Three League Wins

06/07/2013

Saturday 1 beat Nailsea 3 by 9 wickets. RT1 bowled 8 overs 2 for 15 and Asad bowled 8 overs 2 for 16 as Nailsea collapsed to 79 all out. Angelo hit 30 not out. Scorecard.

Saturday 2 beet Whitechuch 3 by 25 runs. Barnaby hit 96 not out as the Cowboys got 215. Alex bowled 8 overs 4 for 32 and Andy Bowen bowled 8 overs 1 for 17. Scorecard.

07/07/2013

Sundays beat Old England by 46 runs. The Cowboys hit 205 with RT2 hitting 51 and Dunc hitting 44. Wilko bowled 8 overs 3 for 47 and Fat Boy bowled 7 overs 2 for 29. Scorecard.

The Saturday 1 game was reported thus by TT:

Following complaints, it should be noted that all cricketers and events appearing in this report may be fictitious. Any resemblance to reality, real persons, living, dead, undead or asleep is purely coincidental.

At the station, team manager and taxi driver Iggy anxiously awaited the late arrival of the train from Gloucester carrying last week’s Man of the Match. Meanwhile, chez Lalith, a deep sleep was disturbed by the persistent ringing of a phone. What with being stalked in the supermarket earlier while buying provisions for tea, so far Ben wasn’t having an easy time of captaincy. It didn’t get any better when on the way to the ground, Ev was spotted driving in the opposite direction. Somehow, within the hour the Cowboys were ready with eleven on the field at Farmborough versus Nailsea 3rd’s ten.

Any more of this winning the toss business and there’ll be an inquiry, but once again Ben carried on the successful streak, asked the opposition to bat first and his bowlers and fielders to toil in the heat of the baking sun. RT1 and Garnier coped admirably, any occasional wayward spewings often admirably collected by birthday boy Ollie behind the stumps. However, it’s regrettable that the young man incurred a five run penalty for the inappropriate placement of his helmet.

A few early runs leaked across a fast outfield until both bowlers got their reward for accuracy, guile and swing, RT1 with a positive LBW decision and Garnier hitting the stumps. The third wicket fell within the first ten overs when the opposition skipper foolishly swept across the line to Garnier and was without hesitation adjudged to be LBW.

Perhaps it was then that a batsman came to the crease bereft of a bat and caused much mirth and around about this time that Ange performed some aerial acrobatics to stop but not catch a ball that was thwacked at him from close range. Ollie made no mistake in taking an edge to give RT1 his second wicket although the batsman lingered a while in trying to tell the umpire, and everyone else in the valley who’d heard the edge, that he hadn’t touched it. Perhaps, in the bushes, someone looked down at the twig that they’d just snapped in two.

Garnier was replaced by Asad, firing it in on a good length just outside off stump, swinging the ball enough to prevent the batsman from getting anything but an edge on it, one of which (not the one that the skipper dropped) AB – making his debut for the 1st XI – confidently leapt and caught above his head at gully, later voted as the Cider Moment. With five wickets down and barely fifty runs on the board, Nailsea looked rather ragged but maybe not incapable of recovering. They didn’t help their cause when their most successful batsman hit one straight to Tooley and set off down the track for a run that his partner didn’t want: a calm, accurate throw to Ollie saw him easily run out.

Asad bowled out his economical spell, rewarded for his accuracy with a second wicket for a ball that clipped off stump, leaving Lalith to mop up with some loopy turners, which when they pitched, spat this way and that and were too good for the shortened Nailsea tail. He also ended with a brace of cheap wickets to have the opposition dismissed in the 29th over for 79 with the tea urn barely tepid.

Out to bat strode Ev and Ange, gladiatorial with their blades in the heat of the arena. A watchful start against some nippy bowling paid dividends as the pair settled and enjoyed an unbroken partnership before tea, Ange smiting some powerful blows, Ev accumulating with footwork and style.

Tea was delicious, varied and ample although the earlier supermarket stalking incident appeared to have befuddled Ben into purchasing enough watermelon to feed the population of the Mendips. A lot of it would later mysteriously appear as cattle fodder in a field near Stanton Drew.

The refreshed opening batsmen continued where they’d left off, assuredly pushing the score on at four runs an over and reaching their half-century partnership, shortly after which Ev was caught at mid-on for a solid 24. In strode captain watermelon to join Man of the Match Ange, who was playing too well and having far too much of a nice time to get out. Neither of them did as they knocked off the remaining runs – Ange undefeated on 30 – helping the Cowboys to a nine wicket victory in the 21st over, a vast arsenal left unused, surplus to requirement, a bit like the watermelon.

With no refreshments to hand and another two dozen overs left in a glorious summer’s day, various routes were taken to Stanton Drew where both were found and to a backdrop of distant hot air balloons and nearby bovine copulation, the 2nd XI fought to complete a splendid victory against Whitchurch 3rd XI.

The Saturday 2 match was reported thus by DC1:

Return of the King

Barnaby King’s super 96 not out against Whitchurch ensured a third win for ECCC Saturday 2, and also demonstrated the strength-in-depth the Cowboys appear to have this season. In any other game Alex Hooper would have expected a few man-of-the-match votes for his 4 for 32, and someone would have thrown Jeff & Stroddy’s names into the hat too – Skipper for his 4 catches behind and Stroddy for an outstanding fielding effort with 2 run-outs and a catch.

As it was Barnaby’s first innings knock stole the show. Batting number 3, and at the crease in the fifth over, he was still there at the end, flaying at the last ball of the 40th over in an attempt to bring up his hundred. A 50 plus partnership with DC1 was followed by another with Grant Forrester, and the Whitchurch skipper must have been rueing his decision to put the Cowboys in – it seemed a bit as if his priority was having a look at some new quick bowlers. Finishing on 215 from the 40 overs, with Andy Bowen on 15 not out, Cowboys Saturday seconds have now not been bowled out since the middle of May.

Accurate, good-length bowling from openers Andy B and Alex H – who had clearly learnt from the Whitchurch display of short stuff – put immediate pressure on the Whitchurch reply, combining with tight and committed fielding around the park to slowly strangle the ‘church. A couple of the Whitchurch young guns managed to put together something of a partnership in the middle of the innings, but once Jonnsie Leach had winkled one of them out and then Barnaby and his big grin removed the other, the Cowboys began to feel that the win was inevitable. By the time the innings was into its 30th over the required run-rate was so high that it was even safe to give DC1 his first bowl of the season. Eight of the 10 wickets to fall were fielder’s wickets, run-outs and catches, and the Saturday seconds demonstrated excellent ground-fielding throughout the Whitchurch innings – nothing went through either DC2 or Pete Ray in the mid-on mid-off V. Whilst Cowboys didn’t catch absolutely everything there were certainly no dollies dropped in the outfield. Another super win from the Saturday seconds, who finish this week 3rd in the table.

MoM – Barnaby King

Cider Moment – Jeff catching the ball in his box, then dropping it because he didn’t know it was there.

The Sundays match was reported thus by Dunc:

Ice Cold in Alex? Nothing, a cakewalk compared to playing cricket at Blaise Castle on Sunday. The nomadic tribesmen that are The Old England arrived melting in 30 degrees as did the Cowboys. The latter headed over to the closest shade across the park. The former chose manfully to broil in their own juices without shelter. Fools.

Win the toss, decide to bat on what was likely to be a lively wicket, strap some pads on, that’s Sunday afteroon for Mr. Boulton. His running partner in the dream opening ticket, namely Justin, fell to the first ball, bowled around his legs. Oh my! It was an uncharacteristic failure. Tom strode off to the oven and put on a very slow but useful 45 run partnership with Our Glorious Leader before he left the skipper, now ready for basting (gas mark 5, 20 mins per pound). Big Brother went to join in the fun, knocking the ball hither and thither. Run rate increasing, Old E. skipper Lou swearing like ..well like Lou, and beginning to run out of good bowlers. The blast furnace was unrelenting, a now fully toasted Bolts, edged to slip. Enter 2012 No. 7, elevated a couple of spots to enable extra cooking time to his now stringy old flesh. RT2 and he, plastered in dirt cheap factor 15, began an assault on a withering but still useful bowling attack, pushing on at about a run a ball. Rob reached 50, then, got out caught. Matt D, looking for some runs, joined the fray. Under instructions from his senior partner, he had a look at a few to get the pace then began to plunder as the field spread. Understandably, the fielding standard drooped under the sun. Falling one small step for batsman-kind short of a half century, thus avoiding the giant leap which is expensive beer buying, the now thoroughly dehydrated No. 5 was bowled attempting a weedy version of a late cut to a straight ball (oops). He returned sweating like Anthony Quayle under the ambulance, making way for Dave “Harry Andrews.“ Littleton to put on the last dozen or so runs with Matt. Both left the pitch unscathed, 3 and 30 to their names, and a pretty healthy scoreboard stood at 205 for 5.

Tea, resembling a Dali clock, was served from the boot of a car, possibly French. Bread, definitely pseudo French, with a variety of fillings accompanied sweating comestibles and was gratefully received. It took some doing to present food with no amenities, so well done to the Old E for that.

The task of defending 5.1 per over was attended to after the usual nicotine frenzy and rizla origami amid the undergrowth. Mark W, unusually not used as a batter, (willow-wielding, not frying) calmly opened the bowling alongside Matt D. Embrowned as they were becoming, the Cowboys conceded a few too many runs at the start, but a steady flow of wickets looked on, though again an edge to Tom (off Mark) went unrewarded by batman or umpire. A smart catch from Justin at point was the early breakthrough, and after some bludgeoning, the no 3 followed, lofting to Bolts waiting oh so very casually at mid on.

The most laid back no 4 in the world walked a few runs and was joined by the keeper. Definitely the most unfortunate chap of the day, he was felled first ball by a rising delivery from Rob which hit him in the face, knocked out one of his teeth, and necessitated a visit to hospital. It’s never good to see anybody have to leave the field in such a way, but leave he did, and he was not going to return.

The next 2 batsmen knocked the ball around and were rewarded with runs but never looked like they were in for the marathon alongside Mr. Cool who was accumulating gently and sensibly in the dipping warmth. Both fell to excellent catches from Deano, who bagged Cider Moment as a result of the 2nd diving effort. Around this juncture, as if by deliberate contrast, Glorious Leader shelled a skier from Mr. Cool and as runs were still piling on at a decent if slower rate, it looked as though it may have proved a turning point. Mr. B, Sylvia Syms after she let the ambulance starting handle go. Martin the Mantis now made his appearance at the bowling crease and did a tidy job of holding back the run chase. Dave rolled in to good effect, getting a reckless edge. His best moment, clean bowling the garrulous Mr. Ladd, oppo leader, who went off to duff up a water bottle amid blue air.

The thumbscrews were out, but the limpet-like performance of the no. 4 was still a potential thorn in the Cowboys side. A run out prompted by the confusion of running on a wide culled a stubborn partnership. Matt D, responsible for the run out, was restored to the attack and his first ball was thwacked unceremoniously toward the cow corner boundary. But there was not enough strength left in heat wilted arms and Our Glorious and Omnipotent Leader was spared a crimson blush as man of the match Rob took the catch which wrapped up a spirited but doomed chase. Mark W finished with 3 useful early wickets, Rob with 2, Dave with 2, and Matt with the Coup de Grace so we weren’t all too melted to vote back at HQ. This act of mercy was final word in a weekend chapter containing the maximum three victories for the Cowboys cricket section.

Set ‘em up Joe!