“Inspectorate: Through their Eyes”

Match: 21 / 548

Won by 81 runs

Team	Total
FFTMCC	144 - 9
D. Shorten 73*, J. Bateman 18*
Zambuca Tigers CC	63
G. Timms 5 - 4, C. Roberts 2 - 12

An alternative Zambuca match ramble as written by Jon Edgell of the Zambuca Tigers….

Friday evening The Tigers ended their busy cricket week entertaining a touring team down from Oxford in a T20. A rain delayed start encouraged the tourists to strip to their underpants as you do and run around the field bottles in hand (seemed like our sort of team & certainly would seem a good fit for our former Tiger legend Ravers now residing in the region). Eventually after Tom’s excessive boundary markers (that even Livingstone would have struggled to reach) were rationalised the serious business started as the Tigers entered the murky field of play from the crowded cafe canopy under the suspicious eye of the slightly grumpy owner and the MCC's giant stuffed fluffy duck (we should really get one of these with, I suggest, the last duck maker taking it home to bed until the next game).

Opening with a barrage of left arm spin the Tigers seized the initiative. Nigel gave it the most fanny, to coin a phrase, getting fizz and bite off the EBP pitch, Pete found his length and was our most economical bowler only conceding 5 off his two, but it was the guile and flight of Simon which did for the MCC top order claiming 3 lovely wickets – 2 bowled straight on with the arm and one taking an edge behind with the spin. With the tourists floundering on 10 for 3 the Tiger captain Edge made the first of several tactical errors removing the Ryanator on a hattrick (lesson to learn - never assume you are winning easily at cricket at any point as anything can happen). This signalled the start of a rear-guard action from the batting team with their no. 5 swinging some early 6s off Steve and Tom just over JBT at deep mid wicket (oh, if only we’d kept Tom's boundaries but not to worry, it couldn't last, could it?). 

Steve promised a breakthrough and duly delivered with his 15th of the season – the MCC sub fielder taking a great catch to much colleague banter and immediate fielder rotation, and De Silva (1 for 6) chipped in with another professional edge to Edge just like what you see on the telly. With the danger man gone on a 30 retirement the Tigers eased through the rest of the batting with Toby in particular bowling straight and quick finishing with 2 for 6 ably supported by JBT (1 for 10) bowling some lovely out swinging nibblers.

At 83/9 the Tigers had done a great job but then falling victim to their own success, with the quirky T20 rules that don't always reward wicket taking, the wheels fell off the Tiger bus when the retiree returned. Receiving a reprise from a wicked Toby cut backer and surviving the returning Ryan's hattrick ball he proceeded to tuck into some more legside 6s to add another 60 for the final wicket finishing on an incredible 73 from only 33 balls, all 6 6s coming from the same shot! We did have the joy of a delightful Keith jig after an lbw, but after that the final pair sprinted down the track nullifying his flight - one close stumping was overlooked on account of the square leg umpire following the flight of the bat that had slipped out of hand and flown 30 yards to mid-wicket (luckily Tom was not in the way this time although he had earlier bravely attempted a skied catch at supposedly safe fine leg boundary position). 

Sadly, despite a brief appearance from the sun before the rain and the dark descended again, the Tigers’ batting response fizzled out like a damp squib on a wet bonfire night. The big pinch hitters John and Toby didn't come off and Pete, having set out around midday from the Far West, succumbed to a sort of paddle to wicket keeper off pad for a golden. Nigel's fireworks briefly fired with a couple of nice 4s but then was undone by the excellent leg spinner Timms who ran through the rest of the team with figures of 5/5. Edge and Barrs repelled the tide near the end with Keith bravely playing out the most balls of the whole innings (18). With last man anti-hero debutant Lester Stype (from Pills, Booze, Bulldozers and Birds (sic)) falling over a straight one first ball the innings was snuffed out in typically comical Tigers fashion – all out for a disappointing 63 in less than 15 overs.

However, much fun was had at the pub with the opposition who proved jolly good fellows presenting us with a signed copy of their book. It might not have been their most competitive game of their tour but probably the most fun. As an ideal match up with a very Tigerish ethos I’d recommend we entertain them again in future or visit Oxford sometime. We might even get to stay at Ravers' hotel and play against him! Furthermore, although we did struggle for numbers it was very pleasing to see The Tigers field 3 midweek teams so thanks to the guys turning out on a very wet looking Friday evening with no guarantee of a game.

The Tigers did their best work in the field and TIGER OF THE DAY for an excellent spell of bowling finishing with 3 for 12 goes to SIMON RYAN.

‘Edge’

*

Statto Scorecards

Far from the MCC versus Zambuca Tigers CC Played at East Brighton Park, 30 July 2021 Zambuca Tigers CC won the toss and elected to field Far from the MCC won by 81 runs Far from the MCC debuts: n/a

21 / 548 20 over match

Team	Far from the MCC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	I. Howarth	c sub (Darley) b Adams	14	(18)	2	-	3-61
2	M. Bullock	b Ryan	0	(3)	-	-	1-3
3	A. Darley	c Edgell b Ryan	5	(11)	1	-	2-8
4	J. C. W. Hotson †	b Ryan	0	(1)	-	-	4-61
5	D. Shorten	not out	73	(33)	7	6	-
6	R. P. Turner	c Edgell b De Silva	9	(11)	-	-	5-75
7	C. D. Roberts	b Tovey	4	(13)	-	-	6-79
8	G. J. Timms	lbw b Barrs	7	(9)	-	-	9-83
9	G. Carter	b Mariner	0	(3)	-	-	7-82
10	J. D. Hoskins	b Mariner	0	(1)	-	-	8-82
11	J. C. Bateman *	not out	18	(17)	3	-	-
	Extras	W7, LB3, B4	14
	TOTAL	(for 9 wickets, 20 overs)	144

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Ryan	3	1	12	3	4.00
2	Styles	2	0	5	0	2.50
3	Adams	3	0	28	1	9.33
4	Ewing	3	0	34	0	11.33
5	De Silva	2	0	6	1	3.00
6	Tovey	2	0	10	1	5.00
7	Mariner	2	0	6	2	3.00
8	Barrs	3	0	36	1	12.00
Note: D. Shorten retired at 57-3 (7.5 overs) and returned at 83-9 (14.2 overs)

Team	Zambuca Tigers CC
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	J. Tovey	b Hoskins	2	(3)	-	-	1-2
2	T. Mariner	b Roberts	4	(10)	-	-	2-14
3	N. De Silva	b Timms	8	(12)	2	-	4-18
4	P. Styles	c Hotson b Roberts	0	(1)	-	-	3-14
5	S. Adams *	b Timms	6	(9)	-	-	6-34
6	S. Ryan	b Timms	3	(7)	-	-	5-34
7	T. Ewing	run out (Howarth)	0	(1)	-	-	7-34
8	K. Barrs	c Hoskins b Bullock	4	(19)	-	-	8-53
9	J. Edgell †	b Timms	16	(15)	2	-	9-63
10	J. Tovey	not out	2	(4)	-	-	-
11	P. Styles	b Timms	0	(1)	-	-	10-63
	Extras	NB6, W7, B5	18
	TOTAL	(all out, 14.3 overs)	63

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Econ
1	Hoskins	2	0	3	1	1.50
2	Roberts	2	0	12	2	6.00
3	Timms	3.3	1	4	5	1.14
4	Carter	1	0	15	0	15.00
5	Darley	2	0	11	0	5.50
6	Turner	2	0	6	0	3.00
7	Bullock	2	0	6	1	3.00
Note: J. Tovey and P. Styles batted twice

MOTM: D. Shorten Champagne Moment: D. Shorten six into adjoining field and over campervan Buffet Award: G. Carter’s soggy pizza spread (extra wet garlic bread) MAD Moment: D. Shorten loses grip on bat and hurls it to square leg attempting a huge pull shot

Opposition: V0122 / 01 Ground: G0109 / 01 Captain: C032 / 01 Match No: 20 / 157