Sunday 8 August 2010

THE RASCALS vs THE CANBASHERS 25.7.10 – MATCH REPORT

Throughout the summer the weather has been kind to us and, despite the forecast of showers, Sunday was no exception. The Everythingman (author) had prepared a new strip for the game whose appearance was positively sub continental.

We met oppo skipper, Tony Grant, at the Bull pior to the game and he was speculating that the fixture had to be around twenty years old. Later in the week I trawled through the old scorebooks – which, it has to be said, are a dreadful mish mash of half information (….Rascals eh?) – and discovered, unless Tony can find an earlier game, that our first fixture was indeed 1990. So, next year, we will make a song and dance, or possibly even a ballyhoo, about our 21st. Perhaps a two day game with BBQs and general merrymaking thrown in. Sounds a gas but whether it is enough to persuade Page, Plant and Jones to reform Led Zeppelin with Dave Grohl on drums, is another matter altogether.

In this case digression is really not a bad idea, as the game itself was not a cliffhanger. The Bashers won the toss and put us in to bat. Their opening bowler was the 14 year old Ponsonby who some of you might remember as Bombadier Block from last year. Although he performed well (2 wickets), it was not until the speedy Burns came on as first change did any Rascals future batsmen get a trifle jittery. The first five batsmen all contributed well and the final score might have have reached 200 had two very unlucky wickets been taken. Will Drew, looking typically solid, watched as a ball from the Ponsonby the Embryo, dribbled off his bat and nudged the base of the stumps sufficiently to sleepily dislodge a bail. The Skipper was also looking in fine fettle when he hooked a bouncer from Burns, which would have made a fine four had he not fallen on his stumps. Rossco made a fine 48 but after his wicket (the 7th) fell, we struggled to push the score along and finally ran out of our 35 overs with the tally showing 175.

A spectacular tea ensued with sandwiches c/o The Chairpeople and cakes and bodgelies c/o Jessie Denning , Kiki and Jo Jo. Big thanks to them……

Chris Woods made his intention obvious from the first over, hiting Eddie for 10 runs with a six and a four. Ponsonby the Twinkle in the Milkman’s Eye was his opening partner and backed up Chris well, until he was run out with the score on 72. Chris’ brother Nick was up next, but survived only a short while. Gibson took on Woods’ mantle of aggression and, with Haddow–Allen and McConnell backing him up well, the Bashers passed our total with five overs to spare and six wickets in hand. Woods knocked up 64 and Gibson 42 not out.

A good track (much commented on) made bowling difficult. Ant Lund had the best figures with 7 overs for 27 rums and 2 wickets. Credit also must go to Robin Todd who leakled only 20 runs during his spell, and to his son Harry who bowled the only maiden over.

A cracking good innings was had in The Bull after stumps, despite the new owners’ best efforts, (no food on Sunday nights etc.), and we hit our pits in glorious oblivion as to the result of the cricket, basking only in the glow of fun and friendship. Hussar to The Rascals