Blenheim Park CC at Blenheim Palace, 40 overs.
It's finally, belatedly, here. After a cancelled Whippersnappers, no nets at all, and an absent opening fixture, our first game of the season finally took place against old friends Blenheim Park CC. We're most often on the wrong end of this fixture, undone by the notoriously difficult pitch, though last year saw a thumping Bodley victory by 9 wickets. With this in mind, and with a decent team, we assembled under grey skies and hopefully no rain, to see if last year's heroics could be repeated. Lined up like eleven vintage Morgan sports cars, skipper Gareth Jones promptly lost the toss (never call heads...) and we were bowling first. Regular opening bowler and South African Silver Fox Phil Burnett opened the bowling, with Gavin Robinson taking the other end. Both started well, and immediately revealed the pitch to be even more uneven than usual. The same ball might trickle, bounce, wang, or skid through, with no apparent reason for the change. After a couple of big shots to take advantage of the short boundaries (on account of the long grass), Burnett took the first wicket with the first ball of his second over, in spectacular fashion. A good length ball was tickled down the leg side by the batsman, and appeared to be dying as it flew past keeper Matthew Neely. But Matthew's full stretch lightning dive - quite possibly the fasted he's ever moved - saw the ball pouched one-handed just above the grass to take an absolutely stunning catch and leave the batsmen utterly incredulous. 11-1 from 3 overs. A great start. Often, after a dramatic start such as this, things can drift, runs can come, and partnerships build. And that's what happened here, though Bodley bowled terrifically and the runs were hard to come by, with conditions making fours risky and runs having to be pushed hard. After the opening bowlers had earned a break, Steve McGranaghan and David Shackleton took over, and kept a tight line with only an occasional heave damaging their figures. At the halfway point the score was 100-1 from 20 overs, and Bodley needed a tight second half. Steve duly provided the breakthrough in the 24th over with a beautiful ball, swinging in late and moving off the pitch, to clean bowl the well-set batsman. The fielding remained excellent and further wickets were picked up by Matthew, Arthur Keegan-Bole, and two more for Phil to cap a superb display. Blenheim finished on 175-6 from 40 overs, and Bodley left the field pretty satisfied. Now that half the game was out the way, and with skies darkening, it was time for the main event - tea. An absolute feast of sandwiches - including a fine bacon and avocado creation - was laid out, with flan, pies, crisps, veg, fruit, and a dizzying variety of cakes to fatten even the fittest cricketer. All tucked in heartily and as conversation should have been focused on tactics, it was sandwich fillings and cake preferences that dominated the debate. A fine way to spend the break. Once the threat of rain had passed, the teams again took to the field. Bodley opened with the same top three that took us to a resounding victory last year - Phil and Shackleton, followed by Arthur. Sadly, the same dominant display did not follow, due in the most part to the pitch being as utterly unpredictable as it was when we were bowling, and perhaps a little rustiness. A tighter length from the Blenheim bowlers ensured a trickier time for our batters, and in the second over Phil was out to a good ball. Arthur and Shackleton built a careful partnership, seeing off the dangerous Blenheim opener - and Bodley occasional - Nigel Walker. Alas, in the 24th over two more wickets fell, and over the course of the next ten a combination of the pitch, the need to score, and some good bowling saw Tim Philipson, Matthew, the skipper, Dom Hewitt, Andy Hudson, and Steve all come and go for not very much. But then, with the score on a precarious 89-9 in the 33rd over, out strode David Busby. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. You might guess that the two David's didn't quite knock off the 87 runs needed for an unlikely victory, but they did royally entertain the thinning crowds as evening fell. With a close ring field and a lot of good-natured chatter - a good many loudly expressing a desire to get down the pub as soon as possible - these two Bodley stalwarts defended for all they were worth before hitting out in a final blaze of glory. Shackleton moved serenely to his half century with a slog-sweep for six to square, whilst Busby used his feet, got forward, and swung the bat to smash a couple of lovely fours past the fielders and bring the score over the 100 mark. When he finally fell with the score on 116, everyone agreed that we had all earned that trip to the pub after such a good-spirited game. So, Blenheim win this year, by 59 runs, very well played. Special mentions go to Shackleton for carrying his bat to finish on 67no, and to Matthew for the Catch of the Season - I'm calling it early! Roll on the rest of the season, and a first win. GJ.
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Note from the Ed.Generally always written late on the night of the game. Any accuracy or sparkling prose is purely accidental. Archives
September 2019
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