Some Rain, Some Cricket
The Saturday Cricket was rained off again and the Sunday 2nds had to abandon their match. However, the Sun once again shone on the Sunday 1st Team as they beat Brislington by 4 wickets in an epic struggle. The full scorecard can be found here. Boults’ match reprort goes thus:
ECCC Sunday 1sts versus Brislington 3rds. 17/6/12 – NSCL Sunday Conference Division 3:
Mmmm, the rush you get with a 1st kiss. However, love is not the drug I am thinking of, today. No, it is the rush produced by turning round an almost certain losing position, in a cricket match, into a win. 1st kiss doesn’t come close and this time I had my eyes open.
Despite drop outs from Andy Chester (secret mission with missus) and Sayed (‘emergency’) we were able to put together a strong xi as the Saturdays lost their game to the weather but provided willing replacements to our team with Iggy and Steve O joining our happy band. Blow me down, the game is only on.
Brislington CC have a fine ground, today hosting both ourselves, and their Premier Division team taking on Hinton & Charterhouse. Their team is made up of a few teenagers who were in their Premier team but couldn’t handle it so started their 3rds to give them a chance to develop. The sun (big yellow ball in the sky) was out. Having a look at the soggy but drying wicket, it is obvious to bowl 1st, well isn’t it? So, for the 1st time this season I lost the toss but we were asked to bowl anyway. Look into my eyes, not around the eyes but into my eyes etc.
Omar and Duncan open the bowling, as is their custom, they keep the opposition openers very quiet. 10 runs off the 1st 6 overs but no wickets a-tumbling. An acceleration is attempted and RT2 takes advantage. 34-1 in the 10th over. Like a bearded 20-something, he steamed in and Brislington seemingly on the ropes at 41-3 off 13 overs. Now the game swung, which our bowling should have been doing but failed to do as we desired to show the world that bowling short on a damp and sticky wicket is not the best idea. Compounding this, there was witnessed a terrible, terrible, easy dropped catch from Skipper ( As the ball gently fell into my perfectly positioned hands I began to think, ‘I really should call for this, but it is a bit late for that and no one else is going for it, but I really should call as it focuses my mind, oh balderdash’) and a missed chance off the batsman’s gloves, both off the growling ‘How do you get a wicket round here’ Stratton. Taking advantage, the Brislington 5 & 6 proceeded to bash 113 runs off the next 14 overs. Looking grim, but we never fell apart, negativity was at a minimum, spirit held together and we rallied. RT2 completed a 5 wicket haul. Stratton got his deserved wicket. Omar and Duncan finished with a wicket each. Iggy weighed in with 2. Steve O also ‘bowled’. Brislington all out for 230 off 37.2 overs. Could have been worse was the feeling as we trooped off to a delicious looking tea, of which I ate none as I was still ‘having a word with myself’ about the dropped catch.
With the weather closing in, and Brislington’s openers using the wicket as they knew it should, our glorious openers struggled (well Justin anyway) to keep up with the run rate (it looked a good chance that the match would not go our full 40 overs so wanted to be in a good position should Brislington wish to abandon). Bolts departed to a juggled (bugger) catch with ECC on 49 in the 13th over. Justin followed and we were 68 -2 in the 17th over. Time to put the ‘big-hitters’ in and get the run rate up. Iggy (14 off 9 balls) RT2 (Golden Duck) and Omar (8 off 2 balls) tried to put a spark into our innings but 102 – 5 off 21 overs meant it was a big ask. With over 500 years worth of experience between them, Wilko and Duncan put together a partnership of 45 off the next 6 overs. A bit of pride restored. Brislington still very chirpy, no worries about the game being called off due to the prevailing drizzle as they sail to victory.
However, there was a legend at the wicket. A legend who had hit 3 boundaries in the 1st 5 balls he faced. Duncan was joined at the wicket by Steve O, a legend yes, but an opening batsman with a certain reputation, and we need 83 runs off 13 overs and the recognised batsmen are all gone (no disrespect to Dean, Jeff or Mr Stratton). Personally, I have seen plenty of Cowboy teams that have folded at this point, or chosen the slow death route, but not this time, oh no. Every single one of the next 13 odd overs went for between 5 and 9 runs. Age, cramps, dehydration, the opposition, nothing could stop these two. Duncan ended with 74 n.o. from 55 balls and Steve O 31 n.o. from 35 balls. The winning run was hit off the 1st ball of final over. Much rejoicing, cuddling and rushing.
MOM : Duncan for his fabulous sustained fury, attacking, winning, innings. Possibly also for 8 overs of bowling. 5 of them as opener.
CM: Duncan – my ‘D’ button is wearing out on my keyboard. Cider moment for yelling, ‘fuck you, cricket ball’ as he mashed it over the bowlers head for 4.
3 wins in a row for us now. Divisional leaders up next weekend. At last the season seems back on.