“Best Laid Plans”
Match: 14
/ 324
Won
by 11 runs
|
Team |
Total |
|
FFTMCC |
127 |
|
I. Howarth 32, R. Turner
29 |
|
|
|
|
|
Milton CC |
104 |
|
C. Roberts 2 - 13 |
|
|
‘I reckon we need 160’,
proposed JMO. ‘I’m not sure we’ve ever hit 160 in a T20 JMO’ countered
everyone else present. ‘But those homemade pork scratchings are delicious,
kudos’. ‘Cahill has just scored a Van Basten-esque
volley to equalise for the Dutch’ proclaimed an excited Mellor. ‘Is there
football training here tonight’ quizzed a strange gentleman with his young
child. ‘Lads, can you move those goalposts once your done please?’ pleaded
oppo keeper R Gilkes. Yep, as normal a start to a MAD T20 as you can expect
to find. From there onwards, the normality ceased. Sort of… …after skipper Timms had
lost the toss of course. What an exquisite toss to lose mind. Only because
Appleton captain G Alder decided that the best thing for his troops to do in
the searing June heat was to field. Now it’s been noted/theorised that The
MAD are at their worst when they actually have to think about and/or make
cricketing decisions. JMO had mused that the Apples knew how to chase on
their home turf and were always comfortable doing so – even if it belied
conventional wisdom. Was this why Appleton CC had chosen to field first? Had
a member of The MAD ranks made an astute observation regards the sport we all
know and hate? What was happening? I’ll tell you.
A Goose and some wood. At the end of over 1 The
MAD were 7/0 after a back over the bowler’s head first ball 4 from D Emerson
(17). At this rate they’d go on to score 140. Not bad. By the end of the
third over The MAD had 24 – just what they needed to hit 160. A plan being
executed, surely not! The runs were flowing. Almost as quickly as the
wickets, as Carter (1), Mellor (0), Emerson, Hotson (1), and Pearson (4)
returned to put their feet up in the late evening sun. The now stuttering MAD
were 50/5 half way through their innings as their plans ganged agley all over
the shop. Howarth (32) and Turner (29) were rebuilding though. A partnership
of 45 sent The MAD hurtling towards three figures. The old T20 retire on 30
at the end of the over rule would have its say though, wouldn’t it? The rest
of the batting line-up was padded up now, unsure of when or why they would be
called upon. Howarth and Turner discussed optimal retiring tactics. Then they
both got out (instead?) Seriously boys, don’t think. Just do. Shorten (1) and
Timms (2) replaced the innings ‘difference makers’ out in the middle. Timms
had one ball of an over to get the big hitting Shorten on strike. A 2 was
ideal. Well, a 6 would have been but whatever. Shorten was then castled by
Woodhouse (3-0-23-2) on the first ball of the next over. Seriously; stop
thinking, just play. An opportunistic run out
then saw the end of Timms. Remember that both ends are danger ends – even
when someone isn’t aiming for the end you may be running to. A 14 ball 17 run
last over seen out by Hoskins (10*) and Roberts (5*) helped The MAD to a
total of 127. It wasn’t 160 but it wasn’t a bad total at all.
Textbook cover drive from Howarth. Now to execute some
bowling plans. Pace off the ball to start with. Shorten believed this was the
way forward. Leg spin from one end and seam from the other was the order of
the day. So, respectively, Timms (3-0-13-0) kept it pretty tight whilst
Shorten (4-0-16-0) kept it ever so slightly tighter. Hmmm, a plan that sort
of worked. No wickets for the bowlers but opener E Bennett was run out after
sharp work from Shorten and keeper Carter. Roberts bowled well to (3-0-13-2)
restrict the runs too – and snagged a couple of very handy wickets to boot.
The late night dew was now becoming a factor but it was proving hard for the
batsmen to get the medium paced skidders of Pearson (4-0-24-1) away. His
gazumping of G Alder left the game in the balance. 50 odd for 5 after 10
overs with both teams scorecards looking remarkably similar. E Gilkes and M Godwin
first recreated the Howarth/Turner partnership before they too discussed
optimal retiring tactics. The result? E Gilkes run out for 31 after a
nonchalant Mellor flick at the stumps from shortish cover or maybe midwicket
or wherever he was. It would be Howarth (2-0-7-1) and Hoskins (4-0-36-0) to
bowl at the death. One relatively expensive over skewed the figures of
Hoskins who, along with Howarth, did his job to perfection. Howarth had A
Lord a leaping all over the place before bowling him for 9. He then ran out D
Woodhouse in the dying embers of the game. The wily Hoskins used all his
experience to ensure there was not even a glimmer of hope for Appleton. With 3 balls to go and
Appleton needing 19 skipper Timms came in off the boundary to enjoy the last
few balls. Taking nothing for granted Howarth ushered him back to the fence
‘just in case’. Have some faith man. That’s a plan I’m sure even we could
execute – just don’t bowl a no ball or a wide…. You know what, you’re right.
Appleton finished 12 short of their target on 116. A win. A good win. A team
win with everyone contributing something.
Soaking up a “win” – corporate drones Pearson and
Timms. It was the sort of win
that could spark a good run. Talk of what sort of total we needed. Batting
and bowling plans. Strategic field placements to both left and right handers.
Dew on the ball. This was bordering on proper cricket. A good cricket at
that. Crikey. Whatever next…. ‘R. Burns’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far from the MCC versus Appleton
CC Played at Appleton, 18 June 2014 Appleton CC won the
toss and elected to field Far from the MCC won by 11 runs Far from the MCC debuts: none |
14 / 324 20 over match |
|
Team |
Far from the MCC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
D. Emerson |
c Bennett b Crowe |
17 |
(12) |
3 |
- |
3-30 |
|
2 |
G. Carter + |
c R. Gilkes b Uren |
1 |
(4) |
- |
- |
1-7 |
|
3 |
P. A. S. Mellor |
b Uren |
0 |
(3) |
- |
- |
2-8 |
|
4 |
R. P. Turner |
b Woodhouse |
29 |
(43) |
2 |
- |
6-93 |
|
5 |
J. C. W. Hotson |
st R. Gilkes b Alder |
1 |
(4) |
- |
- |
4-41 |
|
6 |
J. W. Pearson |
b Woodhouse |
4 |
(13) |
1 |
- |
5-48 |
|
7 |
I. Howarth |
c E. Gilkes b Godwin |
32 |
(29) |
4 |
1 |
7-99 |
|
8 |
D. Shorten |
b Woodhouse |
1 |
(2) |
- |
- |
8-101 |
|
9 |
G. J. Timms * |
run out (Godwin) |
2 |
(1) |
- |
- |
9-107 |
|
10 |
J. D. Hoskins |
not out |
10 |
(8) |
1 |
- |
- |
|
11 |
C. D. Roberts |
not out |
5 |
(3) |
1 |
- |
- |
|
|
Extras |
(NB2, W22, B1) |
25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 9 wickets, 20 overs) |
127 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Crowe |
3 |
0 |
25 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
Uren |
3 |
0 |
15 |
2 |
|
|
3 |
Alder |
4 |
1 |
15 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
Lord |
3 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
Godwin |
4 |
0 |
33 |
1 |
|
|
6 |
Woodhouse |
3 |
0 |
23 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Team |
Appleton CC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
E. Bennett |
run out (Shorten/Carter) |
3 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
2 |
A. Naulty |
c Emerson b Roberts |
4 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
3 |
L. Willis |
c Turner b Roberts |
16 |
|
- |
1 |
|
|
4 |
E. Gilkes |
run out (Mellor) |
31 |
|
2 |
- |
|
|
5 |
G. Alder * |
b Pearson |
0 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
6 |
M. Godwin |
not out |
28 |
|
2 |
1 |
|
|
7 |
A. Lord |
b Howarth |
9 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
8 |
D. Woodhouse |
run out (Howarth) |
0 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
9 |
R. Gilkes + |
not out |
1 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
10 |
R. Uren |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
T. Crowe |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
(NB2, W9, LB12, B1) |
24 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 7 wickets, 20 overs) |
116 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Timms |
3 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
Shorten |
4 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
Roberts |
3 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
|
|
4 |
Pearson |
4 |
0 |
24 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
Hoskins |
4 |
0 |
36 |
0 |
|
|
6 |
Howarth |
2 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
|
|
MOTM: I. Howarth Champagne Moment: P. A. S. Mellor’s
backhanded run out Buffet
Award: J. D. Hoskins’ Overton flan
(with extra egg filling) |
Opposition:
V051 / 14 Ground: G042 / 09 Captain: C022 / 15 |