I Don’t Like Cricket, And For Good Reason

Broken fingers and broken dreams.

31/07/2010

The Saturday Team lost to GWR by 1 wicket.

Sometimes cricket can be a painful affair, you become aware after 10 overs that you are going to lose but you have to endure the next six hours to play out a certain conclusion. In contrast this one had ups and downs, twists and turns and a thrilling climax. Once the disappointment of losing fades the realisation that we were in one hell of a game will become apparent

With Uberpops on a 300 themed holiday and presumably strutting round Centre Parks’ version of Sparta in his tight leather Speedos it was up to Gibbo to captain his merry band of what could be loosely termed men. With an awesome bowling attack lined up and slightly muggy, overcast conditions all he needed to do was win the toss and put the foe in to bat, we would then skittle them out for under 120, which we would knock off with ease and be home early for tea, medals and Brasilians. Well, that was the plan, unfortunately Gibbo lost the toss and the foe put us into bat… bugger. Paln B then, which was to go steady at 4 runs and over and accelerate past 220 in the last 15 overs, then watch with amusement as the foe got pinned down by surgically precise bowling, panic and go after Kalu tossing up catch after catch which we pluck nimbly from the air with an easy grace. So much for the theory.

And so to the now familiar sound of Ben puking in the bushes Grove and Bordi strode manfully to the crease and in the face of some decent swing balls managed to go steady at 4 runs an over until Grove was out in the 14th. So far so good and although Ben did not seem to quite know where he was as he felt his way gingerly to the crease Angelo was batting well. Not for the first time this season the string went in Angelo’s leg and the lame stallion called for a runner to do all the hard work for him. If he was literally an Italian stallion Angelo would be headed for the glue factory but instead he was holding our innings together (did you see what I did there! I will accept the Pulitzer now thank you). Angelo then lost the ball by hitting a 6 into the bushes and with three slow bowlers to take most of the remaining overs the foe’s captain picked the oldest and most misshapen replacement from the box of spare balls.

We had built the launch pad but we could not get the bloody fuse to light on the rocket and the planned acceleration never happened. We chugged along with Angelo reaching his 50 and then Ben rather more surprisingly reaching his with a 6. We ended on 185 losing 8 wickets as we fumbled frantically with a box of dam matches, apart from the top 3 nobody got into double figures. So at tea we thought we were probably 30 runs shy of a competitive target on a flat pitch with a dry outfield.

The foe started off hitting the 4.5 an over they needed to win with ease losing just 1 wicket in the early exchanges. Gibbo called Kalu for the first bowling change and hopes were high that a different pace would bring wickets and put pressure on the batsmen, unfortunately the batmen were not phased and went after Kalu hitting three 4s off his first over. After 2 overs Kalu was spared more punishment and there we were cruising to certain defeat, dropping catches and looking a sorry mess.

To the casual observer Dodger appears as a grumpy, rather portly gentleman of a certain age, but this hides the fact that he is actually a precision engineered wicket taking machine. When Kalu was taken off the ball was tossed in Dodger’s direction and he went about his business soon notching up 4 wickets for just 23 runs. How does he do it? Nobody knows but as a Cowboy at nets was once overheard to observe: “I like the way Dodger bowls, it it isn’t so much fast as just full of malice”. With Farty Pants and Gibbo each taking one and a splendid run out by Gibbo the foe were 8 down with their wicket keeper grimly holding on as the long tail collapsed. They now needed 9 an over from the last 4 and we looked certain to win.

The foe’s number 10 had batted in a doughty fashion and in Garner’s penultimate over he produced a 4 which shocked not only us but his team mates as well, this was accompanied by a 4 from the wicket keeper and a few other runs. The atmosphere was growing tenser with each ball and we reached the last over which was to be bowled by Garner, they needed 10 to win and had 2 wickets left. Garner, bowling noticeably slower than usual, delivered a wide for the first ball and the batsmen ran one, Budge shied at the stumps but missed and with most of the fielders out the batsmen also ran an over throw. Calamity! They now only needed 7 off 6 balls, but then a mix up and a great one handed take by Graner saw their number 10 run out. After a couple of singles with one wicket left the foe needed 5 to win from 2 balls when, with a leisurely flick on his leg side, the wicket keeper who had shown great patients throughout hit a 6 and the game was lost.

There are many truisms in cricket and you ignore them at your peril. Run the first one quickly and catches win matches are two that we failed to observe. With a good captain setting a prudent field we could have perhaps added 20 runs with smarter running between the wickets even though our batting performance once again left a lot to be desired. But with a scoreboard short of what we needed we had to take our catches.

We retired to the pub to await the Brasilians. We observed the women of Easton arriving on mass at The Plough, all asking if the Brasilian’s had arrived yet? I don’t think they play that much cricket in Brasil which is probably why they are popular with the ladies. Still it was nice to see Cowboys Legend (Retired) Mark Morgan there as well.

MOM – Dodger

Cider Moment – Ben getting his 50 with a 6

See the full scorecard

01/08/2010

The Sunday 1st Team succumbed to the curse of the 8th win and lost to Peasdown St. John by4 wickets and a fingre or two. Bolts reports thus:

Records are made to be broken, so they say, well, the 7-played-wins-in-a-row record stands unbroken, simply matched now by all three of the Cowboys cricket teams.

Yes, the Sunday 1sts match the Saturdays in failing to achieve history by losing to the team currently bottom of the division. It must be mentioned, that Peasedown St John, for they were the opposition, neither looked, acted or played like a bottom-placed team, however, we didn’t play like a table-topping team neither.

As usual, our skipper tried to lose the toss and once again failed and thus went into default mode and decided to bat. One thing about this chasing records lark, the pressure snowballs as you go more and more matches unbeaten until the joy of the game begins to dissipate and simple decisions like what to do once the toss has been won become enormous and leave one increasingly dithering. As it is the 1st time this skipper has experienced this in cricket, one hopes that experience will build and maybe next time…

So, our batting line up struggled on the luminous green wicket at Peasedown, making it look incredibly difficult. At 54 for 5 we looked in heaps of bother; embarrasment was avoided with a 62 run partnership between Dave Flinton and Duncan Brewood but, having given ourselves a chance, we then crumbled once more to be all out for 146 in the 37th over.

After last weeks close call, could we pull it out of the bag once more? Well you already know that we couldn’t. However, with Peasedown reeling at 24 for 5, Harry and Sayed tearing into them, intensity at a peak – it was looking good for the heroic Cowboys. Another screamer from Sayed, Dave F squealing and a busted finger leaving us all a bit queasy. One of Harry’s fingers decided to come out in sympathy and we were a wicket keeper and bowler down on the deal. After a fairly long break to sweep the wicket of Dave’s tears, the intensity was gone, by the time the Cowboys were back on it, it was too late, Peasedown had a partnership going and we had too few runs to defend.

Peasedown beat the Cowboys by 4 wickets with 5 overs to spare.

It is all about the reaction now, if this is a kick up the proverbial backside that sets us off back to form and victories, then all well and good. We have a week off league cricket to tend our wounds and regroup. It is only one loss. Oh, God, it doesn’t help, boo bloody hoo.

Bolts never puts the bowling figures in so I will add that Sayed bowled 8 overs, 2 maidens 12 for 3 wickets and Harry bowled 6 overs 24 for 2 wickets.

See the full scorecard

The Sunday 2nd Team lost to Stothert & Pit by 153 runs.

Last week TT bowled well, batted well made the tea and wrote the game up. This week he was dropped. DCii’s regime is a harsh one.

Nobody has written this game up and the scorecard on the league website is not very complete. Therefore the following is based on a conversation with Small Piece Littleton.

They lost heavily basically.

The foe posted 186 all out in 39 overs. I have no idea who took the wickets because they have not been entered on the scorecard.

The Cowboys in reply managed 33 in 17.1 overs. Again I have no idea who got the runs because they are not on the score card. One of the foe’s bowlers managed a handy 4 overs for 2 runs taking 4 wickets.

Read it and weep here.

Records are made to be broken, so they say, well, the 7-played-wins-in-a-row
record stands unbroken, simply matched now by all three of the Cowboys cricket
teams.

Yes, the Sunday 1sts match the Saturdays in failing to achieve history by losing
to the team currently bottom of the division. It must be mentioned, that
Peasedown St John, for they were the opposition, neither looked, acted or
played like a bottom-placed team, however, we didn't play like a table-topping
team neither.

As usual, our skipper tried to lose the toss and once again failed and thus went
into default mode and decided to bat. One thing about this chasing records
lark, the pressure snowballs as you go more and more matches unbeaten until the
joy of the game begins to dissipate and simple decisions like what to do once
the toss has been won become enormous and leave one increasingly dithering. As
it is the 1st time this skipper has experienced this in cricket, one hopes that
experience will build and maybe next time...

So, our batting line up struggled on the luminous green wicket at Peasedown,
making it look incredibly difficult. At 54 for 5 we looked in heaps of bother;
embarrasment was avoided with a 62 run partnership between Dave Flinton and
Duncan Brewood but, having given ourselves a chance, we then crumbled once more
to be all out for 146 in the 37th over.

After last weeks close call, could we pull it out of the bag once more? Well you
already know that we couldn't. However, with Peasedown reeling at 24 for 5,
Harry and Sayed tearing into them, intensity at a peak - it was looking good for
the heroic Cowboys. Another screamer from Sayed, Dave F squealing and a busted
finger leaving us all a bit queasy. One of Harry's fingers decided to come out
in sympathy and we were a wicket keeper and bowler down on the deal. After a
fairly long break to sweep the wicket of Dave's tears, the intensity was gone,
by the time the Cowboys were back on it, it was too late, Peasedown had a
partnership going and we had too few runs to defend.

Peasedown beat the Cowboys by 4 wickets with 5 overs to spare.

It is all about the reaction now, if this is a kick up the proverbial backside
that sets us off back to form and victories, then all well and good. We have a
week off league cricket to tend our wounds and regroup. It is only one loss. Oh,
God, it doesn't help, boo bloody hoo. 
Records are made to be broken, so they say, well, the 7-played-wins-in-a-row

record stands unbroken, simply matched now by all three of the Cowboys cricket

teams.

 

Yes, the Sunday 1sts match the Saturdays in failing to achieve history by losing

to the team currently bottom of the division. It must be mentioned, that

Peasedown St John, for they were the opposition, neither looked, acted or

played like a bottom-placed team, however, we didn't play like a table-topping

team neither.

 

As usual, our skipper tried to lose the toss and once again failed and thus went

into default mode and decided to bat. One thing about this chasing records

lark, the pressure snowballs as you go more and more matches unbeaten until the

joy of the game begins to dissipate and simple decisions like what to do once

the toss has been won become enormous and leave one increasingly dithering. As

it is the 1st time this skipper has experienced this in cricket, one hopes that

experience will build and maybe next time...

 

So, our batting line up struggled on the luminous green wicket at Peasedown,

making it look incredibly difficult. At 54 for 5 we looked in heaps of bother;

embarrasment was avoided with a 62 run partnership between Dave Flinton and

Duncan Brewood but, having given ourselves a chance, we then crumbled once more

to be all out for 146 in the 37th over.

 

After last weeks close call, could we pull it out of the bag once more? Well you

already know that we couldn't. However, with Peasedown reeling at 24 for 5,

Harry and Sayed tearing into them, intensity at a peak - it was looking good for

the heroic Cowboys. Another screamer from Sayed, Dave F squealing and a busted

finger leaving us all a bit queasy. One of Harry's fingers decided to come out

in sympathy and we were a wicket keeper and bowler down on the deal. After a

fairly long break to sweep the wicket of Dave's tears, the intensity was gone,

by the time the Cowboys were back on it, it was too late, Peasedown had a

partnership going and we had too few runs to defend.

 

Peasedown beat the Cowboys by 4 wickets with 5 overs to spare.

 

It is all about the reaction now, if this is a kick up the proverbial backside

that sets us off back to form and victories, then all well and good. We have a

week off league cricket to tend our wounds and regroup. It is only one loss. Oh,

God, it doesn't help, boo bloody hoo.

 

 

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