Hendricks XI at Stanton St. John, 35 overs Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5243463/scorecard After what seems to be an interminable succession of close fought defeats, Bodley regrouped yet again to face old rivals Hendricks – a touring Team that has traditionally offered a stiff challenge during their annual stop-off in Oxford. With Bodley occasionals Tim Saunders and Ross Quest, Hendricks represent that rare thing – competitive, convivial social cricket. Moreover, the promise of a bottle of the self-same Gin being up for grabs for the Bodley player of the match has always added an extra degree of verve to Bodley performances so the contest certainly promised to be entertaining. The question was how close would it be given Bodley’s agonising recent run of form which has seen them score well but just fall short of the line? The absence of veteran Spin-Meister Andrew Milner only added to the uncertainty about how the old Maestro is doing. Well to allay any fears, we are reliably informed that it has yet again failed its MOT but Milner hopes for progress once he gets it to the garage. To hopefully offset this blow and add to the frisson Bodley welcomed back legendary top scorer and pouch-supremo Mike Webb, as well as Silver Streak Phil Burnett, who deigned to don the whites once again after several weeks indulgent honeymooning in California. With the rest of the ranks filled by the usual suspects Bodley fielded a strong side, though the question, as always, was what would Hendricks be serving up today at the still parched Stanton St John? Having won the toss Gareth Jones opted to Bat and, having finally located the scorebook and committed the batting order to posterity, sent Bodleys own Robson and Jerome out to the middle to open proceedings. Celebrating his birthday, and with a not inconsiderable run tally already safely banked, Matthew Neeley was keen to add to his haul and inch ever closer to the magical 500 mark for the season. At the non-strikers end, as-per, and now re-acclimatised to stoical European sensibilities following his reluctant return from his Californian ‘Research Study’ of Dystopian Naturist Poetry, opening partner David Shackleton had much to prove to a Bodley batting order that was beginning to make him look more than a little conventional and pedestrian. Like the old Maestro, a Bodley innings can sometimes take a little time to get going, which does little for the nerves on the boundary as overs seem to pass at an alarming rate. And yet there seems to be that special cricketing ‘flux capacitor’ in the Bodley psyche these days, whereby the ever-present uncertainty that surrounds any Bodley innings is marginally less likely to morph into blind panic at the merest provocation. And so it proved today, with early stoical defence by Neeley married to the languid Shackleton style that seemed to blunt the Hendricks attack. And with the latter clearing the boundary early doors with a devilish flashing high-elbow, the runes were looking positive for Bodley – even more so when a chance from Neeley was put down in the field. The question seemed to be could Bodley build on the early promise with a sustained partnership, and just how damaging would the dropped chance prove to be? Time would of course tell, but meanwhile out in the middle the melody of leather-on-willow was increasingly unchained and the score started to accumulate, as all on the boundary always knew it would. With the 50 now up in the tenth over it therefore came as something as a shock when Shackleton’s elegant Riverdance at the crease proved his undoing, falling to an LBW decision that, somewhat remarkably, was not delivered by doom-finger Ackland. The fall of the high-elbow brought Young-Gun Dan Shaw out to the crease, and it isn’t long before he finds his range and the boundary, and adds new impetus to the innings. It comes as a bit of a blow therefore when he drives hard for the boundary and is caught in the deep off Gilbert. Is this the start of a characteristic wobble by Bodley? As James Shaw strides out to the middle concerns are allayed, and with good reason for before long he has the measure of the bowling and is finding the gaps in the field and tearing up and down the wicket, keeping the runs accumulating and the strike rotating. Before fully getting into his stride however, and in an eerily similar fashion to Dan before him, James searches for the boundary only to be well held in the deep. With both Shaws falling to expansive shots, there is always a danger of pulling up the drawbridge and circling the cricketing wagons, and so it was under this deluge of discursive metaphors that Philipson made his way out to the middle in the 16th over with 84 runs on the board. Under strict self-imposed orders to at least try and watch the ball, the omens were not good as the traditional heave across the line made an early and entirely predictable appearance. Fortunately the damage did not prove terminal for once and after a few balls the new partnership with Neeley started to yield results, with Bodley finding the boundary from both ends and the score beginning to tick along in a reassuring manner. With things proceeding nicely now was certainly not the time to discover yet new ways to get yourself out, but fate, alas, determined otherwise, and so it fell to Philipson to experience the curious sight of a crashing leg-side ball ricocheting of his boot back onto the stumps. With the traditional chuntering trudge back to the pavilion for what felt an under-par 21, the baton was resolutely passed to Captain Jones, who hoped to once again tap into the rich seam of runs he had been mining this season. With fifteen overs remaining and 123 runs in the bag the question that seemed to be pre-occupying the assembled Casandras’s on the boundary was would Bodley continue to accelerate and post a 200+ score, which seemed to be the minimum that would be required against a Hendricks side that has always scored heavily. The answer was not long in coming as the Neeley-Jones partnership settled, and as the innings drew to a close and legs grew tired the bounty of boundaries started to come thick and fast. At the close of the final over Bodley had amassed an impressive and competitive 217 runs for the loss of only four wickets, with Jones retiring on a hawkish 31 and Neeley – after surviving a dropped no ball and snick behind on the final ball – posting a new personal best of 85 not out. And so to lunch, which this week had been prepared by Bodley’s very own culinary ambassadors James Shaw and Stuart Ackland, who served up a veritable glut of home-baked cakes and biscuits, sandwiches – with grated cheese no less – and the usual accompanying fare of treats of various descriptions, all washed down by tea the colour of time-worn linoleum. Faced with such a panoply of cake Busby was in seventh-heaven and it would prove difficult to encourage him to emerge from his cloud of crumbs and take to the field. Once assured that there would be the odd slice left over which would serve as either a congratulatory treat or consolation nibble after the match, he reluctantly joined the rest of Bodley as they took to the field, determined to take the game to Hendricks and curtail the chase. With the useful looking Gelsthorpe and Metcalf opening for Hendricks, Burnett and Dan Shaw carried the hopes and dreams of Bodley on their youthful [ahem…] shoulders. As always they didn’t disappoint, with the probing line and length of Burnett and fierce raw pace of Shaw combining to produce a discombobulating experience for the batters and a classic passage of containment cricket. With resolute hard-running in the field and a fanatical determination by James Riley to cut off all potential boundaries, when Gelsthorpe was caught by Burnett off Ackland in the 12th over Hendricks had been restricted to only 40 runs. When Metcalf and Minchinton both fell to Ackland in the 20th the score had limped to only 66 runs, and Bodley were beginning to consider the possibility of securing a much sought victory. Tempering such thoughts for Bodley veterans however was the presence of Ross Quest at the crease, a destructive batter of the type that had seen so many potential victories snatched from the grasp of Bodley over the years. And it wasn’t long before that characteristic languid swing was making its mark and finding the boundary, and with bit-hitter Oli May to follow it seemed that the Hendricks middle order was going to try and make a game of it afterall. The best laid plans of mice and men and all that however, as even the best batters can’t turn a game if they are not on strike, and the middle spell of James Shaw and Ackland was a model of asphyxiated ambition, with the danger contained and the required rate growing ever larger. Irrespective of any performance on the field however, Bodley have learned to never take anything for granted, and so there was a palpable sense of relief when Quest misjudged a vexing Ackland delivery that found his pads and sent him back to the pavilion for a well-struck but under-par 29. When May followed soon after, bowled by Neeley for a likewise under-par 4, Hendricks seemed to be faltering in the chase and it seemed that only some distinctly odd turn of events would conspire to deny Bodley the victory. All hopes now seemed to rest on that eternal question – would the Hendricks tail begin to wag? Tasked to prevent this, and desperate to atone for his sins with the bat, Shackleton was next up, and as he cantering up to the crease with his Mozza-lite-quiff wafting in the breeze it was clearly evident that he had become yet another disciple of Bodley’s former ‘Director of Fitness’ Stephen Arnold, in particular his latest International Best Seller[1] ‘Unleash Your Inner Ninja’, with the ‘New Improved Shack-attack’ almost – but not quite – breaking into a light sweat as he delivered guileful deliveries with a new found venom. It was difficult to tell who was more astonished when Shackleton lured a shot from Hewlett that was taken in a half-dive by a somewhat winded Philipson, leaving Hendricks perilously close to defeat. A predicament compounded soon after when Dan Shaw practically knocked Madhani’s middle stump clean out the ground. As a Spitfire portentously performed an impromptu fly-past it was time to Bring Busby into the attack, and it didn’t take long for his arc of uncertainty to claim Patel, who found himself short of his ground playing a ball which turned out to be somewhere else entirely and was duly stumped by Webb. With Tim Saunders at the crease the overs finally ran out, with Hendricks posting a respectable 144 runs which would prove not quite enough on this occasion. And so concluded what had proved to be a stellar Bodley victory against a Hendricks side that have always proved to be a stern challenge. As the warm summer sun eased aching limbs and the shadows lengthened, Bodley could reflect on what had proved to be an almost faultless performance. The batting had never appeared to be in danger of succumbing to the traditional collapse, and wickets had only fallen from expansive, positive cricket and a degree of misfortune – Shackleton excepted of course. Seemingly determined to set a personal trend, Neeley had capitalised on his early birthday present when dropped and gone on to post yet another new high-score of 85 not out. Key to the victory was the competitive score of 217 which had thrown down the gauntlet to Hendricks and always made a sustained chase to the finishing line that bit more challenging. Tight, economical bowling spells had only added to their woes, with Dan and James Shaw, Burnett and even Shackleton pegging back Hendricks whenever they threatened to accelerate. When you add the exceptional spell by Ackland into the mix – who returned the remarkable figures of 7-4-9-4, including two wicket maidens – this was a Bodley cricketing performance that was truly on song. And whilst it is of course always a mistake to be overly reductionist in any cricket analysis, the sight of top-tonker Ross Quest being trapped LBW, just when he threatened to accelerate the chase, was certainly one of those rare moments when Bodley could allow themselves to breath a little easier and start to believe that today might actually be their day. With handshakes and congratulations all-round, the only concluding business was the awarding of the coveted bottle of Hendricks. In a remarkably tight race that was only decided on the casting vote of the Hendricks Captain, the spoils went to Neeley for his crunching 85 not out, after which it was time to kick-off the spikes, sit back and reflect on yet another remarkable Bodley cricketing adventure. For once the game had not been nerve-shreddingly tight, and even Jones had departed the field of play with his trousers intact for once. However, although the winning margin of 73 runs suggested an easy win, it never quite felt like a done deal for those toiling away on that dusty Stanton St John outfield until the final ball of play. I suppose that perpetual sense of dread is one of the many things that make being a part of Bodley cricket so very special. Today however, posterity would be on the side of the Angels and record that Bodley had indeed secured a well-earned fourth victory in what has proved to be a quite exceptional season in oh so many ways. TP. [1] Diego Garcia
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OUP at Jordan Hill, eighteen overs.
Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5251551/scorecard The consensus amongst ourselves is that OUP is our longest-running continual fixture. There is also consensus that it is one of our favourites. We’ve been on the wrong end of a fair few tonkings, have inflicted a few ourselves, and been involved in plentiful tight matches too. Not to mention a certain 107 not out that lives long in the memory. And so to this year’s instalment, a twenty over affair reduced to eighteen on account of the gloomy sky and near 6pm start. Tonight’s skipper Matthew Neely lost the toss but was asked to bat, to his great relief, having spent his day off designing batting orders for every eventuality, so long as we bat first. A welcome first game of the season for Dips saw him open the batting with the skipper, and these two – the kind of opening partnership England’s Test team could do with, if only they’d admit it – set about their business with assurance and some hard running. OUP mixed up the bowling, starting with some slower stuff, and changing it up frequently. A steady start became a productive middle period before Matthew was unceremoniously caught for 17. This brought your author to the crease, in the kind of form that would probably keep him in an England Test team opening spot. Nevertheless, Dips was going great guns, and despite his partner causing alarm with an over-eager two that thankfully saw him reprieved, made his way to a very well deserved 30 and retirement. Next in was Tim Philipson, finding form and bringing a great cheer from those on the comfortable side of the boundary. After a nick behind Dave Shorten joined Tim and a partnership formed, with young Dan Shaw replacing Tim after the bowling changed yet again. Dave and Dan added some urgency to proceedings with good placement and sharp running, and Bod were eyeing up a 130 plus score, not really knowing what par is for eighteen over games. Alas – oh, it always happens – a rather handy bowler, quick and swinging it a bit, cutters too – came on and slowed things down. James Shaw replaced the younger, and with Shorten bowled by a skiddy one Max Bulldock joined James and proceeded to run like a certain retired Jamaican sprinter. Brilliant stuff Max, and a final tally or 113 from eighteen for the Bod. We thought that was probably about par, if we field well. This being an evening game, and reduced already for light, there was no tea. Andrew Milner was inconsolable and for a brief period it looked like the match would not continue until Bodley’s garrulous gourmand had been fed. Thankfully Judit had brought apricot and coconut sponge cake, and Andrew’s belly was suitably full. So, crisis averted, onto the second innings. Given the slow burning suspicion that 113 was actually well below par, things started well, very well. Dave Shorten and Dan Shaw opened the bowling and kept things tight, whilst a close field mopped up everything the batters fired back at them. Shorten picked up the first wicket, a terrific one-handed caught and bowled that he followed up shortly after with a full-throated lbw. Whilst all this was happening the OUP skipper and opening bat had been steadily accumulating, with Bod well aware of an ability to hit big should the mood take him. Before a partnership could properly settle though, Jono Taylor, playing his second game for the Bod (of hopefully many more) picked up the other batter with a clean bowled, which he soon followed up with a fantastically athletic run out after Dave Shorten had rifled the ball back to the bowler as a second was attempted. With numbers 5 and 6 now at the crease and the tail not too far away Bod had reason to be cheerful, and with James Shaw now bowling in tandem with Matthew these most miserly of bowlers picked up a wicket each to leave the score still some way from the finishing line, and Bod sensing victory. The field pushed back, cutting off boundaries and sweeping up anything that got through the close fielders left up. James Riley and Jono in particular were throwing themselves around with wonderful abandon to put the pressure back on the batters, and the energy was inspiring the rest of the team. Max was sharp with the gloves and James Shaw took a whirling high catch from Matthew’s bowling. Good cricket. A couple of decent overs for OUP saw the score creep towards and then past 100, with some big hitting and wristy boundaries scored behind square dissecting the fielders and swinging the momentum back in the hosts favour. It was tight, tighter than a tight pair of socks that have been in the wash too long. Very tight. Eleven from the final two overs needed, and Bod take it to a final over, the skipper with the unenviable task of delivering it with five required for OUP to take the first dance. Field comes up, Matthew gallops in, dot ball. Five to go. Two runs. Bah. Two more runs – scores tied, bah! Next ball a single is scrambled, and OUP get over the line, just. As has been the case quite often this year, it’s another final over loss for Bod, but a great game, played in the right spirit and with good performances from all involved. Well played OUP. As the bar opened and any remaining cake was gobbled up, talk turned to reinstating our traditional Sunday game against OUP for next season, a move we all look forward to immensely. Not least Andrew, who is already studying the menu for tea. GJ Oxfordshire County Council Staff CC at Great Tew, thirty five overs Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5238413/scorecard On another day so hot that people seem genuinely surprised that we still play cricket when it’s like this Bod CC and todays rivals, the Oxfordshire County Council Staff CC, make their numerous ways north, to Tew. Bod arrive for a 1pm start, the idea being start early, finish early and get home with a bit of the day left. Unfortunately this wasn’t picked up by the Councillors so the Bod 11 plus supporters find some shade and relax for a bit. More serious teams might have started some catching drills or got some stumps out and do some bowling, but it was too darned hot. Eventually the oppo start to appear, spurring a few of us (younger ones, it should be noted) to have a net. We played the OCCSCC for the first time last year, a strange match which managed to encompass a really bad injury, some excellent batting from both sides and some frustrating umpiring so what would this game bring? Hopefully not more of the same… The pitch is dry, but there’s more green on show than most of the games played recently, wicket looks good for batting. Gareth wins toss and does the only sensible thing, bat. Matthew and David, striding out to the crease, together again after David’s unauthorized trip to the states, with David hopefully to improve on the Holton game and Matthew to continue where he left off last weekend. Which they do. OCCSCC start with the type of canny bowling that looks like pie but turns out to be foie gras, hard to put away. Good lines and length but both Bod openers treat the good balls properly and the wide balls with disdain, the fast outfield helping the ball to the boundary. Matthew the first wicket to fall, for 36, the first to be caught out by one bowled outside the stumps that turns in on the rough and clips the outside of the stumps. A good bat though, keeping both David company and the score ticking over. James comes and then unfortunately goes, the second victim to one that cuts back in off the rough whilst the skipper gets carried away and nicked having a slog. By this time David has reached 50 and retired, Dan has come in and biffed a few and Tim does a lovely and typical Tim innings, smashing his first ball for 4, whacking a few more then getting involved in a daft run-out. Andrew, Dave B and James Riley finish off our 35 overs, taking the score up to what feels like a below par 165. Tea, savouries from Gareth, sweet stuff from Stu, scones with cream (messy), ginger and apple cakes, welcome jaffa cakes from number-one supporter Sheila. A camper van arrives just as we stop for tea, the occupants watch for a while, confused no doubt, by a bunch of cricketeers not playing cricket but lolling around eating instead. A plate of scones hopefully made them feel better. Play resumes. An opening bowling partnership of Dan and Stuart to start. A contrast in style if ever there was one. Speed, ability, run-up, carry not to mention the usual cricketing measure of good bowling, line and length. Despite all that it’s the elder of the two who makes the breakthrough, the first wicket one that keeps a bit lower than it should just outside off which the batter drags on then a nice caught behind sees of the two dangerous openers. The caught behind was particularly pleasing, a friend of Dans from league cricket, who’d been scoring big recently, nice chap as well. Gavin then takes an excellent catch off Dan’s bowling, a low ball that flew to him at point. With a low score to defend Bod need to take wickets as well as keeping the run-rate down, they’re doing both at this point but some big hitters are at the crease now. Tight bowling from Andrew, James and Gavin helps but the oppo batting is good enough to keep them in the game. Then a top edge onto the nose of one of the bats, and he retires, a door opens, not how we’d choose but still, an opportunity. Bod pick up some more wickets, a nice catch for Tim off Andrew, Dan clean bowls one, beaten for pace and Matthew picks up a wicket with a catch from Dave B. Trouble is we’d dropped a few as well, all hard chances, especially two potential caught and bowled which were hit back to the bowler at a fair lick. OCCSCC reach the target with a few overs to spare, 20 or so runs on the board for us and taking a few of our chances might have led to a different result, welcome in a season which has seen precious few victories, but it was a good game, with plenty of good cricket on show and nice friendly oppo. And an achievement to have played in such heat as well. SA Holton & Wheatley CC at Great Haseley, thirty overs (8 a side) Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5240262/scorecard After the mid-week trouser-shredding Twenty20 against Oxfam at the parched Stanton St. John, which saw Bodley falling just short yet again, it was time to re-group under yet another blazing sun at yet another baked brown ground and try to get back to winning ways. The scene of todays quest was to be Great Haseley, and the opposition Holton & Wheatley, a recent find that have provided a good natured yet challenging game for Bodley. Having lost our initial encounter last year this would be a perfect opportunity to get back in that winning groove that has proved a little elusive this season. Unfortunately, the demands of holidays, academic endeavours, honeymoons and hearty familial lunches led to Bodley’s assembled ranks being somewhat thin on the baked ground today, with only a scratch eight committed to the endeavour. Moreover, Dave Busby appeared to be in full ‘Bruce Banner’ mode and seemed determined to enter the fray bare chested. Needless to say it was a little difficult to guess quite how this was all going to play out. On a brighter note, today did witness the return to the fold of Bodley’s very own Pollyanna, David Shackleton, now finally back from his extended sojourn in California studying – and details still remain somewhat vague – endangered Hummingbirds who write Dystopian Poetry. Still not a clue? Me neither. Having lost the toss, Bodley took to the field under a blazing sun. With commanding views over rolling Oxfordshire affluence, the Great Haseley pitch would prove to be a challenge to any fielding side today. Reachable boundaries and a baked hard outfield like an upturned saucer meant that there were runs to be had if gaps in the field were exploited, and the ball given just a bit of persuasion to skittle to the rope. Holton & Wheatley had generously lent a fielder which would prove useful but there were still gaps-a-plenty in an outfield that looked quick and played even quicker. With so many regular front-line bowlers absent, Matthew Neely deemed it wise to lead by example and as such surrendered the gloves to Tim Philipson, who gingerly accepted the promotion and hoped that Extras would not play a starring role today. And with Stuart Ackland leading the attack from the other end, the innings started well, with an initial maiden from Neely followed by an anaemic brace from Ackland. Even the now legendary Ackland ‘slower ball’ – the ‘Higgs Boson’ of bowling, a unique phenomenon that exists, some scientists speculate, purely due to the ‘quantum excitation’ of the cricket field – did not result in the equally legendary boundary. Once the batters had gauged the pace and bounce however, the wicket seemed to offer very little to the bowlers, and it wasn’t long before Holton & Wheatley settled into a pattern of risk-reward play that saw scrappy periods punctuated by high scoring interludes. It was with some relief therefore when the prolific Sanders was caught by Neely off Ackland for a damage limitation 13 in the forth over. This brought Thakore to the crease and it was soon clear that the show was very much back on the road when, after surviving a difficult chance at fine leg, the spikes were very much pressed to the metal and the score rapidly accumulated. It wasn’t until Robinson tempted Barrett into an expansive off-side drive that was neatly pouched by Andrew Milner that the score started to slow a little, but any hopes of a collapse were soon thwarted by Thakore who clearly now had the measure of the pitch, with Switala providing obdurate batting from the other end. And despite tidy line and length from Milner and Shackleton, and a lot of air from Busby, the remainder of the innings was a blur of boundaries and hard running which saw Holton & Wheatley compile a very competitive 174 from 30 overs, with Thakore and Switala both seeing out the innings unbeaten on 88 and 48 respectively. And so to a well deserved break for tea. As there was no ‘Home’ team tea was very much a return to the ‘self-service’ of the covid period, though this did mean the welcome return of the famous Milner picnic which today included a rather splendid whole Lemon Drizzle Cake. Needless to say this went down a lot better than Neely’s vegetarian Teriaki bites, which bore more than a passing resemblance to flattened rodent excrement, and tasted just as good. Shackleton was back to his usual ebullient self with anything and everything unaccountably ‘AMAZING!’, which suggested that he may have joined some weird Californian love cult, but only time and the appearance of the giveaway ‘pamphlet’ would confirm that either way. He seemed also to have developed a penchant for Rose’ wine which, for our readers in the North, is two-parts Romanian red to one part Blue Nun. All too soon the respite was over and it was the turn of Holton & Wheatley to spend some time scampering about the scorched earth as Bodley embarked on the chase. Today Bodley reverted to a traditional opening partnership, with Neely striding out with the languid Shackleton at his side. And with a run-a-ball required things started on a very positive note, with Neely directing the first two deliveries to the boundary like a Policeman on Point Duty, and the first over going for an above-rate 10 runs. Taylor and Fry soon reigned in the optimism of the Bodley contingent however and the promised run-fest degenerated into pure attrition with only three runs conceded over the next couple of overs. Worse was to come in the forth over with Shackleton feathering an edge that was athletically pouched by Switala behind the stumps. The loss of Bodley’s very own walking, talking, Mr Timotei would have resulted in deep howls of fatalistic despair in the past, but not today in the new, more steely Bodley psyche. And as a deeply penitent Shackleton sloped back into the Clubhouse and the restorative comfort of his Oxygen Tent, a sense of anticipation welled-up on the boundary as veteran campaigner Milner strode out to the crease with a purposeful air. Sporting his new ‘pimped’ cricketing shoes, the steely gaze and lantern jaw gave him more than a passing resemblance to a young Jack Palance. Indeed, Bodley were lucky to be able to call upon the services of this cricketing legend following his recent recovery from injury. Having rather foolishly heeded advice from Bodley’s former ‘Director of Fitness’ Stephen Arnold, Milner had ‘girded his loins’ a little too enthusiastically and suffered an injury that could only be described as ‘indelicate’. Quite why he chose to place so much faith in an exercise regime that drew inspiration from both Monkey Magic and an old Luftwaffe PT manual is perhaps best glossed over. Today however he seemed to be firing on almost-all cylinders due to his new Patent ‘Liz Truss’ which seemed to be keeping everything in order, despite somewhat restricting his freedom of movement and making him veer alarmingly to the right on occasion. Regardless, the combination of the wiley, experienced Milner and the bountiful batting of Neely added real impetus to the flagging innings and by the twelfth over Bodley were rattling along with 58 runs on the board with both batters finding the boundary and gaps with well run singles. As George Harrison once lamented however, all things must pass, and so it was that Milner, who has forgotten more about the game than many callow youngsters will ever know, seemed to have inexplicably forgotten where his off-stump was and was duly bowled by Barrett. This came as something of a shock on the boundary who had begun to settle in for some entertaining viewing, not least Philipson who was next up and displaying the chuntered signs of that all-too familiar psychological battle regarding the requisite approach to batting. With a compromise reached it was with a sense of inevitability that this would take the form of a punched half-volley that so lacked conviction it could have stood as the local Lid-Dem candidate. Needless to say the opportunity was easily pouched and the chuntering duly recommenced on that long trudge back to the pavilion. The parched ground was ready-made for big hitters so things brightened a little when Robinson arrived at the crease and gouged his usual ‘v’ that seemed to signify victory on this searing summers day. And again the portents were good, with Robinson – very much the ‘Ronseal’ of Bodley cricket – quickly finding his range and the boundary, and adding renewed impetus to the Bodley innings. Just as things were again starting to get interesting, and with Bodley approaching a hundred up, a quick single proved our undoing with Robinson just short of his ground after some good work in the field, and run-out for a well struck twelve. This brought James Riley to the middle, and after a few well-judged leaves he began to settle with some doughty defence. At the other end meanwhile, Neely had somewhat dismissively passed his fifty and seemed to be motoring along with no obvious cause for alarm. The problem seemed to be that there was a very real risk that he would run out of batting partners if we were not careful, and it seemed that Holton & Wheatley sensed the same as the strike bowlers returned to try and skittle out the tail. It was unfortunate that Riley found himself in these pacey crosshairs and a probing delivery finally breached his defences and found the stumps. Next out was Busby who, having been persuaded to wear a top, took his place at the crease and then violently assaulted it with his bat as-per tradition. Now as any seasoned follower of Bodley will attest, Busby’s development at the crease over the years is rather like the transformation of Peter Stringfellow to Elder Statesman, and when he takes guard that existential Rubicon between sangfroid and sheer bloody panic is very narrow indeed. And so it was that after a brief demonstration of his infamous lateral crease movement Busby settled into his role. Now some say that when the rays of the sun catch the blade of his trusty Slazenger the release of linseed oil vapour sets the synapses in that studied cricketing brain pinging about like a neurological pinball chain-reaction and turns this unassuming Bodley journeyman into a cricketing Robocop. It is, sadly, neither the time nor place to take any definitive position on this most interesting hypothesis, but it was certainly ‘HOT HOT HOT’ out there and that Slazenger blade was soon swinging like a Boars Hill Bohemian, and with Neely continuing to swat away at the other end the runs and pace began to pick up. It therefore came as a bit of a blow when the sheer bloody fun of it ending in the 28th over, though not before the partnership had added a stonking 50 runs to the tally which, incredibly, saw Bodley claw themselves back into the game. With Bodley only mustering eight players Ackland found himself promoted up the order today, and with a nonchalance that frankly belied expectations, picked up his still-shiny unblemished bat and made his way out into the middle. A seasoned player, Ackland has always been something of a perennial guilty favourite with the crowd, who know they will always be treated to a display of exciting, unconventional batting, albeit not for very long. And true to form, Ackland was the consummate crowd pleaser, giving a Mayfly-esque bravura batting exhibition that burned bright and then faded to the accompanying soundtrack of a philistine ball clattering into stumps, and Bodley all out for a hard fought 135. And so drew to a close yet another Bodley innings that almost, but not quite, delivered that much sought next victory. Holton & Wheatley had recovered from an early setback to post what proved to be a score just beyond the range of a depleted Bodley that had not quite fired on all cylinders today. However, if the result was a little disappointing, as always there were some real positives to take away from the game, not least a new best high-score from Neely who carried his bat after a magisterial knock of 83. The sight of ‘Beserker Busby’ running amok with a bat out in the middle is also a sight to cheer even the hardest of hearts. The bowling had been pretty tight, but yet again Bodley had the misfortune to come up against a couple of batters who scored heavily and proved difficult to remove. And of course there was the not-quite triumphant return of Shackleton who, despite being a little ring-rusty, still had an unfeasibly high elbow which we trust will be on show for the remainder of the season. AMAZING! And so, as is traditional, a few welcome cooling drinks were had in the still glorious sunshine and much indulgent reflection undertaken. Perhaps it was the effects of too much sun but before long Busby had scampered off in search of little women, which we hoped was an oblique literary allusion. Either way, he seemed quite content gazing down rabbit holes in what may or may not have been some obscure bibliophilic quest. We shall perhaps have to watch South Today to find out the answer to that particular mystery, but until then we shall gently gird loins in preparation for what promises to be a stern test of resolve against top-tonkers Oxford County Council Staff. TP. Oxfam CC at Stanton St. John, twenty overs
Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5274131 Is it ever going to rain again? Newspapers full of pictures of parks and lawns looking like dustbowls and cricket pitches are the same. Last night’s game, against Oxfam, was played at Stanton St. John, a pitch we’ve use before which more often than not is a soggy puddin’ of a wicket. Yesterday it was the colour and consistency of a rich tea biscuit. Only the fool-hardy would dive for a ball on this, and only the foolish did (how is the knee skip?). Oxfam must be one of our longest continual fixtures, always a good game, always pleasant oppo, always a concerned glance at who turns up as they have some explosive batters to call on. A second match for young Archie, and a first for his Dad Roger after playing once a long time ago. Dave Shorten, fresh from a Mads tour to the Isle of White makes up a Bodley 11. Gareth wins the toss, and a new opening partnership of Matthew and Dave stride out. We seem to have as many new opening pairs as England since the Cook/Strauss era. Matthew straight away gets in a groove, using the pace of the ball and the dry ground to find the boundary. The speed of the pitch and the close in field set by Oxfam gives plenty of food for thought amongst Bod players. Dave takes a while to find his rhythm, but eventually starts to hit out. The scorer was just mentioning how tricky he was finding it to anyone bothering to listening when all of a sudden he comes down the wicket to the spinner and smacks him back over his head for a glorious six, this sets him off and regular scoring shots gets the scoreboard ticking over, finally out on a well-deserved 50. Matthew is out for 29, in the unluckiest of circumstances. Dave, facing, hits a ball back to the bowler who drops a caught and bowled only for the ball to deflect onto the stumps with Matthew out of his crease. Don’t think this has ever happened before in a Bod game. James comes and goes, falling for the village cricket curse of three balls of ill-directed buffet bowling followed by a perfect yorker, Archie carries on from last week, showing class way beyond his years, Tim smites a few and we finish on 118 off 20, below par but we’ve won here with less. Oxfam open with one of the best batters, and nicest cricketeers we regularly play against, their skipper Ben. James and Stuart start the Bodley attack. James is, as he has been for yonks now, very economical, while your reporter has the usual mix of three or four good ones followed by some dross down leg an over. Oxfam are scoring from one end and being restricted from the other, so a bowling change. Matthew comes on to replace Stuart, Dave replaces James after he completes an excellent spell (13 off 4). James then takes a smart catch off Dave’s bowling to remove Ben but Oxfam are scoring well, and, despite a brief bit of hope when Gavin gets a wicket first ball, they get to and then past our total with a few overs to spare. A great game, played on a pleasant evening against good oppo. What more do you need? When’s it going to rain though? SA. |
Note from the Ed.Generally written on the night of the match after a valedictory pint. Any sparkling prose or accuracy is entirely accidental. Archives
September 2022
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