The rate of change of momentum of a body is proportional to the resultant force acting on the body. In other words Isac caught the ball just before crashing into Mike and all three of them (yes the ball as well) ended up still on the floor. With blood coming from his mouth and complaining of a pooly leg Herro suggested that Sir Isac should come off. NO CHANCE. GIVE ME THAT BALL. Well Feeney, Phillips and Hay all wished he had stopped as all were bowled within the 1st 4 balls of the over. Herro then took the last wicket brilliantly caught by little Michael as slip as Wanborough were all out for 121 with Sir Isac returning figures of 5-26.
Maiden half century and maiden Fifer for Sir Isac who was probably man of the match. Blue strip was a difficult one and could also have gone to Sir Isac but his two jugs were excellent and the YMCA was brilliant .... so it went to Greeno!
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Posted by IanBotham on Monday, July 28, 2008 @ 21:09:03 BST (20 reads)
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Sir Isaac Discovers Flight
jurgo writes "Sunday July 13th:
Stinger is ill with a sore throat. It’s not a hangover and it’s nothing to do with the mid season do and the beer that he drank in Lion, the curry house, The Dolphin and Our John’s pad from which he returned to his bunk in the plastic submarine well after the sun was up, dressed and tucking into it’s bacon and eggs. He makes a feeble attempt to drop out of today’s game but succumbs to the press gang that arrive at his abode.
It’s a decent track and when I win the toss I’m inclined to bat until I see the sun beating down on Stinger and evil-Jurgo takes over. I’m torn between starting with a 7-2 field making Stinger cover almost the entire leg side or making him bowl up hill.
After Stinger serves up some quite respectable stuff in the circumstances it’s Herro who dismisses the openers, chuffed to knock a stump out of the ground and then admiring a diving catch at slip from Nanny who, meantime, has been bowling a mean spell at the other end. 84-2.
Herro has been his usual, guiley self and it’s Unjust to replace him. There’s a similar, Sopp, downsize at the other end and the two young colts show once again the quality of the Park youth academy, Olly having a difficult one put down by Nanny who is also his big brother (obviously there’s inbreeding going on here on a League Of Gentlemen scale).
Sir Isaac is up next and quickly discovers flight (and turn). After Harsha takes a catch Jon returns the favour off Harsha’s bowling and it’s 127-4. From this point there are regular wickets. Harsha finishes with two and Sir Isaac and Herro with equal shares on the rest. Harsha’s catching is safe as houses. He’s taken three of them and Wokingham are 160 all out.
After tea Boy Wonder is quickly caught by Batman but Jason (49) and Lewis (67) put on 96 for the 2nd wicket at about bang on the rate. Once they depart nobody else can really get themselves in, although William plays some great shots for his nine. It’s tight. We need 21 off the last 4 overs and 14 off three. Then a double wicket maiden, including the wicket of big hitting Bala, changes the equation. It comes down to 10 off the last over with Sir Isaac facing and Herro the non striker. Dot-two-one-dot-one. The field is deepest of deep because a Sir Isaac six will still tie. It’s a good swing but it’s not enough and it’s a Wokingham win by just two runs. "
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Posted by IanBotham on Friday, July 25, 2008 @ 15:12:59 BST (19 reads)
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Welford Park vs Peppard
There was, in the American Civil war, a great Confederate General known as Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson – guess why? Anyway, a match that was at turns enormously entertaining and mind-numbingly dull contained at least two men of such renown in the opposition ranks, although they shall henceforth be known as “Jammy” and “Deadbat”, strokeless wonders on a soggy, windy afternoon.
The day began with stand in Skipper Monica – having seen the prevailing weather and desperate to field first – frantically searching for double headed coins or other methods of fixing the toss. Coming up short, he resorted to losing the toss and the Park were thus inserted on a popping, slow, difficult wicket. Our John quickly succumbed, slashing one to point off the front foot (this precipitated a serious period of sulking). The floating batting order had Pradeep at three unless we lost an early wicket – so Herro, the revelatory run machine, strode to the wicket to resume his relentless attempts to end the season with a 200+ average. 93 runs later, a mixture of fine defence and the odd bludgeon, Monica ballsed up a drive at a wide one off a particularly ordinary left-armed ginger colt, and was unlucky – given the at least seven dropped sitters on the day – to find a relatively safe pair of hands. In strode Pradeep, who has always looked classy with the bat while rarely mustering more than single figures. He and Herro continued the Parks’ new trend of batting in partnerships, and his brisk 35 included a glorious six over long off. Nanny came in with under ten overs to go, and swung the willow effectively to make 16, and number 5 Bala managed 10 not out at the death. Herro was once again the batting hero of the Park with 92 not out – and seemed genuinely surprised having somehow miscounted (one can only assume it was a combination of age and fatigue!) and assuming himself to be on 75!
In short, a fine batting effort. The stand in Skipper was even blasé about his decision not to call the boys in early – something along the lines of; “If we can’t bowl them out in 45 overs we don’t deserve to win!”
Famous last words anyone?!
And so onto the reply by George Peppard. Pradeep, the Vodafone Express, tore in up the hill with the wind, and promptly put said wind up the openers. Several times the batsmen were hit, and one – having hit a rather decent blow for six off Lipstick (AKA The Libster, AKA Libin) – could only fend a rising ball down onto leg stump. Lipstick and the Vodafone Express bowled accurate, hostile opening spells, and having reduced George Peppard to 39-3 (Monica with the latest in a long line of awesome catches) it was all looking good for the mighty Park. After all, Nanny had promised a veritable deluge of wickets when given the ball…
But alas, enter “Jammy” and “Deadbat” at 4 and 5, and the game became a frustrating bore-athon as neither attempted to hit the ball off the square (or were incapable of doing so) and both used up more lives than a posse of felines as catches fell just short (Captain Braveheart was the cruellest jibe from Our John “the Proverb”, directed unfairly at the stand in Skip) or lobbed pathetically over the heads of the fielders. Even when Ed had to dash off early (do I see a large thumb-print on his head..?) the ten men of Park were clustered all around the bat for at least the last 32 overs – by the end there was one fielder on the single and most suicidally close. Despite the best efforts of Nanny, Tom Tempest and the returning Pradeep, neither of the Peppard mind-numbers were dislodged. Enter the spin twins – perhaps belatedly, the Captain will take that one on the chin – to turn the last ten overs into rout that almost saw a win snatched form the jaws of a … winning draw(?) Herro returned 3-11 and Monica 3-6 as panic set in amongst the rabbits and with nine balls remaining the ninth wicket fell. Special mention should go to the boundless insanity of our close fielders for risking life and limb in the cause of victory, especially TT who, sporting only a helmet and box, was so close on the offside that a cover drive would have seen him despatched through the offside!
In summing up, a magnificent performance from the Park, with all contributing in the field (mainly by helping keep each other awake) and a real shame that we didn’t get the outright win our superiority deserved. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was always excellent, the banter was top draw, and the tea, provided by Nanny (“I was up a 7.30 this morning to make this…”) was a phenomenal effort from one so young and wicketless
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Posted by IanBotham on Thursday, July 10, 2008 @ 00:58:41 BST (44 reads)
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Boy Wonder Saves Gotham City - (Accidentally Slays Robocop and The Special One)
Citizens of Gotham City, you can sleep soundly once again (oh, sorry, you were doing). The Caped Crusader has saved the day again.
It’s a day that starts with Robocop drafted in as a last minute replacement and Boy Wonder winning the toss, Jurgo’s travel plans having been de-railed by Anand taking the bus instead of train to the train station and arriving 25 minutes late.
The bowling is opened with some Special One leg theory. He has spotted that most of his wickets are caught deep on the leg side so sets a deep square leg and a long leg. Trouble is that when he actually tries to bowl the long hops on purpose (sorry Simon, “bouncers”, my mistake) a series of yorker length balls a yard wide of leg stump ensue. Never mind leg theory, if the distance from stumps to boundary is 60 yards and the angle formed on the fine leg boundary between stumps and long leg is 90 degrees and The Special One is bowling at about 55mph (sorry Simon, 75mph, my mistake) then Pythagoras tells us that long leg doesn’t have a prayer of stopping 5 wides. Ultimate accountability rests with the skip and I can only apologise.
A super off cutter from Tim in the second over leaves one of the openers cursing in the pavilion as the second wicket pair race along at seven an over in putting on 92.
Change bowlers are Asbo and Mike H and Waltham St Lawrence are suddenly 106-4 as Mike gets an LBW and Lokesh gets a catch from Tino and a clatter of wood. A further caught behind off Mike is not given which is frustrating as the next wicket puts on 82. A Shibi catch and another bowled leave Shibi with a four-for again as jug-avoidance suspicions rise. Waltham declare on 238-6 off 42.
Jurgo and Bruce see off the new ball until one stops on Bruce and he holes out in the 16th over. 43-1. Five runs later one jumps off a length and takes the Jurgo top edge.
Then there’s a mix up as The Special One and The Boy Wonder go for a 3rd. Now I don’t know whose fault it was but Simon is cross. He is crosser than cross. In fact he is so cross that he is as cross as Starsky and Hutch get when Huggy Bear tells a fib and, as The Special One walks through the bar to the changing room, empty cardboard boxes go flying in all directions.
Boy Wonder stands firm. Tim scores 20 out of a 28 run 4th wicket partnership. Lokesh scores 17 out of a 19 run 5th wicket partnership. Then, who is this striding to the crease, kitted out in helmet and shades? It must be Robocop!
At this point the Boy Wonder launches into his favourite attacking shot, cunningly guiding three successive fours head high between 2nd and 3rd slip. His defensive shots remain immaculate. The contrast is absolute as, despite some vicious sledging, Robocop plays some superb hefty blows but looks vulnerable when he should be defending. After a while Robocop’s little brother is told to be quiet and the sledging desists.
Then Robocop skies one towards the bowler. He has listened well to all his Dad’s lectures and shouts for a run, attempting to distract the catcher. Holy Howlers batman! Robocop’s evil ploy succeeds as the catch goes down but, unluckily, he has chosen a cliff hanger moment to go for the run. Robin’s feet are glued to the crease until the start of the next episode and he is powerless to move. Robocop tries to run all the way back again but it’s a lost cause. 124-6 off 35.
With a quick speech from his Skip in his ears, Mike Harrison walks to the crease, pumped up and determined to play for the losing draw (only Jurgo can do this). The overs tick down. It’s 129 off 36, 130 off 37, 130 off 38 and so on. The 7th wicket pair stay resolute. Mike H’s shout of joy as he takes the extra batting point and sees out the final over is testimony to the fact that we have achieved a goal, albeit not the ultimate one. 153-6 off 48. Well done Park!
p.s. Can you guess who is Robocop? The clues are in the match report. Answers on a postcard.
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Posted by IanBotham on Tuesday, July 08, 2008 @ 14:18:47 BST (35 reads)
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Sunday June 29th Report
jurgo writes "The Welford line up consists of Herro Snr, Bala, Just William, Mike Carter and seven muppets who have obviously never held a bat before. Herro and Bala put on a slightly chancy 118 for the sixth wicket, Will and Mike put on a faultless 23 for the last wicket and the muppets score 44 between them, closely followed by extras with 25.
The menu is below from an excellent tea is supplied by Caped Crusader Catering (not as good as Marc’s mum’s though).
Did you know that Herro is a fan of 60s cult series ‘Stingray’, a futuristic plastic submarine operated by near-invisible strings and captained by Troy Tempest? Now ever since multi-coloured coats were invented there’s been turning-point moments that forge the contrasting paths of fraternal fortunes and when Herro suggests possible nicknames of ‘Stinger’ or ‘Marina’ (a mute tailless mermaid from said series) it’s Tom who’s lucky enough to be the man on the scene and nab the first choice nickname, leaving Marina to his brother.
Hurst have been set to chase 201 in 40 overs (win or bust). They are never up with the rate. The bowling is shared between Stinger, Lester, Just William, Mike Carter, Karthik, Our John and Herro. They are all in the wickets except John who’s unlucky enough to have his first ball put down at slip after a clever parry in that direction from the keeper. Karthik’s figures are 6-0-15-3. There are catches from Tim and Stinger and a Jurgo stumping to leave Hurst short by 55 runs. Well done Park!
CAPED CRUSADER CATERING (very) LIMITED
(This Menu was prepared exclusively by Boy Wonder while Batgirl was away)
Dynamic Duo Rolls
The Mister Freeze, Cucumber and Cheese
The Egghead, Egg and Mayo
The Ham, just like the acting it has tomatoes thrown at it
The Cowardly Villain, it’s all Chicken
Riddler’s Extras
Pork Sausage Rolls
Crisps
Joker Cakes
Chocolate Chip Cake
Chocolate Roll
Vanilla flavour Minirolls
Apple Tarts
Chocolate Bars
Be Like Batman. Pick up a Penguin
Tea
Tea with Milk (unfortunately Catwoman got the cream)
Holy Bon Appetit!
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Posted by IanBotham on Monday, July 07, 2008 @ 23:30:31 BST (32 reads)
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2s Report June 28th
jurgo writes "Opening point of order:
Now that Bash has deserted, obviously the mantle of ‘Keeper of The Blue Stripe” passes to the new first team vice, sic Monica.
Match Report:
Sloth has it so easy. All the 1s had to do today was turn up and they got 30 points. Park 2s played their hearts out. Super fielding from everybody and special mentions deserved for Jon Tempest in the covers who was sheer class and Shibi at mid on who tolied selflessly for the team.
Modassir and Arunn open the bowling, Mushy hitting the gloves hard (doesn’t hurt though, I’m on pain killers, hah!). The Blairy offspring come on both ends at first and second change and a fumble behind the wickets off Matt is quickly made up for as the Purley skip is caught behind off Captain Pants (Super Hero). 34-1. A direct hit from cover by Jon dispatches the Purley no.3. 41-2.
Another double change around drinks. Mike Harrison replaces Matt and Mod returns and takes out the remaining opener. 77-3. Patel at no.4 for Purley looks the danger man. Mike beats him in the flight and a Jurgo swipe at the bails just beats his retreat. 107-4.
Whilst Modassir and Nick again switch the bowling from the Shefford end, Mike is still looking dangerous, flighting it into the wind, and another caught behind makes it 137-5. There’s more excitement as he lures the Purley no.7 into a faint toe-ended cut into gloves and I’m thinking that when Gazza has finished gesticulating how big the fish was that he caught last week he’ll raise the finger but, “oh bollox!”, he’s only signalling a feckin wide.
Nick soon has him caught at square leg by ‘safe hands’ Arunn and, after another stumps demolishment from Modassir, Purley finish on 182-7.
Tea is supplied by Arunn but it’s not as good as Marc’s Mum’s (which has set the standard for the season).
Jurgo and Bruce open and I reckon that if we start off at around three an over we can set things up for our big hitters. On that basis 37-0 off 13 is looking good until a super wrong ‘un that also happens to keep low is just too good for your skip. It soon looks a lot worse as Tempest goes first ball, Modassir holes out to a great catch after a couple of big 4s and then Bruce is bowled for 23.37-0 has become 55-4.
The 49 run partnership for the 5th wicket is one of contrasting styles. The Caped Crusader’s contribution is chanceless whereas Lokesh lives dangerously; he’s dropped twice and there’s a huge appeal for caught behind not given. However, as Lokesh has contributed 41 of the 49, I s’pose that’s fair enough really.
By the time Lokesh is out we need over 8 an over. Arunn is sent in to hit out or get out and duly obeys. Next ball Nick Blair is sent in with slightly revised instructions. He doesn’t last much longer though. Another collapse has seen 104-4 become 108-7. Matt and the Boy Wonder shut up shop and we finish on 119-7. Match drawn. Good effort Park but time to start winning now!
Epilogue:
I suppose I should enlighten you on that comment in the first paragraph as to just quite why Slothy has it so easy. Well, when I switched my phone back on, returning to the pavilion after that deceitful wrong ‘un, there’s a text from Herro exclaiming “30 point win!”.
“Well done 1s,” thinks I, “but there’s no mention about Herro pulling further away from Monica’s run aggregate. Can Herro possibly have been out for nought?”.
Well that’s not it. The opposition ground has been double booked and, although the teams do get on a couple of hours late for a friendly, with confirmation from the League committee the 1st XI game was awarded the game to Welford but Herro offered the use of the late rule to try to get an approved League game in.
Now, human beings would have sent a text saying “Game cancelled!” or perhaps “Game cancelled but at least we get 30 points.” To the Automatic Spin Machine, it’s quite simply “30 point win!”. Under what category do we award this nailed-on Blue Stripe? Is this a 1s Blue Stripe as the cause was at Soning or a 2s Blue Stripe as the effect (text received) was at The Park? Is it possible for a 1s player to receive a Blue Stripe in the 2s category? Is it possible to award a 1s Blue Stripe on game that didn’t happen? Perhaps it’s possible to award a double Blue Stripe covering both teams simultaneously.Thank goodness I appointed Monica as “Keeper Of The Blue Stripe” at the start of this match report!
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Posted by IanBotham on Monday, June 30, 2008 @ 10:35:47 BST (46 reads)
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Warfield Annihilated
slothy writes " Those that were at the game will know why the Skipper is still smiling after the game on Saturday.
It had been a traumatic week in all, as the line-up for both teams changed many times. It did seem that the odds of winning the lottery were better than either team having a full quota.
It even ended with Sloth pinching two of the 2nds at the last moment. Well, Liam was in Jurgo’s car as he passed Newbury train station and Manoj had to bring Pradeep into Newbury anyway? Still the 1sts only ended up with 10 men (that is, of course, if they could find out what had happened to John as he wasn’t picking up his phone!)
The Skipper got to the Warfield ground with only 15 minutes to spare. Pradeep and Manoj turned up as Sloth tossed up, Welford to bat. This was a good thing as it gave us time to ‘find John’ throughout the first innings.
First out, Ben & Pradeep took to the wicket. It was looking slightly damp, as was the outfield. Pradeep was first to fall with a ball that stayed low. He drove it straight back at the bowler at an amazing speed, however the bowler plucked the ball from his ankles for a ‘caught & bowled’. (0-1). "
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Posted by IanBotham on Monday, June 23, 2008 @ 17:17:23 BST (61 reads)
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Park Spirit Not Quite Enough
jurgo writes "Well it was never impossible but it was always going to be easier for eight men to mow a meadow (or move a Park sight screen) than to win a cricket match. Nonetheless Park played with great spirit, epitomised by Winders’ opening spell, bowling with pace and swinging it both ways he deserves more than two wickets for his first eight overs.
Opposite Winders, Greeno opens from the Welford End. This season, when batting, Greeno can blame only stupidity, but when bowling he’s had the wost luck ever and must win the FNG Berkshire League end of season award for most dropped catches off his bowling. It’s not his fault that his first five overs are fruitless.
The wicket is drying and Waheed is given an over “to see if it turns big”. He relishes the opportunity and starts a geat partnership with his skip; if you want to stay on all day then presenting two caught behinds and a stumping is second only to offering free beer for the night and a lift home (I mean that most sincerely folks!).
At 15 overs against eight men Knowl Hill are 47-3. Not bad, but we can’t quite get that fourth wicket as the false shots go wide of the field and it’s 101-3 when the emergency call to the Bat Phone is finally answered and The Boy Wonder and then Rob Higgs fill some of the gaps in the field at drinks.
To give Winders a break, Lokesh and then Lester have a go from the Top End but can’t penetrate. Winders then comes back and thwarts the oppo acceleration. Meantime, from the Welford end, Waheed has bowled intelligently, mixing his spin with some seam up, taking four wickets in a 15 over spell. Then Greeno returns for a well deserved wicket as the urge to accelerate lures the oppo bat down the wicket for another Jurgo stumping. The Jurgo jug is denied by the declaration at 198-7 off 42 overs.
Tea is the best ever. Home baked by Greeno. His Mum had no involvement whatsoever. We tuck in heartily thinking that just maybe the oppo have declared too soon.
Waheed holds up an end as Jurgo dominates the opening partnership until being given out LBW, hit on the little toe of the front foot with a leg stump guard to an inswinging yorker. It is to Jurgo’s great credit that he calmly accepts the pint of Thatcher’s Gold from Gazza at the end of the game. 25-1 after 12.
Jurgo and Waheed having raced along at over two runs per over, the Boy Wonder brings some sanity and there’s a more sedate 8 runs scored in the next 6 overs until Waheed is caught at 33-2.
Welford Park welcomes back Rob Higgs to the batting line up as the rest of the team are deployed to keep an eye on 18 month old Aidan. Mum thinks that Dad is supervising Aidan’s afternoon nap. Will she discover where he’s been? Will Aidan let the cat out the bag by casually mimicing his Dad’s comment “Daddy says you can’t be bloody LBW if you hit it!”. Tune in for the rest of the season’s match reports and if you don’t see Rob’s name mentioned again the answer is probably “yes”. 47-3
When Winders and Lester come and go quickly it’s 58-5. The Boy Wonder is still holding on and Lokesh plays some big shots, top scoring with 31 before coming down the track, missing it and hearing the death rattle behind him. 97-6. Uncharacteristically The Boy Wonder reaches for one and chips it to gully. 97-7.
Majid Farhan and Ed Armishaw have a brief flourish but when Majid and then Greeno are caught Ed, playing cricket for the second time ever, is stranded on 9 and we’re all out for 117. We’ve lost by 81 but heads are high. "
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Posted by IanBotham on Sunday, June 22, 2008 @ 20:02:09 BST (63 reads)
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Welford Park vs Puxley XI
Well what a game this was! Welford’s top order had been ripped out during the week prior to the match and then with Libin getting injured on Saturday and unable to play, things did not look good on the bowling front either. Cometh the hour cometh the boys…but we’ll get to that later.
 Having lost the toss, Herro was able to get the Puxley Xl to bat much to the disgust of Alexander’s team mates. In walked Keith Davies for his last innings in this match and moments later walked back to the pavilion thanks to an unusually straight ball from the “tree” end from Carl which actually bowled the opener. Those of you who have seen Carl bowl this year on a Wednesday night know what I’m taking about here. Jake Bridge opened from the “spire” end and suffered some no ball difficulty but when the openers were taken off after 8 overs the rep side had reached 25-1. Herro came on and immediately had Heald struggling against the spin but in stepped Lewis the following over to bowl him with a ball the speared back into the stumps. More movement followed from Herro in the next over but again sideways movement off the seem from Lewis bowled Cole and in the next over he bowled Fisher (3-4). Catling then decided the best form of defence was attack as he cross batted Herro for two boundaries and with Lewis not taking a wicket in his next over the rep side had moved onto 52-4 from 16 overs. The bowling attack was now to become even younger as Joe Brown (15) was brought into the attack and 3rd bowl he bowled Owen. Lewis seemed to take offensive at this and promptly bowled Tozzi in the next over. Joe continued his good work and off his 3rd ball the death rattle was heard all the way round the ground…but what was this….the bails had not come off so Catling had a life. This only lasted 2 balls as a massive top edge saw the ball soaring to 3rd man as Lewis came racing round from fine leg to take a great catch. Again Lewis could not let young Joe get away with this so immediate bowled Barrow (also allegedly playing in his last match). Joe then bowled Robin Davies (who we look forward to rejoining the club when he moves back into the area in September which brought in skipper Alexander Puxley. A quick 6 runs was followed by an uprooted leg stump as Lewis finished with figures of 6.3-2-10-6 matched by Joe’s figures of 3-0-8-3. Now not even stato Herro could tell you the last time Welford took 9 wickets in a match that were all bowled or when 9 wickets were taken by two players who’s average age was only 17.
Now came the tricky bit…the batting order. Mike Brook went out to open with instructions to dead bat it and take his time accumulating runs. Thoughts went back to Gary Masons famous, or infamous innings against Reading Civil Service, where he batted for 47 overs scoring a total of 9, six of which came off edges during the last two overs…but none of this for Mike. The 2nd ball went flying to the boundary, yes it was an edge between 2nd and 3rd slip but is still says 4 in the score book. Majid however was done by a quick 2nd ball in the second over as his middle stump went cart wheeling backwards into the slip cordon. Against the pace of Fisher and Tozzi, Mike and Lester played brilliantly as they picked up the runs when they could and Mike hit another boundary……yes OK through the slips again! Nine overs gone and time for a double bowling change and it was skipper Puxley who made the break through, as the quickest LWB decision you will ever see, saw Lester returning to the pavilion, despite the big red cherry mark on his bat. Mike (15) was then bowled in the next over by Cole as the rep. side started to smell blood. Two overs later Bala was back in the pavilion & 26-1 had been turned into 37-4 after 13 overs……..enter the Sloth. What would his batting plan be today? Two boundaries in his first 4 deliveries seemed to answer that question. The club were now 52-4 off of 16 overs just like the rep side…would there again be fireworks? Well first ball Kartic was bowled, so in came Lewis & 3 singles were picked up from the balance of the over. Catling, having only conceded 1 run from his first over, was then “slothed” as first, a straight six, losing the ball in the cow field, was immediately followed by a second clubbed straight four.
A couple of singles saw the scores level and it was left to bowling hero Lewis to hit the winning boundary over mid off off the first ball of the next over.
A really quick game this year as only 41 overs were bowled but it was revenge over the Oxford Uni boys for the stuffing we were given last year…..better watch out next year lads!! Oh yes, Keith and Mr Barrow will both be back next year, if selected as they said they could not leave this fixture on a performance like that. See you both next year boys…….OK old men….like me!
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Posted by IanBotham on Monday, June 16, 2008 @ 13:52:17 BST (69 reads)
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Old Articles
| Tuesday, June 10, 2008 | | · | New Feature and Match report | | · | Park Quality Makes Frimley Look Green | | Monday, June 02, 2008 | | · | Dagger Stabs At Sully heart (and Boy Wonder wounds it with monotous langour) | | Friday, May 30, 2008 | | · | COULD THE LEFT DESTROY BRITAIN'S SWANS?* | | Monday, May 26, 2008 | | · | Park Clinical | | Friday, May 16, 2008 | | · | Nearly forgot!! | | Sunday, May 11, 2008 | | · | Park Run Out Of Time | | Tuesday, May 06, 2008 | | · | Straight to the top of Division3 | | · | Stats are here | | · | Bucknell Buckle Robs Bruce | | Sunday, April 27, 2008 | | · | 1st Game of the Season | | Monday, April 14, 2008 | | · | More pictures of The Park at play | | Friday, April 11, 2008 | | · | Match Availability | | Monday, February 18, 2008 | | · | Welcome to the New Welford Park Cricket Club website |
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