Alpine F1 CC at Sandford St. Martin, twenty overs. Thursday 29th July.
www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5106084 Having missed this fixture last year due to you know what, it was a delight to resume our long-running tussle against local side Alpine F1 (formerly Renault F1) at the beautiful location of Sandford St. Martin cricket club, looking out over the rolling Glyme valley. Even with less traffic around, navigating Oxford's constant roadworks meant all were quite late arriving and with the time ticking past 6pm the match got underway. A twenty over affair with retirements on 25 and 4 overs per bowler promised an even contest and with Bodley being offered the chance to bat first so the bbq could be fired up by the oppo for afters, Skipper Matthew Neely and the Dave Shackleton-usurping Dave Freeman walked out to open up. Bodley were down to 9 again for this game due to the pingdemic and holiday season (where on earth are people actually going though?!) so runs from the top order was going to be crucial to set a foundation. Fresh from his fifty-odd on Sunday Matthew picked up where he'd left off and was quickly in the groove, running hard and defending assuredly. Dave Freeman was likewise picking off the loose balls and engaging in a bit of mental disintegration for good measure. Dave was eventually out to a good ball, bringing David Shackleton to the crease at a higher than usual number three in the order. Whilst Matthew anchored the innings from the other end, David freed his arms and struck some mighty fine blows against good bowling - a straight lofted four down the ground being a particular highlight. All too soon the 25 was up (29 not out) and David had to retire, bringing Asad to the crease to join the rock solid skipper. Several meaty blows later Asad was out for a very handy 17, and Jones came and went in the blink of a reckless swing leaving breakthrough bowler of the year Dom at the crease with Matthew. With the main bowlers bowled out things loosened up a little and whilst that does provide the chance to play quite aggressively, it also causes panic as the ball floats down from on high on all manner of lines. With Matthew retiring on 27 and extras providing our third-highest score, Dom played a handy cameo to leave the Bod on 126-4 from twenty overs. Not bad when we were down to nine players anyway. This being an evening game their was no tea, so after a quick fistful of petit-fours for Mr Milner we were back on the pitch - extra fielder from the oppo much appreciated - to defend what looked a decent total in fading light. A new partnership of Asad and Matthew opened the bowling, with Jones installed behind the stumps. As seems to have been the case all season the opposition's opening batters swing hard and attacked from the off, causing much running after the ball for James Riley and Tim Philipson in particular, and general sighing and scratching of heads all round as Slazenger bats caused untold damage in the direction of the mid-on fielder. With one batter already retired after five overs, the first wicket finally fell in the thirteenth with the score on 84. Worryingly, this wicket was batsmen number four and came by way of a run-out so the momentum still seemed very much with the home team. By this point Shackleton and Dom were well into their rhythm though, and the batters proved a tad less assertive as the pace came off the ball. As Andrew Milner joined the festival of suffocating slow bowling, the runs needed exceeded the number of balls left (fans of the Hundred should be able to follow things from this point) and Bodley were well and truly back in it. With the field pushing back as the penultimate over approached, it went for a nerve-inducing seven runs, so seven to win from the final over. Having not bowled all match but relishing the opportunity to be hit for the winning runs, Dave Freeman was called upon to deliver an unlikely victory for the Bod. A wide first ball added two to the total, so five from five needed. Field is in-out, some in for the single, others right back to cut off the four. Next ball is a scrambled single, four from four needed. Few more fielders push back, and lots of chat in the outfield, exciting stuff as dusk accompanies the finale. Dot ball, four from three needed. Next ball is flighted up and bounces on a good length before clattering into the pads, bit high though, but it's given! More importantly it's a dot ball, and a new batter that will have to adjust to the light and the pitch. With four from two needed the whole field is now pretty much right back, and bang on cue Dave bowls another lovely dot ball. And so it is that three hours of at times quite one-sided cricket comes down to this - four runs needed from one ball. Dave tells the batsman he's got the measure of him, puts the field right back, and jogs in for the final act. Good length, bounce - batsman connects, swinging hard, but straight to Asad and no run taken. Bodley win by four runs! A fantastic effort and a good win. Bit of luck involved for the visitors but we'll take that anytime. David Shackleton and Dom Hewett in particular deserve praise for the bowling figures of 4-0-14-0 and 4-1-16-0 respectively. Shackleton and Matthew starred with the bat and being a fielder down was a great effort ball chasing too. Having got the cricket out the way in good time, all could tuck into a much-anticipated bbq - the nearest thing we've had a to a cricket tea in two years and very much enjoyed by all. A lovely opposition and a great location made this a most enjoyable evening, and talk turned to next year and a possible home/away fixture and Sandford and Tew. Our next game is Thursday 5th August against Oxfam CC at Great Tew. See you there! GJ.
0 Comments
Inkpen CC at Great Tew, thirty overs. www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5106083 It is a fact of life for a village cricketer that you spend an unhealthy amount of time checking weather apps (looking for one that has an agreeable forecast) and generally looking up at the sky. An entire week of anticipation and careful planning (that 50 is just round the corner, after all) can go out the window if it rains, or rains the night before, or covers are left off, or the forecast looks dreadful but it is not in fact, not actually, not yet, actually raining at all. So it was with no small measure of dread that the mighty Bodley had cast their eyes over the daily dire forecasts for the weekend. After a week of at times barely tolerable heat and clear skies, the one day we were set to play cricket had that animated thundercloud the BBC like to chuck in occasionally. With agreement that the Great Tew groundsman would make a lateish call on the morning of the game, we were thankfully given the go ahead to play mid-morning on Sunday. Marvellous, and the forecast had even changed too – it’s basically guesswork these days anyway isn’t it, this weather forecasting lark? Today’s opposition was Inkpen CC, from the Berkshire village of the same name and a team we’ve always visited in previous years, so a first for them to come to Fortress Bodley. Ahem. Due to various reasons we were a depleted side today, shorn of a few regulars but with a strong nine and a cunning plan. The funny thing with having only nine though, is that if you lose any more you’re really very depleted, and that wouldn’t be at all funny. As the 1pm start time came and went Bodley were frantically texting two of our missing players, who were uncharacteristically very late. Wherever could they be? Naming no names, assurances from Shackleton and Burnett that they were on their way duly arrived, and having been asked to bat by the opposition we moved them down the batting order and constructed an impregnable opening partnership of Matthew Neely (an actual opener) and Stuart Ackland (an actual Stuart). With the time 1.15pm, play belatedly began, the seven men of Bodley against the eleven of Inkpen… Matthew and Stu started wonderfully, putting away anything wayward and (in Matthew’s case) defending stoutly to everything else. Stuart got off the mark with a surprise four whipped to square leg and beyond the chasing fielder, to great applause from the three Bodley players on the boundary once umpires were taken into account – a Bodley first, with more players on the pitch than off during our batting innings. Could this be a day for records?! Stu was caught biffing in the second over for a useful seven, bringing Dom Hewett in at three, just reward for his hare-like running and deft touch to the seamers. Dom was sadly out before he could get in, falling to a good catch from the Inkpen skipper. This brought the Bodley skipper, Gareth Jones, to the crease and with the score on 14-2 from five overs a little bit of digging in was required. After barely a hole could be dug the skipper was out to a ball that just skimmed the bails (it was a pearler, honest), but Matthew was looking ever more assured at the other end. Bodley’s picnic-loving statesman Andrew Milner was next in and like Jones and Hewett before, was out all too quickly. Next up, and with Bodley still only a seven-strong team was Bubba Watson’s stunt double, Tim Philipson. Thankfully Tim had packed his golf clubs and proceeded to go after the bowlers with some impressive hitting as Matthew likewise found the boundary at the other end. Now, you’ll remember that two Bodley players were running late, but were on their way? Well, at 2.17pm – over an hour after the scheduled start of play – a little red fun-wagon chundled up the Great Tew driveway past the pitch, to a boisterous round of applause as play stopped to mark the return of Shackleton and Burnett from their mysterious adventure. As Bodley’s answer to Jagger and Richards appeared from the car park, take-aways in hand, it transpired that they had indeed left in good time to reach the match, had got themselves sorted for the bring your own tea, and had simply got a little lost on the way to the ground but had nevertheless waited patiently for their apparently late team mates. The problem with this was that whilst they had arrived at the ground at broadly the correct time, they had somehow arrived at the wrong ground. In a different village. In a different county. They had, it seems, gone to our opposition's ground at Inkpen, which they reported was in terrific condition and sported a spanking new clubhouse and spacious car park. Once this ‘geographical error’ was apparent, they finished their lattes and headed back up the A40 to Great Tew as fast as their map-reading could take them. There was of course a funny side to all this, and sometime later that evening the skipper finally saw it! By the time all this excitement had played out, Tim had walloped a handsome 17 and the score had moved up to 93-5 from twenty overs, helped more than a little by a fair few welcome extras. James Riley was next in and picked up where Tim left off, swinging hard at the loose balls and running hard with the by now well set Matthew. As wickets fell at the other end and Inkpen shuffled their bowlers Matthew had steadily, purposefully built his score to form a magnificent backbone of the innings. A long-help personal top score of 49 (twice) was finally passed as he went on to 57 before falling to a sharp seamer – fantastic batting and an innings that totally held our side together as we pushed well beyond 100. With David Shackleton demoted, though perhaps still a place too high at number 8, James was adding to the score and finding the boundary, ending the innings on 17 not out as Shackleton fell trying to clear the ropes. At the end of our thirty overs Bodley had managed a very respectable 141-6. All things being taken into account, a competitive and defendable score. Very good. So, to tea. We couldn't help but notice that a giant marquee had been erected on the second pitch, which all of Bodley assumed was for Andrew to take his tea in, but in the event he decided to eat with the rest of us, allowing us to once again marvel at the sophistication and grandeur of his epicurean fantasy. Fresh baguettes, finest cuts of meat, cave-aged cheese and not just any fizzy drink but San Pellegrino was enjoyed as Andrew tucked into several courses of sustenance to ready himself for his taxing afternoon at first slip. Whilst it will be lovely when proper cricket teas return (more of a logistical issue now to be honest, so hopefully soon), it certainly is interesting to see what everyone brings. Shackleton and Burnett tucked into their second tea, having picked up more supplies on their detour via Berkshire. All were well fed, and with the weather continuing to improve, Bodley trundled out to commence their defence. Burnett and Ackland took the new (old) ball, and with a maiden from Phil, and a tidy over from Stu, things started well. It became quite clear quite rapidly however, that the Inkpen top order were going to hit the ball very hard indeed, and take their chances. As caches fell agonisingly short of fielders, and the outfield turned into an absolute belter (sure it was slower when we batted!), the score flew along, the skipper turning to first change bowlers, then to second change and eventually pushing the field back to stem the flow of runs. By the fifteenth over with the score on 81 things looked a tad worrying, so the skipper decided a change of tack was needed – pace totally off the ball. On came Dom, who has been steadily forging a reputation as a very handy bowler indeed. Right on cue Dom takes the first Inkpen wicket in his first over – clean bowled and a lovely sight to see. Another wicket followed in Dom’s next over, back up by a maiden in his third. Match well and truly back on! Burnett was pressed back into service at this point, and opting to bowl a bit of spin he collected two wickets of his own thanks to great catching from James and a hard-earned lbw. As Bodley shuffled their bowling and brought the field up, wickets fell regularly but the score still climbed. Andrew picked up a deserved wicket, whilst Dom bowled another three on the bounce to end with four wickets – another clean bowled and one to an outrageous running catch at cow from the sub fielder next ball. Dom’s figures of 6 overs, 2 maidens, 10 runs, for 4 wickets ranking right up there with Matthew’s batting in the first innings. With Inkpen seven down and twenty four behind, the match could still go both ways but the momentum was very much with the home team as the field stayed up and Shackleton, Riley, and Ackland finished off the innings. Two wickets for the spinning Shackleton had Inkpen nine down, and having bowled at the top it was Stu that finished things off with an unplayable slower ball delivered amidst a befuddling shuffle. Bodley win, with Inkpen all out for 127. Great game. A top score of 54 from one of the Inkpen openers, in an opening stand of 85 threatened to take the game well away from Bodley, but Dom’s terrific spell in the middle overs wrestled control back into the home team’s hands. Matthew’s perfectly constructed 57 gave Bodley the platform to defend a total, and the bowlers, and some good catching, did the rest. Well played all. Drinks were enjoyed by all after the game, and talk of next year’s fixture included a possible multi-team tournament, very interesting! Thank you to Inkpen for travelling up to play us at Tew, and to David and Phil for checking on the Inkpen ground whilst it was empty. Next game is this Thursday at Sandford St. Martin, against Alpine F1 (formerly Renault F1). GJ. Middleton Stoney CC at Middleton Park, timed game. www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5106081 A new opposition, and especially a new ground to play at is always a delight (though we are growing very fond of our unofficial home at Great Tew). And so it was with a new match, delayed from last year, against historic local side (founded 1801 - much older than the Bod, despite our badge!) that play their cricket within the grounds of Lutyens' last great country house. With the pitch surrounded by the remains of a burgeoning arboretum and far from any road noise or other distractions, it is a bucolic, tranquil spot to play. Match format was one we play quite scarcely, and certainly confused the skipper (pay attentions, Jones) - first innings runs from 2pm to 4.3opm, or whenever a declaration is made. Then it's the main event - tea - followed by the second innings from about 4.50ish to 6pm, then 20 overs more to complete the chase. Having won the toss Bodley skipper for the day Gareth Jones decided to take the maths out of it and just bat first, then try to bowl them out. Easy. Sort of. Oh. Bodley's opening pair could teach England a thing or two about consistency of selection, having batted together as often as they'll let us make them. So once again Matthew Neely and David Shackleton strode out to kick things off, and hopefully give the rest of us ample time to explore the pleasant surroundings. The evergreen Andrew Milner took up position on his portable picnic perch and undertook to score, surmise, and pass comment, and we were away. There are no limits set for retirements, or for bowlers overs in a timed game, but these things are generally irrelevant as batters get themselves out and bowlers either tire themselves out, or retire themselves in the face of flying balls. The bowling from Middleton Stoney was accurate, full of length, and generally in the nagging, got to play at it, corridor. The pitch looked good, but had been uncovered throughout the previous nights rainfall and so was a tad slow, making bounce hard to judge. The home team knew the conditions well. The Bod, alas, did not. Scoring proved very difficult for both batters, with a satisfying thwack as ball struck defiant bat and fielders engaged in some good natured encouragement. Our openers survived though, and began to steadily build. Skippers orders were to see off the opening bowlers and play out maybe an hour, then see where we are, plenty of time. As the hour came and went it became alarmingly apparent that the Middleton bowlers could bowl all day, and had Bodley well and truly tied down - like Luke, Han and Leia trying to escape the Death Star. Star Wars references aside, and in the absence of a trash compactor, there was no obvious means of escape, though an opening spell of ten overs for 20 runs from the Middleton opener was quite outstanding, it must be said. With pressure building as twenty overs ticked by the first wickets fell and both openers were out to good balls for 22 and 33 respectively, leaving the score on 67-2 from 26 overs. James Shaw and the returning Josh Hordern faced much the same challenges, with a new bowler now well set into a rhythm and plugging an ever so tight stump to stump line, for very few runs indeed. It was clear that if runs were to be scored, they were to be scored against these bowlers and not more gentle, less accurate stuff that was yet to come. After James fell to another pearler, a few swings of the bat and more defensive thwacks from Tim Philipson and the skipper added a few more, but the score had yet to break 100. A decent rain shower took the challenging spin coming from end out of the equation a little, though only compounded the problems batters had with bounce, as we played through the rain to emerge in welcome sunshine. But then with Tim's dismissal - all too soon for those watching, after an entertaining four to get underway - Dom Hewett walked out to bat, joining Jones, who soon after departed trying to repeat his solitary scoring shot too many times. Phil Burnett and then Andrew Milner accompanied Dom as he - by the standards of the innings thus far - dismantled the opposition bowlers with a flurry of quick singles and a marvellously elegant four. As 4.30 arrived the Bod ended their innings on 112-7, and settled down for a well earned tea. Cricket teas are still on the government's naughty list, so as was the case last year, it was bring your own. In practice this actually works quite well, and it is always interesting - competitive, even - to see what others have rustled up. And none were more interesting, or more conspicuous than Andrew Milner, Bodley's pleasure seeker. Equipped in the manner of an Edwardian gentleman on a day trip, Andrew settled into his folding chair, set up a table, and unpacked a dizzying spread of rustic fresh breads, meats from across Europe, finest gherkins, pickles, stuffed Italian tomatoes, cheeses from the sun-kissed shores of the Mediterranean, and a dessert course that the big house would be happy to serve up. It was quite the picnic, and let's just say the rest of us were all very jealous of Andrew's dedication to gastronomy. With tactics agreed - bowl in a miserly manner and catch the ball if it goes in the air (radical thinkers, the Bod) - we wrapped up our all too brief tea and headed back out to the field. With the time approaching 5pm Middleton Stoney would have until 6pm to bat, and then twenty overs more to complete their chase, after which in the event of the total not being chased down and wickets remaining, the match would be a draw. Given our low total we concluded that wickets were the order of the day, and set a close field with Phil Burnett and James Shaw taking the new ball. It was around this time that it became apparent our usually punctual slip fielder - the aforementioned Milner - was still reclined behind his dining table eating lunch, with pudding apparently yet to come. After quite some negotiation, and then an exchange of differing opinions on priorities, Andrew angrily broke off between courses and took up position at first slip, allowing play to begin. Phil and James bowled tight lines and kept the ball full, following the example of the Middleton bowlers. The Middleton batters however made lighter work of the conditions and the runs, though not flowing, built up quicker than we'd have liked. Eventually the pressure did build, and Middleton swung hard and were victim to the bounce - the first wicket falling to Phil with a terrific catch from Tim as the ball spooned up and wobbled down at him in the gully. Great stuff, we're on our way. Not too long later another big shot brought about a mishit, and this time it was Dom, standing at cover, that the errant ball flew towards. As all took a deep breath (it really was wobbling around) the ball slapped into Dom's hands, bobbled out, then hit another hand, bounced back out again, then a few juggles and it was firmly pouched in one hand to the great delight of all his team-mates. A catch worthy of a replay, were such things possible. The field remained in as Bodley smelt more wickets, with a cautionary sweeper out to pick up anything that went through the fielders. It's often hard work fielding on these longer matches, especially when you feel you're behind the rate and things are stacked a tad against you, so special mention must go to some superb work running round the field from James Riley and David Busby, positioned behind the bowler at mid-off and mid-on, and pouncing on everything that came their way. David most notably used his knee to stop a well struck ball along the ground, a collision from which the ball sounded like it had won the battle. Ouch. The skipper, hot off the back of some dodgy fielding of his own, brought on the by now pudding-starved Andrew as first change, to take some pace off the ball and extract maximum benefit from the pitch. Andrew didn't disappoint, and was soon twirling away from one end for very few runs, eventually picking up a deserved wicked as a huge hit back over his head went straight into the hands of Josh on the boundary, displaying great catching. As is so, so often the case, after this the home team settled in and picked off their shots carefully, confident they had plenty of time to do so. But then just as one big hitting batsman was threatening to finish things quickly, the ball was spooned to David Shackleton at cover who - despite having neither brought along or eaten any lunch - pouched it safely. Sadly we were probably about forty runs short in the end, and the Middleton middle order saw them home to win by six wickets. A very enjoyable match, despite the result, and one we certainly hope to avenge next year! Post-match mingling was safely and sensibly conducted outside the charming pavilion, with our hosts providing drinks and stories of the club and its history, and was all very enjoyable indeed. There was one final thing to wrap up however - the not so small matter of player of the match - presented by the Middleton skipper, Tim. The deserving recipient was our own Dom Hewett, for the way he batted at the end of the innings and for that glorious four in particular. A bottle of homemade elderflower cordial was presented to a round of applause. Well played Dom. A huge thank you to our hosts, we're already looking forward to next years fixture. And a final thank you to our friends and supporters who made the trip to watch, it's always appreciated and we hope you enjoyed yourselves GJ. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
September 2021
Categories |