Jags 123-6 (Fardell 26*, Threadgold 18, Brett 17*, Jim 2-7, Nusrat 2-16) beat Sharks 116-4 (R Smith 25*, Jim 22, Ralph 21*, Brett 2-30) by 7 runs
Jags and Sharks resumed their friendly competitive rivalry in the late, dark and cold environs of Kings and Selwyn College sports ground. Given how late in the season it was, and given how both teams are pioneers in new and interesting ways to play cricket, we agreed to go with a slightly modified version of the "Hundred" format this week to save on light and time. And, you know, because we're down with the kids and what not.
To those of you who don't know, the Hundred is a new format dreamt up by some marketing dude to get young people into cricket. It involves 10 "overs" of ten balls with each bowler bowling sets of 5, and up to 20 balls in total each. There are some other funky rules I could write down here for you, but honestly, go to wikipedia, it's a good source for information. Heck, I've use wikipedia to provide legal advice for years, and so far I have not been sued, so there you go
We are trendy...
The Hundred format we have seen on TV involves live infographics with the score, dancing entertainers (male, female and gender non binary - we're all 'woke' nowadays), fireworks and celebrity players. We substituted these flamboyant bits for basic levels of low level banter. My honest to goodness favourite thing about the Hundred is that it is sponsored by KP Snacks, which means each team has a shirt adorned with one of Butterkist, KP, Tyrrell's, Skips, Hula Hoops, McCoys, Pop-chips or Pombear. You can essentially choose your team based on the the type of confectionary you prefer.
Mmmm, Tasty.
Speaking of which, I think your choice of confectionary tells you a lot about a person. If you went on a date with someone and they indicated a preference for Tyrrell's, you know you're in for an expensive and high class night that might involved some jazz, and holding hands if you're really lucky. If you similarly went on a date with someone who hankered for Hula Hoops, your budget won't need to go far beyond the pound saver menu at McDonald's, but you you know you might be in for some full-on-funsies at the end of the evening. Anyway, I digress.
Jags won the toss and opted to bat. At this stage of the year, if you win the toss and bat first, then the odds are fairly heavily stacked in your favour - not to take anything away from the excitement that followed.
Parrish and Fardell opened the batting together and scoring was initially quite challenging, with good bowling and brilliant fielding, plus the novelty of the new format causing some confusion. We got ticking in the end with a few shots that were certain 4's but for some inspired boundary fielding from the Sharks, but still managed to scamper 2 or 3 here and there. Parrish sadly perished early, bowled taking on one of the openers skipping out of his crease and hearing the top of off disturbed. Threadgold joined Fardell for a bit and some decent running kept us skipping along, but the boundaries were proving elusive. Fardell was doing his best Dom Sibley impression, scoring at a glacial pace. Dan forced things somewhat, it's our third partnership in three weeks and he knows he has to push me! We hit out first boundary around the 45th ball of the innings - it was a slow start despite the theoretically rapid new format.
Dan was still hitting the ball nicely, one to deep midwicket in particular sticks in the mind, deep in the crease, one step across and wallop it was. Also a lovely late cut to third man. He turned down the odd extra run to save his/my legs, and I was very grateful for the odd rest. Dan accelerated past me in about 4 or 5 balls and kept it going until he chipped one up and was caught by the wicket keeper - who did that incredibly stupid looking thing where he caught it easily, then threw himself on the floor as though he had dived and just made it. There are no cameras here, and everyone thinks you're a wally - chap.
Dan's demise bought a season debut for Langley. Tobias was ever present in our abbreviated season last year, but owing to romantic commitments this year he has been unable to be our stalwart. We are delighted to welcome him back, if for no other reason than it is a new beard to admire and his level of chat is more PhD than BTEC. Tobias entered the action missing one outside off and hitting his own leg with the bat - it's been a long, cold, netless winter for Tobias. I finally scored a boundary, hoorah, and Tobias got some runs by pushing the ball around, but sadly fell caught propping it up to a bowler who has gone into the book as, "Young Lad".
Brolia joined Fardell and hit his first or second ball for 4, absolutely spanked to deep midwicket. I retired at this point with a 2, to get me to 26 off about 5000 balls, bringing Cob to the crease. Get your brooms out chaps. Brolia perished shortly thereafter, in controversial circumstances, maybe.... He thought the ball might have bounced twice before the crease and then dislodged the bails, but it hadn't and after a brief discussion, he walked off.
Will strolled out to join Cob and Cob did the Cob thing that we shall oh so miss when he goes to California. He scored with a lovely sweep, and then fell trying the identical same shot to the wrong ball. People say you should learn from your mistakes, Cob says, pass me a Newcastle Brown Ale and you can shove your education theory bollocks up your jacksie. One day he will hit a 25 in just sweeps, when he is 100 years old probably, and go, "there, told you so" and then take up bowls or something.
Venkat then strolled out, a late call up from the Histon 3's where he has had an absolutely brilliant season. He hit a single, Brett hit a single, then Venkat hit the shot of the evening, taking the slower bowler on, using the longer handle and his feet, and hitting a 6 straight back over the bowler's head and into the farmer's field beyond. Will scored a nice 4, a hilariously bad single or two before being caught off part time Shark bowler, Jim. We were probably a touch behind a good score at this point, but Brett walked in to partner Venkat and they absolutely got us to a defendable total. Brett hit and called for runs, Venkat silently did his thing, reading the situation, and saying absolutely nothing. Brett hit a couple of tasty 4s'e one in particular to midwicket was absolutely class, foot movement, shape and finding the gap nicely. An innings that had threatened to end in a not at all defendable 100 or so, pushed up to 123 - which felt much more likely to give us a shout.
The light was a problem at this point, so the changeover was quick and Brett opened for the Jags with Cob behind the stumps. Some initial fielding did not have the urgency required, I'm looking at you Phillips, so Sharks got off to a good start. One opener in particular (R Smith) was playing very well, picking gaps and offering a wide variety of shots to differing parts of the ground (although he loved the offside, loved it...), making field setting challenging. Venkat did a tandem thing with Liam for a bit and it worked quite well, with Venkat bowling well and Liam also bowling well. Will took a spell of 5, then Ant, and this lead to the second brilliant Venkat moment of the match. The ball was pushed to short midwicket, and the batsmen set off, Venkat attacked the ball, picked up and threw in one motion, and a direct hit run out ensued. The batsman jogged off, conceding he had not made his ground even as the umpire was trying to find ways to justify not giving him out. The honour and graciousness of evening cricket is an important part of the game.
It was pretty dark already at this point, batting was hard. Jeeva was in for the Sharks, he is a bit of a danger man, a gun bat, useful fielder and great bowler. A combination of Will, Liam and Venkat were bowling at this point and the other Shark was doing well. Jeeva got his eye in and then went to spank one over the bowler. His big mistake was being part of the third utterly brilliant thing that Venkat did this evening, a caught and bowled - where Venkat bowled a slightly faster ball than expected, then leapt like Michael Jordan and made a virtually impossible chance look incredibly routine. Your man of the match trophy is in the post, Venners.
Ant was having a day in the field, stopping a lot at backward point. Will was notably active, and Tobias put in a shift as the fielding standard was pretty good. Tyler also did a solid job boundary riding, and nothing came near me for ages - so I didn't make any mistakes.
Ant and Will partnered for a while and Ant's bowling resulting in some byes with his vicious pace and late movement being taken as byes and not wides. Dan gave him some crap for his bowling, Ant tried to blame it on Cob, and Cob was like, shut up dickhead. Tyler jumped in at the other end, fresh off a full day shift at McDonald's. One Sharks opener retired, but not before he was dropped. Dan was set at mid off to take an easy skied chance, before his ankle gave way. I'll be honest, the way he want down and the ball almost hitting him, I thought a swift trip to A and E was on the cards, but he was thankfully ok. The next Sharks batsman was a little fella, with lots of padding. I mean, he's been to Mr Cricket and bought ever guarding piece of clothing there is.
The next few overs were uneventful until Tyler got our second caught and bowled of the evening. He's been really great at bowling lately, putting in some useful lines, and good pace and variation. This was one such instance, having bowled quick and quick in succession, he took the pace a tiny bit off, deceiving the batsman into a chip that settled gracefully in his hands.
Jim and Ralph the Sharks stalwarts were scoring nicely, but the rate was climbing and things were a challenge. Parrish put a couple of decent overs into the spell to give us enough bowling options, and Ant returned with his menace and verve. He hit a good length ball that was spanked towards me, and more out of luck than judgment it hit my shin (which is several shades of purple as I write this) and stopped a 4. Jim biffed a few more, before perishing to Brett, skying it high where Dan took an easy chance without rolling his ankle this time. Will came back into the attack and the last 10 balls came, with Sharks needing 25 or so from 10.
They were unlikely to make it, but they gave a good account of themselves, scoring (according to the book) 9 from the first set of 5 and needing 16 from the last 5. It got close, a no ball or a couple of wides and that would have been that, but it wasn't to be. It was bloody dark at the end as well.
So, that's it, our season ends with a win in an entirely new format. Pub attendance was great, lots of top chat, pizzas and beers and vague non-committal statements of, "yeah I'll make some of those end of season events" leaving my organising brain befuddled... Guys... yes... or ... no....
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