“Mann Hat-Trick Heroics
Scupper West Country Hopes”
Match: 04
/ 094
Won
by 74 runs
|
Team |
Total |
|
FFTMCCC |
194 - 9 |
|
I. Howarth 53, A. Mann
36 |
|
|
|
|
|
Timberscombe CC |
120 |
|
A. Mann 5 - 25, T. Smith
2 - 14 |
|
|
After
another evening spent reliant on the piss, the
disorientated units of The MAD arrived at the beautifully picturesque village
of Timberscombe. Last year had seen a bucket load of runs scored at this
venue, and after a brief inspection, it still looked a great pitch for
strokeplay once again. As ever, or at least for the second year running, the
sun beat down and Mad chatter centred on a potential ‘Ant’ hat-trick. The
veteran swingmeister had taken the final two
wickets to fall at Minehead the previous day, so would today become a
historical moment in pub cricket folklore?
Timberscombe CC –
always sunny. Skipper
I. Howarth was greeted with a chorus of cheers after successfully winning the
toss, and the opposition’s decision to play a full 40 overs now looked like a
foolhardy one [not to mention an extremely sweaty one – for them]. After
commandeering the scorebox and perching butts on available boundary seating,
the tourists watched as A Mann and S Dobner made a patient and diligent start
before Steve swung lazily to be caught for 11. Mr Harris would help Ant add a
further 37, before both he and his Aussie counterpart departed with the total
on 67-3.
S. Dobner (batting)
awaits the bowler to run the right direction. M.
Westmoreland and J. Hoskins now took up the scoring and soon progressed the
total to 90, before Hoskins (9) was bowled trying to free his feet from a
small pool of concrete. Mr Smith then hit a merry 11, but when the Doc
followed Westmoreland (21) for a well-crafted duck, things looked decidedly
dodgy for the visitors on 117-7. The
stage was now set for a MAD counter-attack, with Skipper Howarth aided by
glovesman M Bullock. In a little over 8 chaotic overs, the pair smacked a
whopping 72 runs (a then MAD eighth wicket partnership record) against a
visibly tiring and visibly irritated attack. With Howarth’s (53) eventual
demise to one swipe too many, S Hebbes (0) came and went, leaving Bullock
(13*) and A. Fisher (1*) to keep their wickets intact and leave The MAD on an
improbable 194-9. Well done, them.
Things were looking
decidedly dodgy for The MAD at one stage. After
the shotgun action during the twilight of The MAD innings, talk now returned
to the matter of a potential Mann hat-trick. A cunning field was engineered
during the tea interval, with everyone stood around the bat, and Ant to
complete the cordon by charging down the wicket after his first delivery.
Everyone was to look stern and everyone was to whisper about how “quick” this
“Ant” fellow was. Timberscombe
now took to the field with puzzled batsman D. Cook now standing between Mr A.
G. Mann and MAD immortality. His concentration clearly troubled by the ring
of MAD fielders surrounding him, he must have been left wondering how “quick”
and “nasty” this Ant character really was? He pulled his bat back in
readiness, eyes widening as Mann loped in, and oops… he merely chipped the
ball in the air to a waiting Howarth at short cover. OUT! Incredible! In
scenes reminiscent of Australia winning something important where everyone
bundles each other, Ant was buried under his ecstatic teammates and never
seen again. That is until he reappeared for his next delivery, legend
cemented – the first MAD hat-trick had been secured. Even if it was
spread across two matches.
“Where the fucking
hell has that gone then?” An
unnerved Timberscombe quickly slumped to 0-2, before rallying to 31-2 over
the next few overs. At this total they endured a miserable collapse as both
the resurgent Mann and S. Hebbes (8-1-30-2) enjoyed wickets at either end.
Parnell (18) and captain Hayes briefly gave hope with some lusty hitting, but
when the former was undone by a Hebbes “Oops” ball, and Hayes (41) was
superbly caught by Mann off T. Smith, the end was nigh (103-7). It
was all left for the now legendary A. G. Mann (7-2-25-5) to complete
his 5-for, Smith (3-1-14-2) to snare his second scalp, and Fisher
(5.3-1-20-1) to administer the rights with some well-crafted flan. The MAD
had triumphed by a mighty 74 runs and won their second touring match on the
bounce. Jolly gosh!
Ant (right) : “Drinks are on me, guys!” After
completing such a resounding victory, Goldenballs,
as Mr. Mann would now be referenced, was chaired from the pitch to the
nearest bar where his mates could empty his pockets of any offending English
currency. ‘Spam’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far from The Madding Crowd CC versus Timberscombe CC Played at Timberscombe, 1 August 2004 Far from The Madding Crowd CC won the toss and elected to bat Far from The Madding Crowd
CC won by 74 runs Far from the MCC debuts:
none |
04 / 094 40 over match |
|
Team |
Far from The Madding Crowd CC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
A. G. Mann |
st Hill b Storey |
36 |
(58) |
5 |
- |
2-65 |
|
2 |
S. L. P. Dobner |
c Hill b Parnell |
11 |
(25) |
2 |
- |
1-28 |
|
3 |
J. Harris |
b Glossop |
5 |
(31) |
- |
- |
3-67 |
|
4 |
M. T. Westmoreland |
c Hayes b Perkins |
21 |
(31) |
1 |
1 |
7-117 |
|
5 |
J. D. Hoskins |
b Perkins |
9 |
(24) |
2 |
- |
4-90 |
|
6 |
T. P. W. Smith |
c and b Dibble |
11 |
(13) |
2 |
- |
5-113 |
|
7 |
A. M. Mander |
b Dibble |
0 |
(3) |
- |
- |
6-113 |
|
8 |
I. Howarth * |
c Storey b Parnell |
53 |
(43) |
11 |
- |
8-189 |
|
9 |
M. Bullock + |
not out |
13 |
(13) |
1 |
- |
- |
|
10 |
S. Hebbes |
c Hayes b C. Hill |
0 |
(2) |
- |
- |
9-189 |
|
11 |
A. J. Fisher |
not out |
1 |
(1) |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
Extras |
(NB4, W4, B17, LB9) |
34 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 9 wickets, 40 overs) |
194 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Parnell |
8 |
1 |
23 |
2 |
|
|
2 |
C. Hill |
8 |
0 |
42 |
1 |
|
|
3 |
Glossop |
6 |
2 |
10 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
Storey |
6 |
0 |
27 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
Dibble |
6 |
0 |
32 |
2 |
|
|
6 |
Perkins |
6 |
1 |
34 |
2 |
|
|
Team |
Timberscombe CC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
Cook |
c Howarth b Mann |
0 |
|
- |
- |
1-0 |
|
2 |
N. Hill + |
c Bullock b Hebbes |
22 |
|
4 |
- |
3-31 |
|
3 |
S. Perkins |
b Mann |
0 |
|
- |
- |
2-0 |
|
4 |
G. Dibble |
b Mann |
4 |
|
- |
- |
4-31 |
|
5 |
T. Parnell |
b Hebbes |
18 |
|
3 |
- |
6-71 |
|
6 |
C. Hill |
c Dobner b Mann |
0 |
|
- |
- |
5-31 |
|
7 |
P. Hayes |
c Mann b Smith |
41 |
|
8 |
- |
7-103 |
|
8 |
G. Storey |
c Harris b Smith |
12 |
|
1 |
- |
8-110 |
|
9 |
Griddle |
b Mann |
1 |
|
- |
- |
9-119 |
|
10 |
Thorpe |
not out |
8 |
|
- |
- |
- |
|
11 |
Glossop |
c Bullock b Fisher |
0 |
|
- |
- |
10-120 |
|
|
Extras |
(W9, B3, LB2) |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(all out, 27.3 overs) |
120 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
|
|
1 |
Mann |
7 |
2 |
25 |
5 |
|
|
2 |
Hebbes |
8 |
1 |
30 |
2 |
|
|
3 |
Hoskins |
4 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
Fisher |
5.3 |
1 |
20 |
1 |
|
|
5 |
Smith |
3 |
1 |
14 |
2 |
|
|
MOTM: A. G. Mann Champagne
Moment: A. G. Mann’s hat-trick ball Buffet
Award: J. D. Hoskins’ egg and
mayonnaise baps (with dressing) |
Opposition:
V032 / 02 Ground: G023 / 02 Captain: C007 / 03 |