“The Thrill of the Chase”
Match: 07 / 135
Lost by 4 runs
|
Team |
Total |
|
Wootton & Boars Hill CC |
204 – 8 |
|
M.
Reeves 4 – 29 |
|
|
|
|
|
FFTMCC |
200 – 8 |
|
I.
Howarth 70, T. Smith
40 |
|
|
It was almost routine for The
MAD to bat first whenever they won the toss. They never won a match batting
second, so why not bat first? You might as well bat first given the option. Unless
you like losing, which generally you don’t. The MAD never had enough bowling
to justify bowling first anyway, other than convict A. Mann, who bowled from
both ends and took all their wickets in each and every game. Nor did they
have the requisite number of fielders at the start of the match either, with
team members trickling in late from pubs, clubs and nights on the piss. It
was a mindset so ingrained in Mad psyche, that that’s just the way it was,
and that’s just the way it had
always been. Bat first. Bat first. Bat first. Bat. First. But no more. With numbers
swelling sufficiently in recent times, Team Mad had reason for thought. Other
people could bowl and Ant need only
bowl from one end. Eleven people could be there for the start of the match and
some of them could be sober. The MAD could chase down a total and no longer have
to bat first. As Bob Dylan would say “times they are a-changin’.”
Amie D’s “twinkle” was quite evident
at an early age. Without the distractions of
an air-show, and the sub-zero temperatures that tarnished last year, Skipper
I. Howarth won the toss and invited Wootton into bat on a rather iffy, undulating,
dusty brown track. The decision seemed a good one, with M. Reeves [back from
his jet-setting mission to resolve the world’s sewage problems] bagging an
early scalp to lift Mad spirits, and Mr. Small (3-0-12-1), looking every inch
the cartoon version of the Matrix in reverse, celebrating like a footballer
after rumbling the timber at the other end. M. Westmoreland (7-1-19-1) would
wobble it and pouch a smart caught and bowled, and coupled with a comical run
out, Mad hopes of a mediocre total to chase were high. Unfortunately, these hopes were
quickly deflated in the next hour, as Wootton teenage sensations W. Morton
(70*) and A. Kidd (35) deposited errant Mad bowling to all parts of the pretty
Boars Hill ground. Such was the onslaught, The MAD even introduced a bizarre
new field placement to try and break the flourishing partnership. J. Harris
(5-0-37-0), returning from a year’s sabbatical of daddyhoodism, utilised as
an illegal fielder standing on the picnic table at deep long on [the position
would be hitherto referred to as ‘deep
picnic table’]. With his new found vantage point, John could pinpoint
where balls were landing in the surrounding bushes and cow shit, thus saving
valuable game time.
“Haha. You look like a right twat,
mate.” It would take some
Marlborough magic to finally slow the Wootton total, and unfortunately D.
Edwards (4-0-23-0) had absolutely none of it. M. Reeves did however, and
returned the rather thrifty figures of 4-29. Not a bad return for someone
with a rotator cuff injury and a very big head. S. Dobner (8-1-36-1) chipped
in with some fairly tidy bowling, whilst Howarth (5-0-30-0) did not. And
despite some customary Barrow Boy aggro and incitements of violence, forty
overs elapsed with Wootton totalling an impressive 204-8. Time for tea. And what a
healthy spread it turned out to be – with even the pallid vegetarians amongst
the rabble commenting on how wholesome it all was. After numerous body emissions
and groans from aching limbs, the Far from the MCC began their reply. Glovesman
G. Littlechild had looked superb in the fall of 2006, but today he didn’t as
he bagged a duck. His partner, M. Westmoreland, also looked great in 2006,
but today he didn’t too. 0-2.
“Look at this fuckin’ shambles – the
top order is a joke.” Fortunately, calmer waters
allowed the doughty D. Edwards and a more aggressive I. Howarth to steady the
ship, gradually upping the run rate as they did so. Together they pushed the
ball into spaces, pulled the crap one into a vacant parking lot, and took The
MAD close to a hundred before Edwards (14) swished and missed a straight one.
As is so often the case, his demise prompted that of his partner – misreading
a treacle pudding from veteran pieman, M. Wiskin (4-18), and departing for
70. G. Carter (0) would further compound matters by falling foul of a South
African umpire to leave The MAD on 102-5. With plenty required off the
remaining 16 overs, it looked a hard ask, but that was without factoring in fully
employed boat-building guru, and basher of the cherry, T. Smith. Fresh in the
knowledge that his last great knock came back in 1846, Thorn obviously
decided he owed the team some runs, and this discrepancy was soon settled
with a brand of extravagant swipes and cudgelling smears as he injected life
back into the game. Smith’s (40) heroics would galvanise the lower order,
with J. Hotson making an enterprising 13 – before tripping over his hair and running
himself out.
The excitement was relayed through to
the local radio station. With J. Harris (0) completing
a match to forget, The MAD victory charge was left to a resurgent S. Dobner
(24*) and Marlborough refugee M. Reeves (8*). Together they left The MAD
requiring a six off the final ball of the match to record a quite memorable
win. With a short leg-side boundary on offer [for a left-hander], and with a
quaking Wootton teenager in his sights, Reeves made a horrible mess of
depositing the ball on the pavilion roof… and instead opted to protect his
average by carving a single to square cow…. In summation – a cracking
game of cricket and one to remember for years to come. With enough excitement
to captivate the half a dozen pissed kids who’d made their way up from the
village, gripping their BMX handlebars right down to that final delivery. It’s the thrill of the chase, guys. It rocks. ‘B. A. T. First’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far from the MCC versus Wootton & Boars Hill CC Played at Wootton & Boars Hill, 29 April 2007 Far from the MCC won the toss and
elected to field Wootton & Boars Hill CC won
by 4 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none |
07 / 135 40 over match |
|
Team |
Wootton
& Boars Hill CC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
T. Fisher |
b Small |
26 |
|
3 |
- |
2-48 |
|
2 |
A. Fisher |
c Harris b Reeves |
0 |
|
- |
- |
1-4 |
|
3 |
J. Studds |
run out |
20 |
|
3 |
- |
3-64 |
|
4 |
W. Morton |
retired hurt |
70 |
|
13 |
- |
- |
|
5 |
D. Wiskin |
c and b Westmoreland |
8 |
|
2 |
- |
4-87 |
|
6 |
A. Kidd |
lbw b Reeves |
35 |
|
3 |
1 |
6-176 |
|
7 |
J. Rogers |
b Dobner |
6 |
|
- |
- |
5-176 |
|
8 |
G. Crapper |
not out |
10 |
|
1 |
- |
- |
|
9 |
C. Crapper |
b Reeves |
0 |
|
- |
- |
7-182 |
|
10 |
G. Glenn |
c Dobner b Reeves |
4 |
|
- |
- |
8-185 |
|
11 |
M. Wiskin |
not out |
3 |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Extras |
(NB1, W11, LB4, B6) |
22 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 8 wickets, 40 overs) |
204 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Dobner |
8 |
1 |
36 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
Reeves |
8 |
0 |
29 |
4 |
|
|
3 |
Small |
3 |
1 |
12 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
Westmoreland |
7 |
1 |
19 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
Howarth |
5 |
0 |
30 |
0 |
|
|
6 |
Edwards |
4 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
|
|
7 |
Harris |
5 |
0 |
37 |
0 |
|
|
Team |
Far from
the MCC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
G. S. Littlechild + |
b G. Crapper |
0 |
(4) |
- |
- |
1-0 |
|
2 |
M. T. Westmoreland |
b A. Fisher |
0 |
(1) |
- |
- |
2-0 |
|
3 |
D. M. Edwards |
b D. Wiskin |
14 |
(59) |
1 |
- |
3-98 |
|
4 |
I. Howarth * |
c Rogers b M. Wiskin |
70 |
(77) |
9 |
1 |
4-102 |
|
5 |
G. Carter |
lbw b M. Wiskin |
0 |
(8) |
- |
- |
5-102 |
|
6 |
T. P. W. Smith |
b M. Wiskin |
40 |
(42) |
6 |
1 |
7-182 |
|
7 |
J. C. W. Hotson |
run out |
13 |
(20) |
1 |
- |
6-146 |
|
8 |
S. L. P. Dobner |
not out |
24 |
(25) |
2 |
1 |
- |
|
9 |
J. Harris |
b M. Wiskin |
0 |
(1) |
- |
- |
8-182 |
|
10 |
M. K. Reeves |
not out |
8 |
(6) |
1 |
- |
- |
|
11 |
A. Small |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
(NB4, W5, LB1, B21) |
31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 8 wickets, 40 overs) |
200 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
G. Crapper |
8 |
3 |
25 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
A. Fisher |
8 |
0 |
26 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
Kidd |
5 |
0 |
30 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
D. Wiskin |
7 |
1 |
34 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
M. Wiskin |
6 |
1 |
18 |
4 |
|
|
6 |
Rogers |
3 |
0 |
26 |
0 |
|
|
7 |
Glenn |
3 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
|
MOTM: I. Howarth Champagne Moment: T. Smith’s maximum
through a fielder’s hands Buffet
Award: J. Harris’ appetising apple
soufflé |
Opposition:
V039 / 02 Ground: G017 / 03 Captain: C007 / 21 |