Exeter Tour 2022 - 8th-10th July - three games in three days... The events that play themselves out over the course of this report have their origins way back in 1997, when it was first decided to take the joy that is Bodley cricket on Tour. And although what follows must by necessity only dwell upon the events that unfolded during a long summer weekend in 2022, the current adventure is but the latest additional chapter in the encyclopaedia of Bodley cricket that has witnessed triumph and tragedy played out from Northumberland to Norfolk, and Cornwall to Cardiff, with a brief stop-off in Derbyshire somewhere in the middle. But rest assured, this is no work of history, and the reader will not be assailed by graphic descriptions of blood, spilled in a noble cause, or a calamitous run-out when victory seemed assured. Nor will there be pages and pages devoted to the tortured young batsman who betrayed the honour of his late father by refusing to walk when caught behind. And there definitely will be no deep exploration of the subconscious mind of the volatile opener who dreams of murder only to wake one morning to find himself dressed for play and grasping his bloodied bat. Finally, there will be no long passages of exquisite lyrical prose that lament the eclipse of the bucolic romanticism of cricket played within the parochial commonweal, when Lord of the Manor shared the sporting field and ideals with the Yeoman Farmer and village Blacksmith; or hackneyed reminiscences of the sound of leather on willow merging with the gentle tonal spiritualism of Stedman Triples and natures orchestra washing over the field of play; and it goes without saying that this is most certainly not the time or place for some sub-Shakespearean soliloquy that strives to disinter the verities of humanity and project them through the prism of modernity to discern where the spectrum of true spirituality casts its long shadow and so on and so on and so forth… Most certainly not, for this account, by its own unambitious terms of reference, must confine itself to the task in hand, namely to set out, as far as possible, a plausible narrative of Bodley’s exploits around Exeter in the fleeting, yet glorious summer of 2022. So without further ado, pour yourself a stiff drink, sit back, relax, and join us as we embark, yet again, on another Touring odyssey.[1] [1] Apologies, of course, to AG Macdonell. Friday - Newton Poppleford CC, 20 overs Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5296866/scorecard And so to the realities of Touring Cricket. Bodley’s estimable President Ackland and Fixture Secretary-cum-Captain Jones had clearly burnt much midnight oil organising this years expedition, with a full schedule secured for the entire weekend. The traditional Friday evening 20 over thrash following the exodus from the Dreaming Spires has been something of a mixed-bag for Bodley over recent years. Long journeys combined with hastily consumed ‘protein rich’ fare washed down with some local ale is something of a tradition for those who manage to outpace the holiday crowd in their search for the sun. Whilst this is undoubtedly culturally enriching it does not however always contribute to lithe, punchy performances on the field of dreams. Those more seasoned tourists can well remember the crash and burn that played out on a wet evening in Filey, and coming such a distant second in an arse-kicking competition that it borders on masochism is not the most pleasant way to start any Tour. The grim possibility of such mis-matches is a persistent fear for those tasked to arrange Tour fixtures, and the previously touted ‘Venn Diagram of Equivalent Competence’ so much harder to gauge, as most fixtures will be against unknown opposition. That first sight of the opposition when approaching the ground is all-important therefore, as any obvious competence on display – especially by pristine, badged athletes – can unsettle the delicate sensibilities of Bodley veterans, who often have kit that is older than much of the opposition. Todays opposition were Newton Poppleford CC, blessed with a fine ground set in rolling West Country hills. They appeared to be an encouraging mix of youth and experience, and although the fears of a chronic mis-match are never far from the Bodley psyche, the early signs were not entirely discouraging. Under warm evening sun, Bodley won the toss and opted to bat; with a dry fast outfield it would be good to get a score on the board and try to contain the chase. Tour games often lend themselves to ‘tweaks’ in the general format and today was no exception, with a retirement on 25 and a maximum two overs per-player agreed. As long-standing followers of Bodley will well understand, such tweaks are not usually necessary to ensure that most, if not all, will get a bat, but cricket is the true home of ‘mixing it up’ these days, and so it was that the first Touring game for three years could finally get under way. In the absence of David Shackleton (who was still on his crusade to prove the worth of the Humanities via a lucrative grant funded study of North American Hummingbirds and poetry), Bodley reverted to yet another tried and tested opening partnership. Over the years the Matthew Neely – Phil Burnett combination has delivered a solid start to many an innings, and so with a general air of excitement and expectation the pair strode out to the middle. Newly married, Burnett has regained the care-free optimism of a young Hugh Grant which, in the event, may have been somewhat fortuitous as Manakkad bowled the delivery of his life which jagged in off a length to neatly clip the top of off-stump. It is hard to tell if this early blow struck Burnett or the Bodley contingent gathered on the boundary harder – what was clear is that Newton Poppleford were beginning to look like they may be another bloody Filey afterall, and that was a grim thought indeed. With this thought swirling on the boundary, James Shaw strode out to join Neely, and hopefully get Bodley back on track. As it happens all thoughts of another Filey-esque pounding proved unfounded; the rotation of bowlers didn’t allow for any sustained probing attack and both Neely and Shaw soon set about the bowling with gusto, each finding the boundary with some ease and alleviating any sense of disquiet on the boundary. Indeed, in short order Shaw had clocked up his initial haul of 25 runs and retired, with first-time tourist Dan Shaw taking his place at the crease. The runes continued to read well for Bodley as Shaw injected the pace of youth to events and was soon accumulating runs alongside Neely. Deep within the bowels of the Weston Library there is probably some alchemical tome that decrees that Bodley cricketing success must forever be fleeting lest some cosmic tear in the space-time continuum occur, and so it came to pass that Neely, having crafted a well struck 20, was well caught by Phillips whilst trying to up the pace. As Neely departed the field, the void was soon filled by old campaigner Stu Ackland, wielding the now legendary Excalibur ‘Biffa’; a bat with the balance and acoustics of a leaky pneumatic drill. The anticipation on the boundary to bear witness to one of those career-defining partnerships was high indeed, and the Shaw – Ackland partnership didn’t disappoint. It is often a fine line indeed between comedy and tragedy however, and true to the DNA of Bodley cricket this once again proved to be the case, with the sublime sight of Shaw smiting a six back over the bowler all too soon followed by the almost obligatory ‘mix-up’ which resulted in him being run out for a well struck 14. The premature departure of Shaw led to the recently invigorated and expansive Gareth Jones to take over at the crease, and before long his recent productive form was again in evidence as he found his range and the boundary with ease. Now partnerships are perhaps not quite as essential in the short form of the game but they do provide a degree of stability to an innings – the much vaunted ‘platform’ if you will – something that Bodley seems to lack on occasion, and so it came as a blow when Ackland was bowled for a useful 12 runs and the changing of the guard started anew. Next in was the thinking cricketer’s cricketer, Gavin Robinson, whose combination of heft and guile has been the undoing of many a seasoned player. With an outfield made for lusty blows it therefore came as more than a blow for Bodley when Robinson was undone by the faintest snick off Clay, which was well taken by the keeper after a promising start. With Tim Philipson now joining Jones out in the middle and the overs counting down, there were opportunities to capitalise on the often variable bowling attack and add to the runs that had been accumulating. It was an entirely characteristic lapse of concentration that put paid to such expectations however, with Philipson swinging on one line whilst the ball had decided on another entirely, and the grim sound of splaying stumps ended his brief sojourn at the crease and gave Clay his second wicket of the match. Hewett trooped out to replace the chuntering Philipson but alas all too briefly, as Pugs tempted him into a shot that was well held in the deep, depriving Bodley of some delightful Mike Webb-esque nurdling. With the seventh wicket down Bodley were indeed fortunate to have a legend at their disposal who could see the team home in these difficult circumstances. Step forward David Busby. Some say that his inhalation of book mould and desiccated Silverfish over the last 30 years has endowed him with the stamina of a toddler on Red Bull and the dextrous footwork of Darcey Bussell, and it is these singular talents that he brings to the crease and would now be required if Bodley were to set a competitive total. And the prospects did indeed look good, for Busby took his place at the crease alongside Jones who, after surviving a couple of early dropped chances, had set about scoring with his new-found gusto, and it was not long before he too reached his 25 and retired, with an impressive five boundaries in the bag. Jones’s retirement brought the veterans veteran Andrew Milner out to the middle, and again the sense of anticipation grew. Watching Milner smite the ball is rather like witnessing Methuselah being bullied by his older brother, and with his new post-Brexit English Oak knees Milner was a blur of silent, purposeful movement. Cruelly, after an impressive initial biff, this proved to be his undoing as Busby seemed not to sense his stealthy approach down the wicket, leaving Milner stranded and disappointingly run-out. The demise of the final regulation batter meant that James Shaw would now return for an encore before close of play, and productive it proved to be with the boundary quickly found. Alas, before any significant addition could be made to the score the innings drew to a close, with Shaw ending on a well hit 29 not out. As the players trooped back to the boundary it was difficult to tell if the runes were still favourable to Bodley. Some inconsistent (though generously Umpired) bowling had added a much needed 27 Extras to take the total to 144/8 but only time, and Newton Poppleford, would determine if this was indeed a competitive total. After a quick change round it was the turn of Bodley to take to the field for the first time of the Tour, with Neely and James Shaw opening the attack. As stated, the twenty-over format has often been a mixed-bag for Bodley, and although we had scored pretty well at over a run a ball, any sub-150 total will always be within reach of any big-hitting team. As such, it was important to contain the opening partnership before they settled and started to score, and with only 13 runs conceded over the first four-over spell things were looking positive. Robinson and Philipson were next up and the tight metronomic containment bowling of Shaw and Neely morphed into what could only be described as a somewhat ‘odd’ passage of play. The dismissal of Pugs for 6 – foxed by the flight of a Robinson special – brought T. Clay to the crease and things then started to get somewhat interesting. With Hext providing a productive cameo, Clay soon demonstrated that he was not exactly a ‘nurdler’, and embarked on the most brutally destructive spell of batting Bodley have rarely, if ever, experienced before, with his retirement score of 28 reached in a mere five shots, including four colossal sixes. The somewhat pedestrian bowling of Philipson was thankfully spared this onslaught, though that didn’t prevent his first over also being spanked for 12 runs. It was during Philipson’s second over that things took a decidedly odd turn. Now much time and attention has been devoted to the baleful and corrupting influence of gambling in sport, though even hard-nosed Far-Eastern betting syndicates would no doubt steer clear of Bodley cricket as even they are aware that you can only stretch credibility so far. And so it came to pass that whilst over number two added an additional 2 runs to his tally, it also implausibly bagged Philipson the wickets of Adey, Raistrick and Hartstra, with unthreatening balls driven hard into the safe hands of both Dan and James Shaw. And although the spectacle of a bowler on his knees pounding the ground in despair despite having somehow taken three wickets in an over is a somewhat unusual sight, it was, we like to think, entirely within the spirit of the Bodley brand of cricket. Milner and Ackland were next on the oche, and with Newton Poppleford on a promising 59 after eight overs, now was the time to return to that elusive containment bowling that had been so mercilessly and literally dispatched by Clay. Needless to say this pairing proved more than equal to the challenge, and it was not long before Bodley’s own mercurial spin-meister Milner had taken a couple of scalps, with opener Hext finally bowled after a fine knock of 23, and Philips also falling for a disappointing 7 runs. At the other end Ackland was providing sterling support, and the shuffle that gives him more than a passing resemblance to a young Anton Du Beke was proving to be to be more that up to the task in stalling the run chase. As any Bodley stalwart knows however, there is always a special little something tucked away in the locker that can always be relied upon to mar an otherwise inspired passage of play. The legendary ‘Ackland slower ball’ is one such spectacle that never fails to deliver for fans and batter alike. Usually signposted like a privy when the plagues in town, today proved to be no exception and the delivery was unceremoniously dispatched to the boundary by the batter who had more than sufficient time to thank the Cricketing Gods before the ball finally came within range. This madness notwithstanding, Bodley had chalked off another four overs whilst only conceding a further 21 runs, and once again the runes appeared to favour the tourists. The ‘singular’ spin of Busby and piercing pace of Burnett were next up, and hopes were high that containment would continue to be the order of the day and the game progressively closed down. On paper this was a guileful combination, with batters unable to reconcile the probing balls of speed merchant Burnett with the ‘natural variation’ and loft that Busby brings to deliveries; if nothing else batters would suffer from either bruised bodies or neck strain. Unfortunately Newton Poppleford had not read the script and once again feasted on the bowling like Mr Creosote in a Toby Carvery. The frustration for Bodley was the asymmetric nature of the assault, with 29 of the 32 runs conceded in the first two overs of the spell, with Burnett finishing with a fine maiden – the first since the opening over by Neeley in what seemed an age ago. At least the punishment was not all one-sided – although England had clubbed a six so far it cleared the entire ground and was deemed instantly lost, Busby managed to secure a couple more wickets with both England and Dalton skying shots to the deep that were skilfully held by Hewett and Burnett respectively. Much wisdom is expended by commentators and pundits alike on ‘batting deep’ and ‘wagging tails’, and the theory is understood even by Bodley, despite themselves adopting a style of play that has tended to err on the unconventional side ever since being reborn nearly 30 years ago. Being able to recognise a wagging tail and, moreover, stop it wagging is another thing entirely however and so into this fraught existential vacuum stepped the closing bowling partnership of Hewett and Dan Shaw, shining lights both of the Bodley Youth Academy. Newton Poppleford had clawed themselves back into the game, though with 113 on the board and the final bowling spell about to commence it was really too close to call. One of the joys[?] of the twenty-over format with retirements is the dark-art of what may be called either ‘gamesmanship’ or ‘taking one for the team’, and so it was that after some tight bowling by Hewett, number 11 K. Clay inexplicably wandered down the wicket and just kept walking to the Pavilion as Jones completed the stumping. With nine wickets down for 118, Bodley took stock of the situation as old nemesis T. Clay strode back out to the middle. With 27 needed for victory of only 18 balls perhaps the balance had tilted slightly in our favour, but the key would be to keep tonker Clay off strike if possible, and hope the Cricketing Gods were smiling on Bodley for once. And the omens were initially very promising. Blessed with youth, real pace and flowing locks, watching Dan Shaw bowl is rather like witnessing an opposition batter being assaulted by Shelley, and the tactic clearly seemed to be working, as he conceded a miserly four from his first over, leaving nearly two runs a ball required off the final twelve. An impossible ask surely? With Clay now on strike the theory would soon be tested however. With a somewhat ‘languid’ action possessed of an economy of effort that would make many an Oxford Undergraduate proud, Hewett was clearly up for the challenge and proceeded to bowl four straight ‘dots’, leaving 23 required off only eight balls, and Bodley beginning to dream if victory was now finally in sight. It was at this point that reality intruded, and in the stocky, destructive shape of that man Clay no less, with the final balls of the over casually dispatched over the distant boundary, bringing his tally to an impressive half-dozen sixes. With 11 now required off the final over, a rare Bye off the first ball brought Clay back on strike, and after surviving a drop on the boundary by Philipson he proceeded to knock the required runs off in boundaries, with two balls to spare, giving Newton Poppleford a hard fought victory by a single wicket. After the match both teams retired to local hostelry ‘The Cannon’ where hearty grub and excellent ale were an ideal end to a great game against welcoming and generous hosts. Of course, no Bodley game can pass without deep reflection and scrutiny, and todays encounter was no exception. To have come so near and yet fall just short was a bit of a blow, but despite the loss there was much to be positive about. Throughout, Bodley had been competitive and the spoils had gone to Newton Poppleford mainly due to the destructive batting of Clay, who faced a mere 14 ball, and scored 50 not-out off only 10 scoring shots; a truly herculean effort that hopefully Bodley will not experience again anytime soon. Bodley had managed to post a decent score and there were stand-out batting performances from both James and Dan Shaw, Neely, Jones and even Busby, which augured well for the games to come. On another positive note the bowling had also been tight with wickets taken regularly. This was also one of those rare occasions when Ackland did not add to his tally of Bodley LBW victims. All things considered therefore, perhaps the Cricketing Gods were proving to be not quite as capricious as we have come to expect, and it is little victories such as these that define the eternal quest that is Bodley cricket, which would face its next test against old friends Thorncombe the following day. Before such endeavours however there was just time to freshen up a little before hitting the bright lights of Exeter, or more precisely its finest Gin Palace the ‘Imperial’. Much of the Bodley contingent developed a taste for local brew ‘Darkness’, and only time would tell if it would prove to be a portentous choice indeed for the rest of the Tour. Click on images to enlarge... Saturday - Thorncombe CC, 35 overs Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5235713/scorecard The morning after the night before. Most down to the first Telstar breakfast in reasonable order though it is noticeable that not everyone goes for the full English. Not too hot out. Thorncombe today, a fair drive from Exeter so the team settle for a gentle stroll round before setting off. Some go for the delights of the Exeter museum; stuffed dogs and strange hats a speciality, while others chose the docks for a touch of the naval life. Today's reporter wastes half an hour or so back at the Wetherpoons trying to find a lost phone before realising it was in his bed all along. The rest find a nice bit of shade next to a coffee van in front of the Cathedral, an imposing building set in a beautiful green which today hosts a craft fair and the promise (threat?) any minute of a bit of music and folk dancing. It is probably a fair reflection of the team that the setting doesn't so much bring to mind the beauty found in medieval cathedral building but the excellent Thai had last time we were here. As Thorncombe is going to be about an hours drive the plan is to meet up at 12.30 and set off then. Players slowly appear, most having taken advantage of a rather nice deli on the way back to the B+B. Cars are loaded (so much kit), tricky reversing manoeuvres are put in place and the team set out, in some sort of rough convoy. Exeter seems a bit of a nightmare place to drive around so thank God for Sat and Gav nav. We're following Andrew for part of the journey but leave the A30 before they do and are soon driving through the sort of country roads you rarely get in Oxfordshire. Then things get silly, narrow lanes with high banks, silent prayers that we don't come up against a tractor coming the other way. Finally we arrive. Playing Thorncombe seems to me to be the same as going on hol to the seaside. A long drive that makes you wonder if it is worth it and then when you get there it is worth it. You remember the view across the valley to the hills beyond from the clubhouse, and then the opposition turn up and familiar faces spill out of cars to be greeted warmly. We've played here a number of times now, with every game a classic that seems to go down to the last over. Would today prove the same? It's also hot, as it always seems to be when we play here. Skipper for the day is Dan, keeping alive the Shaw/Thorncombe tradition put in place by his Dad a number of years ago. Dan wins the toss, and we bat in the heat. In what must be a new opening partnership Andrew and Matthew stroll out and take guard. After a few lusty blows Andrew is caught for 15 but Matthew carries on, doing the ever valuable job of seeing off the accurate opening bowlers. Phil replaces Andrew, and is careful for a while as the bowling is still good, the opening bowler from the far end taking advantage of some movement off the pitch as well as getting some genuine swing as proving particularly difficult. And then, a switch is flicked. Who's to say what happened; tour freedom, deciding that with a wicket playing like this you might as well go for it as one may well have your name on it, or just the joy and contentment of a newly married man? Whatever, Phil starts swinging out in a very unBodley way, taking advantage of a short boundary towards the pavilion as 6s and 4s rain down off the Burnett bat. It's a wonderful knock, a true tour moment and what with a useful 27 from Matthew (an innings more important for soaking up some good bowling more than anything else), and typically forceful 41 from James and a late flourish with 21 from the skipper Bodleian have set a total of 207 off 35. Phil finished, perishing to another big hit, for a dominant 76. A very good score, surely enough? Thorncombe, as ever, put up a good tea, certainly one too tempting for some who have got to field for 35 overs in what is still a pretty hot day. Phil and Dan open, Phil going for a miserly 15 runs off his 4 overs, putting in a performance that puts him in contention for Man of the Tour. Dan picks up the first wicket, a caught behind, another snaffle for Matthew who is having a fine tour behind the stumps. Thorncombe have some fine batters though, and while they're in they stay up with the run rate. Looks like we're in for another thriller. Then some crucial wickets, Dom takes a catch off the first ball of your reporters second spell, Andrew clean bowls a bat who's just got to 50 and then crucially takes a marvellous catch at slip to dismiss one of their most explosive batters when he was on 16. Remember that amazing Ben Stokes catch when Stuart Broad skittled the Aussies at Trench Bridge, when the ball was behind him and he reached back and snaffled it? This was better. Gav floats one down, Ned takes a vicious swipe only to get a top edge going behind and away from first slip, Andrew reaches out, and out, and then the ball, which surly most of us thought had gone past, disappears into the Milner mitt. A marvellous, game-changing, moment. Thorncombe offer a brief fight back but can't handle the death bowling of Dave Busby and finish on 191. Another excellent game, played in memory of late skipper Nick, one of the nicest people you could ever hope to play against. A beer or two with the oppo, then back to base, another long ride driving into the bright and setting sun with seemingly all the insects in the World out in force. A brief wash and brush up back at the Telstar and onto our favourite Wetherpoons, curries and pizzas, beer, more beer and then at some point some Tequilla slammers before bed. The beginning of a sore throat to think about, but the end of another excellent day on tour. Sunday - Thorverton CC, 35 overs
Scorecard - www.pitchero.com/clubs/bodleiancc/teams/255079/match-centre/0-5235714/scorecard Day three of a tour is the day you least look forward to and the day you most look forward to. Least because it’s the last day, no more glory or camaraderie after this one, the last day of being utterly immersed in cricket from dawn till dusk. But most because it’s the third game in as many days and that alone is confirmation that you’re serious about this cricket lark, that you’ve really gone down the rabbit hole now, and can stare this game square in the face and yell c’mon, I’m a cricketing monster. Or a beer monster at least. But above all else day three is the day for that last push, for reflection, and for enjoyment regardless of result. And so Bodley limbered up, dusted themselves down, and after a stiff walk round Exeter and the premature departure of Somerset County Bar Fly of the Year Stu, packed into whichever cars had working air-con, and made for our final opposition, Thorverton CC. We were joined today by Arthur, who had signed up for the full day – curry, B&B and for today, the captaincy. Upon arrival at a very picturesque ground on the edge of the village we learned that Thorverton’s South African overseas player – due to play today – had decided to have the day off instead. Spirits were immediately lifted, as whilst we have our own South African player, he works at the University rather than travelling the world scoring runs, and in fact went to the wrong postcode on his eventual way to the ground this morning. On the other hand he scored 76 yesterday and bowls with flair, some venom, and a little dash, so we’ll take him every time. The format was agreed – 35 overs, 7 overs per bowler, no retirement, and having won the toss Bodley were batting first under glorious sunshine and a gentle breeze. In the spirit of Bazball a new opening partnership was sent out for Bodley, Gav and Tim forming an irresistible threat to anything and anyone on the leg side boundary. Thorverton fielded a mixed team of young colts, promising under-19s and some more seasoned senior players - a great mix and from the start our worries about this being a bit of a mismatch were dispelled as our hosts made a real game of it by giving everyone a fair go but playing hard nevertheless, can’t ask for more than that. After half a dozen watchful overs Gav and Tim decided enough was enough and got their golf clubs out. After ten overs the score had rocketed to 71-0 in a haze of lofted fours and we were absolutely motoring, a quite fantastic opening stand with both these two striking the ball sweetly. Change bowlers were introduced and the rate brought back under a modicum of control but before you could yell ‘four!’ Gav had fallen lbw for a hugely entertaining and well-constructed 37, bringing Arthur to the crease. Meanwhile at the other end and dusting himself off from several close inspections of the pitch Tim soon fell to the same bowler for a similarly brilliant 39 as he was caught on the boundary. Bodley’s best opening stand in years left the stage too soon but will be remembered for a long time to come. Fresh from Saturday’s high-scoring heroics Phil was now with Arthur at the crease, but sadly Arthur was then soon back in the pavilion having knicked one to the keeper. This brought Gareth to the crease, a place above the eager Matthew due to his being nearer the skipper when the batting order was settled. That mattered not as Phil was unceremoniously bowled soon after, to the great disappointment of the attendant masses. With the bowling getting alarmingly faster by the over, and a conveyor belt of tall, under 19 quicks appearing from the outfield, Gareth and Matthew battled through the next half hour or so mixing survival with attack and in Gareth’s case, wearing the ball as often as hitting it. Just as these two seemed to be weathering the storm Thorverton's lethal Somerset 19 bowler George knocked Gareth’s middle stump clean on its arse to dismiss him for an obdurate 30. Whoever was next in had the extreme misfortune to have to face the same fired up bowler and sure enough first ball the exact same delivery knocked middle stump flat back again and sent Dom back to the shade of the pavilion, bad luck if ever there was any. To top it all off Matthew was run out shorty after by the same assassin for an elegant and hugely useful 36 by a direct hit from the boundary, which frankly, you just had to admire the skill of, even if it was a skill we would rather not have been on the end of. The demise of the Sunday middle order only brought the Shaws, young and younger, to the crease though. Dan and James took it to the bowlers and Dan in particular found his range, smashing a marvellous 36 only to be out last ball of the innings. Bodley ended up on a competitive – and we think a highest score for us – 242-8 from 35 overs. Extras scored a few, admittedly, but they all count. All that running and concentrating out the way, the serious stuff could now be tackled. Tea. As the call to tuck in was heard from the clubhouse tired players trooped in to be met with a veritable smorgasbord of delights. Sandwiches, cakes, cakes, more cakes, biscuits, crisps, fruits, sausage rolls, and scones. Endless cream covered scones (cream, then jam) and tea. Unless you’ve played cricket in baking sun for several hours and generally pushed your middle-aged body further than it would prefer you to, it is hard to explain the thrill of a good tea. We’ve been lucky this tour to be well fed by all of our hosts and this final foray into ignoring the advice about eating before exercise was rapturously received and enjoyed by all. If only we could bat again, Andrew was heard to mutter, then we could have even more tea. Regardless, we had a match to win. Hopefully. Surely 242 was defendable? Even against younger, fitter players who did things like coaching and practice. Yes, we could defend this we all agreed. Not necessarily by taking wickets, but by restricting the run rate. So, to battle, one final time. Thorverton were going to run hard and hit the ball harder, and we simply had to stop that ball getting to the boundary very often. Opening the bowling for the Bod were James and Dan Shaw, and a miserly start was achieved with the rate staying around 2 or 3 an over for the first tentative engagements of the second innings. A few boundaries started creeping through – very short on the side by the road, in case you don’t know Thorverton – but generally we were fielding like absolute demons and bowling brilliantly, as if this was day one not day three of a tour. In the fifth over the pressure told and James took a well-deserved wicket as Arthur took a fine catch to see of the number 1 batter for 12. You don’t need me to tell you, dear reader, that a wicket does not in fact bring two, it generally brings another batter to the crease, keen to score and full of beans (or scones in this case). The Thorverton number three settled in, skipper Arthur expertly marshalled his bowlers and field (it really was excellent, top skippering) but the rate was just about managed by the home team, and before long the other opener had retired of his own accord (scones) for a classy 53. David and Gav bowled very well indeed and kept the rate down again, and just as Phil was being reminded of that short boundary he struck with a terrific wicket, James taking the catch and another one seen off, for a well-made 55. At the crease for Thorverton now were experience and wisdom at one end, and our friend (actually was the nicest young man you could hope to meet) George, the fast-bowler/dead-eye fielder, and they were settling in for the long haul. Fours were struck with increasingly regularity as fielders tired and the target grew nearer, dropping below a hundred and the rate below 10 an over. The pace was taken off the ball, with Arthur and Andrew pairing up try to spin our way to victory. Still the runs came and the gaps were found. Despite the ballooning Thorverton score it was all terribly exciting, and a wonderful way to climax the tour, even though we deep down hoped our generous hosts would crumble in a heap suddenly. Matthew came out from behind the stumps to bowl a marvellous lone over for 2 runs whilst James likewise kept things tight and tasty. As the final over dawned, and after some quite brilliant fielding from the whole team, 16 was needed to win, 15 to draw. In charged Bodley, the whole team working as one to defend the total against the well set batters. A couple of twos was a good start, very good. Almost everyone was back on the ropes now, but still a four crept over, 8 needed from three. A single was rapturously but nervously applauded, and Bodley settled back into defensive positions. Four! Bloody hell, another one creeps through, though it was struck tremendously well. 3 needed from the last ball, what a thriller! As the sun dipped towards the tree line and aching bodies bent their backs for one last chase, the batter rocked back, swung his bat in a well-practised arc from off to leg and pulled the ball to the midwicket boundary, exactly between two converging fielders on that short boundary. Four! Thorverton win by two runs. Very, very well played, all. It was hard not be a little downcast at the loss, but even harder to be downcast for long, as it had been such a glorious match at the end of such a memorable tour. Hands were shook, kind words spoken by all, and both teams settled down for a few deserved drinks and the rest of those cakes. At the end of any tour there is reflection, celebration, and an almighty bit of sitting down. And so it was on a balmy evening in the Devon countryside with our friendly conquerors. We could not have asked for better or kinder hosts, today and for the two days previously. When you add in the perfect weather we really have been lucky and all involved enjoyed a thrilling festival of cricket. My goodness we’ve missed this. Toasts were made to our absent mascot Stuart, and to his good health and slower balls. The traditional Player of the Tour award went, appropriately, to a stalwart of Bodleian cricket, a player whose endeavours and escapades are the stuff of legend, a lover of lunch, a camping chair connoisseur, and the man who almost single handedly turned Saturdays game with a stunning slip catch and clean bowled shortly after …Andrew Milner. Soon to retire from Company service to devote more time to cricket and lunches, we look forward to many more years of Andrew’s indomitable will to win. Special mentions have to go to everyone though – to Phil for his first (buccaneering) half-century; to Gav and Tim for that bludgeoning opening stand and Tim’s quick three wickets on Friday; to David Busby for three thrilling wickets for almost no runs; to Stu for working very hard indeed on his beer monstering, and for leading us so well as skipper-even-if-he’s-not-skipper; to Dan for making such a great tourist on his first trip with us, well captained, well played; to Dom for being our leading tour wicket-taker with four, including that ripping leg break on Saturday; to Gareth for surviving the unconventional tactic of using your thighs to bat against fast bowling; to Matthew for opening almost every day and helping Phil to that big score by facing the threat at the other end!; to James for finding your mojo again with the bat to the great delight of all your team mates, we do love your batting James; and to Arthur for coming all the way from Bristol to join us for Sunday, we hope you enjoyed it. So ends another fine tour, and if you’ve managed to read this far you probably feel like you were there, not least because it’s taken your three days to do so. Thank you for reading, for playing, for watching, and for being part of Bodley cricket. Roll on next year’s tour – the East Anglian seaside has been mentioned... TP, SA, GJ.
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