Jags 123-6 (Fardell 26*, Threadgold 25*, Coslett 15, Brolia 15, Bread 2-27) beat Deloitte 109-9 (Rammer 32*, Ralph 28*, Nick 13, Dave 13, Will 3-10, Coslett 2-9) by 14 Runs
This week's game was at the same ground, with mostly the same team, but this week we had nice weather (yay!) and we sadly had to treat this as a testimonial for one of our favourite Jags of the season, Sap (boo). He's a one season wonder all the way from the US of A, but he has been a mainstay of the team this year, and we shall miss him. He has to return to the US - now that the presidency has changed, he feels obligated to go back to the motherland and do his part by re-joining a tolerant, liberal and caring society.
Dick.
A lovely ground at Queens and a strong Jags XI, sadly depleted by Cob not making it (bootycall/Lovell session/hangover*) - delete as appropriate. Matt won the toss against a gracious Deloitte side, who gave us a game when a game seemed unlikely, as we were taking a, "rest week" - i..e the chairman hadn't fucking booked anything.
Parrish skipped in to bat with Barker as opening partner, and the early bowling from the Deloitte stand-in skipper, Dave, was, well, wowsers. It was good. Like super good. He looked every inch the weekend cricketer I assume that he actually is, and scoring was very tough.
Parrish managed to get a few, and Barker briefly kept him at bay, but sadly perished early to the other bowler, chipping a decent ball back to him high in the air. Threadgold moved out to join the action, freshly recovered from his latest brush with COVID. Don't stand too near him, you might catch goodness knows what. Parrish survived for a bit, but eventually the Deloitte skipper bowled a mad ball, and that was that. When I talked to Matt on the way in to replace him, he just said, "he's really good mate, try and survive".
Spoiler alert - I did. Hoorah!
Dan was playing very well at this point, pushing for singles, and scoring a lovely offside lofted shot that I recall well, plus a gorgeous pull behind square. He's really found his range for us the last few games, and is fantastic at judging runs. We built something of a partnership, and although I was dropped twice and the bowling was pretty good all round, it felt like we were on the pace. Dan soon retired, a pull to square leg, bringing soon-to-be-first-time-father, Ant, to the crease.
Ant was ready for the game. I feel an interlude is in order.
Deloitte were partially dyed in the wool employees, and partially bolstered by Cambridge cricket perennials "Sharks" at this point. Some weeks you can play more than one game for and against different teams and you will almost inevitably end up playing with or against one of the Sharks mega sized squad. They are a mainstay of the Cambridge cricketing scene and often help ensure games take place where there may be a shortage of players, as with this fixture.
Sumit of the Sharks came into the attack. Sumit is well known to us, a cricket 'tart' of sorts who just loves to play, a thoroughly nice chap and, a tricksy bowler. Ant navigated this period well, scoring and running like he does (slowly), and we carried on for a bit with the pace slow, the bowling good and the fielding excellent. Rammers of the Sharks and Tyler of the Jags both seemed to do most of the fielding for Deloitte at this point.
Ant then hit an absolutely lovely front foot on drive to cow, that I recall mainly as Ant, "held the pose" for a period of time that was far too long. Sadly he perished almost next ball, hitting late to the offside, caught by a Shark... The 3 man Sharks team were keeping the Jags at bay at this point, and Deloitte were enjoying the view.
Then the other best thing to happen this evening, did indeed happen. Steve Mann turned up to play - strolled out to bat, and greeted me with the words, "no quick singles, eh Marky?!". I hit a 4 and retired, leaving Coslett and Mann to move things forward. Some more challenging bowling, and some good solid Sharks/Delotte fielding kept scoring tight. Honestly we were praying for 120. Steve Mann chose the edge of his bat as the safest part to use for all of his 3 runs, before he spooned one high and was sadly caught.
Coslett and Brett formed a brief partnership. Tom hit the most gorgeous shot you will ever see, a picture perfect front foot straight drive back over the bowler's head. It was so good, a Deloitte fielder applauded. Tom earned a cheeky single after that, but fell bowled, bringing Will to the crease with a few balls left to play. We were also treated to Will's evil twin brother bowling for a bit, I'm going to nickname him Hovis. Apart from their bowling actions they were eerily similar.
Will did a job for the team, as he does. He hit a nice 4 to the offside, a lovely 3, and then a 4 that Mark Fardell failed to field effectively in his role as substitute fielder. Liam tried to do the right thing and hit hard, but was stumped using his feet to move towards the ball. Bloody witchcraft - moving your feet as a batsman.
Sap joined Will for a spell and hit a couple of lovely shots to the on side for well judged singles. The Jags finished on 123-6 - it felt low as a total, but light wasn't great and we had a bowling attack for the ages.
Parrish took the gloves behind the stumps in true skipper style, and Will opened the bowling.
I mean, "opened" is not the right word, he fucking ripped the concept of bowling in half and stomped on its warm entrails. I am reliably informed that the Deloitte team had 3 potential scorers in their ranks, and the opener was a bit of a gun. Will went, "come and have a go if you think you're hard enough".
Before the first ball, Dan said something to the effect of, "Ant, why are you at slip you lazy bastard, and what are those McDonald's sunglasses, you won't catch a cold in those". Ant gave Dan the look, a look he has no doubt given Dan countless times. Then Will bowled the first ball....
I mean, it was a peach, good length, it probably moved away. the batsman propped forward and, well, he was good enough to edge it; he must have been good...it settled in Ant's ample frame. He almost lost his sunglasses... it was fucking brilliant....
Will's next ball was bollocks.... oh wait... it wasn't...straight full and moving in. What the actual fuck, Will! Leg stump was uprooted and we had a potential hattrick. We all did the things you need to do around a hat-trick ball, but happily or sadly, Deloitte sent a Shark in, Rammers, and he not only saw the ball out, but scored to it.
Killjoy.
Another Deloitte opener perished in this singularly vicious over, bowled about 6 balls in. I think even Matt Parrish would have struggled. I'm super glad that Will chooses to channel his angry energy through cricket.
Liam bowled from the other end and it was wholly less exciting. It's not that he did anything wrong, he just wasn't doing a Will. Heck, even Will was disappointing in his other couple of overs compared to vicious, killer, first over Will. Liam tried to murder the lady now in play by a throwing a full height and pace beamer at her face. Nice, Liam. His very next ball was close to a no ball, the gracious lady hit it into the gully region and The-Legend-That-Walks-Among-Us: Steve Mann - held a glorious catch. Liam didn't even celebrate his filth, and walked folornly to a part of the ground on his own.
At this point it became a Sharks v Jags game with Rammers and Ralph holding the fort on behalf of their accountancy benefactors. Tyler came into the attack and bowled with typical energy and verve. Sap partnered him at the other end, and was disciplined in the main, keeping the left hander quiet for the most part. Rammers retired, fluent and untroubled throughout. Ralph was doing a nice job as the sidekick, playing and missing, but sticking around.
Some of the fielding tonight was exemplary, Sap with his laser arm, Tom with his verve and energy in the field, Parrish with his, you know, captaincy and stuff. At this point Deloitte, post Rammers, sent Will's doppelganger into the batting attack. It turned out he could also bat. He had one shot. Spank. And he used it well. Spank. Spank. Spank.
One spank too far though. He hit Tyler for 4, and Tyler's response was full pace, good length, top of your off stump. Thank you very much. A beautiful wicket, it must be said. One more player came in and played nicely, before Sap took a great catch over his shoulder just outside the ring - top fielding fella.
The Deloitte skipper came in quite late, and this period of the game brought Coslett to bowling. He was economic; he was thrilling as well. Last week Tom took a very good caught and bowled, and this week was even better. A twirl of the arm, and firm strike and Tom, my goodness he wanted this wicket, falling forward at full stretch, with a tumble and a roll for good measure.
James Barker had an over - he decided to bowl pace this week rather than off-spin... All I can say is WTAF.
The scorebook is basically chicken scratchings at this point so I'm, kind of guessing at numbers. It seemed close, but Matt was in control, turning to Ant as his final over bowler. Ant bowled well, controlling the scoring between the Deloitte skipper and the returning Rammers, before cartwheeling the skipper's leg stump with a super sized delivery. The last few balls were well fielded and well controlled, with the game briefly threatening to be close, but actually being well settled.
Trust in the skipper.
Pub attendance, as was befitting of Sap's last game, was exemplary. We still missed Cob, but pizzas, Steve Mann chat and beverages more than made up for it all. Fair thee well, Sap. Once a Jag, always a Jag.
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