Pitch with diverse bounce, pace and characteristics at either end to test your skills. Outfield recently mowed; grass left for extra cushion for divers. The weather was perfect for cricket.
All Villagers arrived much earlier don’t know how and why; WAGS gracing the occasion with their presence
First of all, I should deliver the good news that there was no blood involved this time. But that doesn’t mean there was no entertainment – more on that later.
Abrar (18) and Grey-Ham (32) opened the batting for Village and played really well and cautiously, although a bit slowly against some good quality bowling earlier on, to put on a decent first wicket partnership. The going was strong but sustained slow until the arrival of new Australian – Dan, onto the crease. Apparently, he was a bowler who could bowl 140 kph (like TdM and myself when we first came into the team) but then became a batsman – never mind its all redundant and in the past.
On a fairly difficult and challenging pitch requiring application (like Grey Ham) but enjoyable to bat on, Dan (94* with 9 fours and 2 sixes) displayed an absolute masterclass on how to manoeuvre the good ball for ones, twos and punish the bad balls for boundaries. He defended anything on the stumps with variable bounce and presented his bat with perfect timing and elegance on anything that was off it, looked a class above and easily the best batsman on the day all with minimum fuss and maximum flair. With support from JdM (16) and Bosh (9*), Dan took Village to 205 for 4 off 40 overs – good enough score but a very possible chase.
A good assortment of tea was served by the Hobgoblins and Village CC is thankful to their hosts for this gesture. We thought the most interesting thing about the day would be Louse smelling the pasta from about 50 metres and declaring what was in the pasta – Bulls eye. He knows his pasta.
But the incidents that followed turned about to be far more engrossing and entertaining. Could two bowlers taking 5 wickets each to dismiss the opposition for 32 and a batsman scoring 94 be the highlight of the day? Surely?
Well, yes but no, that was only part of the entertainment on offer. Thomo (6-1-9-5) and Ben (6-3-13-5) bowled the spells of their lives (so far! Hopefully more 5fors to come) to dismiss the oppo. but their phenomenal efforts coupled with batsman treating the pitch like a mine were majorly interrupted by the local Footie enthusiasts, who it must be said, had Pure fighting intentions – disappointingly only with mouth.
These enthusiasts had scant regard for the territories in a cricket boundary, the groundsman, were hell bent on grasping all the ground they could, had pretty loose undiplomatic, un-parliamentary, loud mouths, and sadly were mistaken that they were in a sub-continental maidan (and still playing Football? REALLY?). There were no fist fights, no punches, no kicking but their language had left to be desired. It was tasteless, unrefined and it seemed they had sold off their common senses on the Petticoat Lane. It needed multiple interventions and a long time by both our patient opposition and our own players to sort out.
Apologies for digressing but back on the cricket field, Thomo and Ben (as is suggested by their figures) left other bowlers high and dry without a spell through their spectacular effort and following on from a fantastic set up by Dan. Village won by an emphatic margin of 173 runs.
Village intellectual capital and knowledge was consumed by Proteins, dogs, bowling spells, carbs or no carbs, averages, great performances, Britain and Europe.
Thankfully, we had all returned home unharmed and in high spirits.
