“Bob the Electrician Sparks The MAD
Into Another Close Run Defeat”

 

 

Match:  10 / 214

Lost by 2 wkts

 

 

Team

 

Total

FFTMCC

165 - 9

D. Edwards  47,  M. Reeves  42

 

Uplyme & Lyme Regis CC

167 - 8

M. Westmoreland  2 - 13,  N. Hebbes  2 - 17

 

 

 

 

As a West Country sleepy village team you see many a tour side come and go. There are Fat Boys, Librarians, University Yobs and East Asian City teams who lay doughnuts in your outfield, but of all the teams to arrive at my little sleepy village of Uplyme I've never experienced anything quite like the fennel wielding Frisbeer champions of Far from the MCC.

 

On arriving at the ground the team warm up consisted of relay trips to the local garage for top-ups of refreshments, a vast number of which were used as target practice for their penultimate Madolymps competition of Frisbeer. In turns they took to throwing at the wobbly target until after a mere three hundred and twenty six play-off throws, one of them won. They probably can't remember who won, we didn't even understand their scoring system.

 

 

 

A long-haired tramp prepares a game of Frisbeer for the tourists.

 

 

Anyway, they were decent enough to fill the void in our team of three players, who were rescuing dogs and cleaning toilets following the weekend’s frivolities in nearby Lyme-Regis. Hence I am composing this report, as one of the Opposition, chosen by a cruel turn of a MAD Top Trump card.

 

Tour Team Captain of the Day was to be the Master Electrician Bob Roberts. Although, having quizzed him during tour regarding wiring a plug I am wondering why he didn't end up playing for R. T. Harris that well known Oxfordshire team of non-electricians. It must be said, Bob took the team captaincy role slightly more seriously and with a cooler head than previous Tour Captains, studying at length batting and bowling positions and not once conceding to player bullying vying for alterations of the order. There was no moving Tall Bob, once he had made a decision, he stuck to it.

 

He won the toss and elected to bat first, judging quite rightly that The MAD would struggle to field in the sickening West Country heat.

 

Promoting Leggate (4) up to the opening position proved a wise decision after joint opener Howarth (7) continued his run of form by hitting one four before holing out. Matching KP in a horrendous run of single figure dismissals – to think it was once opined that a Fantasy Cricket team could not win the championship without Howarth in its ranks.

 

 

 

Another dismal failing for Ian “KP” Pietersen.

 

 

Although Gonzo's score was low, his occupancy at the crease in balls was more than most in the top order that day. M. Bullock (2) would be cheaply dismissed as was T. Smith (12) after flashing three customary fours, S. Dobner (0) who hardly sand wedged one up to be caught spectacularly by the 17 year old bowler, and B. Mander (0) who was triggered by his room mate following an attempt at the longest duck ever. M. Westmoreland (8) was the only one who could occupy the crease longer than Gonzo, but when his wicket fell too, The MAD looked limp and lackluster on a meagre 58-7.

 

All hail the Marlborough ship then. Inspirational Captaincy brought our opener D. Edwards (47) in at No.9, partnered with an in form M. Reeves (42) and between them, they started the slow rebuild. Despite some excellent fielding from The MAD fielders playing for the oppo, the pair put on a much needed partnership of 58 before falling, due to an attempt at increasing the run rate. Spectators ran for their cars as Reeves peppered the car park, thankfully striking Dobner’s Volvo on the grill badge with a lofted six rather than going straight through the windscreen... although the windscreen shot would have been far more amusing.

 

 

 

The atypical Devon cricket ground of Uplyme.

 

 

N. Hebbes (6 n.o.) and C. Roberts (5 n.o.) came in for some fine last wicket cameo striking to add a few more vital runs to the scorecard to bring our total vaguely respectable to 165 after 35 overs.

 

The MAD fielders putting maximum effort into the Uplyme defense was rewarded by opening the batting with them. Hoskins (12) and Emerson (31) could not quite believe it when they were selected to pad up. The MAD duo put on a healthy 30 partnership in just 25 balls at one point prompting Emerson to quiz what we should be doing in this situation. Hitting the fucking ball as hard as you can was the response as Hoskins dispatched a late cut for four off the Skipper’s bowling. Tall Bob (6-0-34-1) got his sweet revenge though with a superbly Shoab like off cutting in swinger that must have turned three feet before nicking the top of off stump... the only way to bowl Hoskins out these days. Emerson put on a Judas like 31 before being caught by his room mate bowled Hebbes (4-1-17-2).

 

 

 

Bullock and Hebbes (centre) high-five after an Uplyme dismissal.

 

 

This prompted a mini collapse of Uplyme with Beaspark going for a Golden and Crompton also walking failing to strike a run, both falling to M. Westmoreland (3.5-0.13.2) closing in on the wicket taking record showing no signs of the yips. Despite the regular fall of wickets thanks to fine figure of Hebbes (4-1-17-2) and Reeves (3-1-7-1) Uplyme’s score rallied on steadily also with their yellow hatted batsmen finding the holes in the boundary with ease as the tourists seemed to lag slightly in the field. Batey (25) struck a few boundaries and their skipper Sims (21) followed suit picking the ball up well. While Brimscombe, who was celebrating his 17th birthday was having one to remember. After taking 3 wickets and two classy catches was now nearing his fifty with the total fast approaching.

 

Another wicket falling though brought in Uplyme’s No.10 – none other than J. Hotson standing in for another Uplyme MIA.

 

 

 

Keeper, S. Dobner, did a sterling job behind the stumps.

 

 

By this time Tall Bob had called for the bowling of wily off spin duo M. Bullock (3-0-16-1) and I. Leggate (3-0-25-1) despite the closeness of the game – a wily move indeed. M. Bullock bamboozled the home side with his flighted deliveries while Leggate produced his best form of the year with decent line and length tempting the wielding batsmen into slogging to cow. Unfortunately, The MAD fielding on the boundary had wilted to post tour levels and Leggate certainly did not deserved to be dispatched at such a rate.

 

But down to the last two balls with just two runs required it seemed inevitable that Uplyme's celebrating 17 yr old was due to get his deserved 50 and cowed one through The MAD outfield to seal the win.

 

 

 

Shadows lengthen as The MAD say goodbye to Devon.

 

 

All that remained in the day was to relish one last cider with the friendly opposition, present The MADOLYMPS winner, and clear up the bedraggled fennel pieces from the outfield.

 

And so the sun sets on another MAD tour with all and sundry departing back to the Shires to ponder next year’s tour – a possible trip to the historical city of Bath.

 

 

‘Hoskers’

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

 

Statto Scorecards

 

 

 

Far from the MCC versus Uplyme & Lyme Regis CC

Played at Uplyme & Lyme Regis CC, 15 August 2010

 

Far from the MCC won the toss and elected to bat

Uplyme & Lyme Regis CC won by 2 wkts

 

Far from the MCC debuts:  none

 

 

10 / 214

 

 

 

 

 

35 over match

 

 

 

Team

Far from the MCC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Batsman

How Out

Total

Balls

4s

6s

FOW

1

I. Howarth

b Brimacombe

7

(10)

1

-

1-12

2

I. C. Leggate

b Brimacombe

4

(14)

-

-

3-25

3

M. Bullock

c Bearpark b Blackmore

2

(7)

-

-

2-16

4

T. P. W. Smith

c Brimacombe b Holmes

12

(20)

3

-

5-42

5

S. L. P. Dobner +

c and b Brimacombe

0

(5)

-

-

4-33

6

M. T. Westmoreland

b Holmes

8

(18)

1

-

6-48

7

B. J. Mander

lbw b Holmes

0

(10)

-

-

7-58

8

M. K. Reeves

b S. Batey

42

(44)

3

2

8-116

9

D. M. Edwards

st S. Batey b M. Batey

47

(69)

3

-

9-156

10

N. J. Hebbes

not out

6

(11)

-

-

-

11

C. D. Roberts *

not out

5

(3)

1

-

-

 

Extras

(NB1, W10, LB5, B16)

32

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

(for 9 wickets, 35 overs)

165

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Bowler

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wkts

 

1

Blackmore

6

1

24

1

 

2

Brimacombe

7

2

15

3

 

3

Holmes

6

0

28

3

 

4

Sims

6

0

24

0

 

5

Newson

6

0

14

0

 

6

S. Batey

4

0

30

1

 

7

M. Batey

1

0

9

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note:  K. Bearpark was replaced as wicketkeeper by S. Batey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team

Uplyme & Lyme Regis CC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Batsman

How Out

Total

Balls

4s

6s

FOW

1

D. Emerson

c Howarth b Hebbes

31

 

3

-

2-52

2

J. Hoskins

b Roberts

12

 

1

-

1-30

3

S. Batey *

b Reeves

25

 

2

-

6-75

4

K. Bearpark +

c Edwards b Westmoreland

0

 

-

-

3-54

5

P. Crompton

b Westmoreland

0

 

-

-

4-54

6

M. Batey

c Bullock b Hebbes

0

 

-

-

5-64

7

J. Sims

c Hebbes b Leggate

21

 

1

-

8-126

8

W. Blackmore

st Dobner b Bullock

7

 

1

-

7-93

9

H. Brimacombe

not out

53

 

7

-

-

10

J. Hotson

not out

8

 

-

-

-

11

T. Newson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extras

(W6, B4)

10

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

(for 8 wickets, 34.5 overs)

167

 

 

 

 

 

 

#

 

Bowler

Overs

Maidens

Runs

Wkts

 

1

Roberts

6

0

34

1

 

2

Howarth

5

1

19

0

 

3

Hebbes

4

1

17

2

 

4

Westmoreland

3.5

0

13

2

 

5

Edwards

4

0

15

0

 

6

Reeves

3

1

7

1

 

7

Bullock

3

0

16

1

 

8

Smith

3

0

17

0

 

9

Leggate

3

0

25

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note:  R. Holmes was replaced by T. Newson during the Far from the MCC innings

 

 

 

 

MOTM:  M. K. Reeves

Champagne Moment:  M. K. Reeves’ maximum over square leg onto Dobner’s car

Buffet Award:  I. C. Leggate’s strawberry trifle (with chocco chip topping)

 

 

Opposition:  V060 / 01

Ground:  G048 / 01

Captain:  C019 / 01