“Jude the Obscure Embroiled in Match Fixing Scandal”

Match: 00 / 022

Lost by 144 runs

Team	Total
The Baldons	209 - 9
G. Le Tocq 4 - 48
Jude the Obscure	65
C. Legg 11

A field of daises unfolding towards a copse of beech. Thatched roofs sloping down into wild gardens luxuriant with the hurrying necessities of spring. The easeful murmurs of country life: muted conversations beneath the shady limes, the far call of a rook - and the sound of leather on willow. Here, in a hidden world, all but passed by in the frenzied race into the future, there is a peace of sorts to be found, for a few hours at least a respite from the worries and toil of the daily grind. Or at least, there was until last Sunday, when at The Baldons ground, explosive accusations about lack of match fixing threatened to besmirch and undermine the good name of cricket.

The idyllic Marsh Baldons.

Even as the last Jude wicket was falling with the score at only 65 - 144 runs in arrears of The Baldons total - cries were going up round the ground from the loyal Jude supporter: ‘Please, please, somebody tell me this match was rigged!’ But to the surprise of many, rumours of match fixing did not start, and late last night Jude captain Eddie ‘Hansie’ Lester was still reported to not be in hiding. Indeed, several of Lester’s team mates, in off-the-record statements, agreed that they had never had any reason to doubt their captain’s integrity. A spokesperson for The Jude commented: ‘Of course we’re disappointed. Two of our batsmen run out needlessly, two more carelessly stumped, and a further series of rash shots against a frankly pedestrian bowling attack. When you include the horrendous dropped catches while we were in the field, you’d think that somebody somewhere would be suspicious that the fix was in, but apparently no doubts of any kind have been raised. We just don’t understand it. By the way, give me a call on my mobile if you want to know how many ducks we’ll score next game.’

The Jude were unlucky to lose the toss and be forced into the field on one of the hottest days of the year, but nevertheless an impressive start saw captain E. Lester (2-54) and Jude debutante G. Le Tocq (4-48) getting the early breakthroughs to have The Baldons reeling at 23-3. But the home team soon found their range, with P. Denning (91) savaging anything wide or short, and by the time a second Jude newcomer J. Yarwood (2-26) took the next scalp with a clever ball that bounced several times before it reached the stumps, the initiative was well and truly gone. Nevertheless, such was The Jude’s early season confidence that fielders on several occasions simply declined to take straightforward catches, and Jude stalwart C. Legg spent most of the innings either gorging himself in the pub or standing by the boundary rope smoking and drinking beer. A late flurry of wickets saw The Baldons restricted to 209-9.

The Baldons’ quaint little pavilion – room enough for a cat.

In batting as well, the Jude XI showed an admirable confidence bordering on bravado. As wicket after wicket fell cheaply, each batsman seemed through their profligacy to be expressing remarkable faith in the players that followed, but as the afternoon wore on, the weakness of this innovative strategy was revealed when the total had reached a meagre 65 with no-one left to make the century required for what had been an expected win. First to fall was A. Mann (4) who, after a lengthy mid-pitch chat on the merits or otherwise of attempting a single, found that not even his gazelle-like speed was enough to see him safely home. Jude tyro P. Grant (0) showed momentary resolve, and top-scorer C. Legg (11) handily demonstrated the benefits of eating and drinking copious amounts of all manner of victuals before batting, but C. Norris (2) was another victim of precise Baldons throwing. Of the rest, L. Kennan (1) managed to get off the mark, and J. Yarwood (10) proved his pedigree by being only the second Judester to reach the much aspired-to double figures. A. Mander (4), labouring under the debilitating effects of a dodgy shoulder, a gammy leg, and various other ailments, remained not out.

In many ways this was a discouraging start to a new season for The Jude, and yet, heart can be taken from the fact that all players wore white, beards were tidy, and nobody peed on the field.

‘Blocker’

*

Statto Scorecards

Jude the Obscure versus The Baldons Played at Marsh Baldon, 7 May 2000 The Baldons won the toss and elected to bat The Baldons won by 144 runs Far from the MCC debuts: Paul Grant (039), Lorcan Kennan (040), Jim Yarwood (041), Greg Le Tocq (042)

00 / 022 Timed match

Team	The Baldons
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	R. Knight +	c Bullock b Lester	1				1-5
2	M. Pennington	c and b Lester	4				2-11
3	D. Tilbrook	b Le Tocq	4				3-23
4	P. Denning	b Le Tocq	91				5-151
5	T. Morton	b Yarwood	32				4-117
6	M. Denning *	c Norris b Yarwood	7				6-154
7	M. Faulkner	not out	40				-
8	N. Elwig	b Le Tocq	8				7-170
9	D. Trinder	c Yarwood b Le Tocq	2				8-178
10	L. Wright	run out (Yarwood)	1				9-195
11	P. Cave	not out	2				-
	Extras	(NB3, W13, B1)	17
	TOTAL	(for 9 wickets, 39 overs)	209

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Lester	8	0	54	2
2	Le Tocq	12	2	48	4
3	Mann	7	1	28	0
4	Legg	8	0	50	0
5	Yarwood	4	0	26	2

Team	Jude the Obscure
#	Batsman	How Out	Total	Balls	4s	6s	FOW
1	M. Bullock +	c Elwig b Trinder	8				3-16
2	A. G. Mann	run out (Cave)	4				1-7
3	P. Grant	b Morton	0				2-8
4	C. Legg	b Cave	11				5-32
5	C. Norris	run out (Morton)	2				4-29
6	L. J. Kennan	b Pennington	1				7-34
7	B. J. Mander	b Pennington	0				6-33
8	J. Yarwood	st Knight b Elwig	10				8-47
9	E. N. Lester *	c P. Denning b Elwig	4				9-52
10	G. Le Tocq	st Knight b Tilbrook	5				10-65
11	A. M. Mander	not out	4				-
	Extras	(NB3, W7, B4, LB2)	16
	TOTAL	(all out, 26.2 overs)	65

#	Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts
1	Trinder	7	2	11	1
2	Morton	5	2	10	1
3	Pennington	6	1	16	2
4	Cave	3	2	1	1
5	Elwig	2	0	7	2
6	Wright	2	0	9	0
7	Tilbrook	1.2	0	2	1

MOTM: n/a Champagne Moment: n/a Buffet Award: E. N. Lester’s egg flan with salad side (French mustard dip)

Opposition: V008 / 02 Ground: G004 / 02 Captain: C001 / 19