Swaffham Showdown

Jags (102-9, Barker 31, Parrish 29, Wade-Gledhill 3-20) beat The Swaffhams (90-9, Masters 22, Yaxley 3-21) by 12 runs.

Man of the Match: 

The Jags continued their league campaign this week with a visit to the quaint village of Swaffham. The appearance of the pitch encouraged the batters initially, though rain earlier in the week brought the bowlers to ascendancy for much of the game. The team featured many of the usual suspects, with the last-minute addition of Freddie Meldal another of the Histon CC youth contingent in for a Jags debut in the place of Fardell, who it seams had made some ill-advised selection of chicken shops earlier the weekthat had brought him down with gastrointestinal issues, our thoughts are with your bathroom Mark!

Parrish lost the toss with the hosts electing to field first. Normality returned to the batting order this week, Parrish and Brolia to open up, aiming to get the Jags away to a good start. Matt got the innings off in traditional style, latching on to a full toss first up, sending it to the ropes. The batters were dreaming of what was to come for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, the wicket began to show demons from the second over, a genuine half-tracker first up from Durrant did for Ant, who played the correct shot for any wicket with an inch of bounce in it.

Threadgold escaped parenting to come in at 3, along with Matt, they sent several loose balls to the fence. Dan fell to a top edge to square leg bringing Phillips in at 4. Ant (scoring at this point) assured the group that he would ‘film every ball because somethings going to happen’. Which he did for every delivery except the one where something happened, with Phillips dismissed. Citing a bloke reading a book as a distraction that led to his dismissal.

Coslett’s innings was alas short lived a rare slip catch in midweek cricket was well taken. Matt needed a partner to hang around on a wicket which had plenty going on. Barker, free of the constraints of A levels came in to face the hat trick ball. With no further damage done the Jags batters settled in to rebuild the innings, knowing that anything around the hundred mark would put us in good shape for the second innings.

It took a fantastically village bit of cricket to dismiss the captain, an outside edge was found, the ball goes in and out of the keeper’s gloves, dropping straight into the left hand of the slip fielder. Meldal in next, took his time to stay in, supporting Barker and accumulating valuable extras for the total. Wickets continued to fall, those of us fortunate enough to be batting in the lower order began to sit a little less comfortably.

As he began to run out of partners, Barker opened his arms to good effect, hitting 6 then 4 off Swaffham’s young bowler. He eventually fell in the final over, chasing quick runs. There was little to write home about from the lower order, the Jags finishing on a par total of 102. 

A quick turnaround is always important in an evening game, even if we were playing on the solstice. It wasn’t long before Liam had the ‘new’ pink ball in hand. The Jags were faced with the unenviable task of a right – left opening partnership, making Matt’s captaincy work extra hard. As ever, Liam bowled with metronomic accuracy up top. Alas the same could not be said from the other end. Savage struggled to find an area and was hit all around the ground, hence the swift introduction of Jake who hit the ground running far better. 

Brett made the first breakthrough; a healthy edge was comfortably taken by Matt behind the sticks. Despite Swaffham making a good dent in the total at first, the Jags recovered well, slowing the rate. Jake took the big wicket of Jordan Haynes, Cossie taking a comfortable catch at mid-on.

With wickets falling around him, the Swaffham opener returned to his shell, only depriving Liam of an eight-ball maiden with a single from the final ball. The Jags bowled well to recover control of the scoring rate through the middle overs. Morgan, also free of exams replaced Liam and took the significant wicket of the Swaffham opener, Yaxley making good use of the zing bails to send the batter packing. Savage returned to the attack aiming to recover his figures from dire to bad. The combination of the bowlers restricted scoring to make the batters take some undue risks.

A questionable single was taken to backward point. In a quick sweeping action, Jake scooped up the ball and threw the stumps down, the batter kept running to the pavilion despite some indecisive umpiring, the correct decision was made. Utter chaos then ensued when the new batter came to the crease. A short ball, wide of the stumps was hit via an under edge in the direction of Barker at square leg. As time stood still, Alan Shearer appeared before us all as his great right boot half volleyed the ball into the back of the net. The batter was unfortunate to be on his way without facing, the square leg umpire, with beer in hand, could only chuckle as he lifted the finger.

From there in, the jags bowled fairly effectively, Savage was hit into the play park to cap off a fairly dire night for him. Morgan continued to take wickets from the other end, one was bowled, the other well taken by Liam at long on.

Freddie was brought on to complete the requirement of 5 bowlers, and bowled well, claiming a wicket and keeping the batters to ones and twos. The last over arrived, Jake was left with 15 runs to play with, effective dot ball pressure led to an easy run out for Parrish, capping off another fine day for him behind the stumps. A great effort from Jake, conceding only 2 from the final set. A fairly solid win from the jags on a soft wicket saw them move to the top of the league table. Edging perilously close to promotion.

Pub turnout was excellent, all the members were treated well thanks to the landlady’s generosity in providing free chips. A string of home games in the weeks to come should see some higher scoring games.

Ploughing the Slope

Jags 132-0 (Brolia 28*, Threadgold 28*, Anderson 28*, Sawyer 26*) beat Sharks 130-6 (Rob 26*, Ackers 26*, Brett 3-13) by 10 wickets

This match report is written with both the benefit and the fog of a week having passed since the game was played. There may be some details forgotten, made up or enhanced for dramatic effect as a result.

We took to Fen Ditton's slopey fields in nice weather against old foes the Sharks. The Ditton track looked much better than I ever remember it looking, but the slope and the ability to lose bags of cricket balls to the Plough in Fen Ditton is, well, it's a bit of a design flaw really isn't it. The slope, granted you 'can' pretend it's like Lords and just accept it as being home team advantage. The lack of a fence, or net or well, you know anything really to stop you losing cricket balls is, well, it feels like an underinvestment from the good people in Fen Ditton. Looking at house prices there, perhaps they have no spare cash to help fund the club.

This match was something of a one sided affair, and the scorebook tells the same story, but lots of things happened that almost made it close, so I will write more anon. In the meantime this was the best ironic graphic I could come up with.

It really really wasn't this, many people did not good things on the field

The skipper was late and I was left with the coin tossing duty, and duly lost so the Sharks put themselves in to bat. Zak and AB opened for them, with Brett and Benjamin Savage taking bowling duties. Liam is on one at the moment, and thus it continued with near immaculate control and line and length making it hard as nails to score or survive. He was aided by a Reader I bought from MR Cricket, which still got the customary guffaws and laughter from the team. The issue with Liam bowling as well as this, is that whoever is bowling the other end, well they're not going to try and take Liam on, let's put it that way, hence Savage getting whacked for a few, before AB trying to go "downtown" and instead went "uptown" skying it high and deep. Threadgold made it look as though it was swirling, shifting and landing safely, itching back and forth like a man with a nasty rash, before eventually he caught it over his shoulder. I honestly didn't think from the way he moved a catch was ever in prospect until he held it. He even letter out funny "oo-eer" noise whilst trying to find the ball.

Rob stepped out for the Sharks, and he is both a gentleman and class act, playing himself in with some technically correct shots, perhaps sensing that his wicket would be very valuable to keep in the context of the narrative about to unfold. Zak perished shortly thereafter thinly edging from Liam to Matt behind the stumps, generously walking without pause. Jim walked out, a man who has devastated our bowling over the years, but not tonight. He was caught in two minds and gently pushed his first ball high to backward point, where George took an easy chance. Pat joined the fray, a man who has destroyed our bowling over the years with golf/hockey shots that are perfectly effective. I think he kept one out then edged one law, again to George at backward point, where George nonchalantly took it just above the turf with one hand, right at the last possible second. Like one handed grabs with your left hand are just a "thing".

George's actual pose a second before taking the catch

Marc came out for the Sharks and he and Rob set about keeping the game alive by, mostly, doing the sensible thing and not getting out to Liam. Jags debutant, and our first Saffer in a long long time, Chris Mailes, came in to bowl. He was little wayward at first but found his lines. Toby joined him and was a little wayward at first, then got a little bit more wayward later, but it was fine as we'd had the most ridiculous start. Liam had a 3 wicket maiden for chuffs sake.

Then something happened to our collective brains. I think the flurry of 4 big wickets inside of 5 overs, the very low score, (I think they were 3-4 at one point or something equally befuddling) and the allure of the wonderful Plough in Fen Ditton meant we collectively made a decision to field like a bunch of muppets. 

Next year's recruits turning up for training

I started things off by falling over a ball at backward square. Threadgold decided that backing up is for other people. I dived round a ball, which the laws of physics don't really allow, but somehow I managed it, and Savage dropped a real sitter. There were lots of other instances, but it's been a week and I'm trying to erase the trauma. 

To further up the scoring rate for the opposition, we decided to give Ant a go at bowling. Ant's numbers in the book are good. To watch in real life, it was not good. His first ball almost killed the batsman, Ant actually apologised within a nanosecond of it leaving his hand. His other balls should mostly have been called no balls, or wides, or just a new rule called "Ant". He was proud of his figures, he should not be proud of the highlights reel.

The batsmen accumulated gently, with Rob hitting some very nice shots to both off and legside, playing it late, good foot movement. He had clearly sensed his role and formed a useful partnership with Marc to get Sharks into scoring territory. Toby had been a bit wayward, but his wicket ball was one of the best I've seen bowled from a spinner - great length, faster that it looks, turning in and connecting with the top of off. Marc was sent back, but in truth there was little he could have done.

Sawyer then came in as, "he had bowled well before", but not this week. No sirree bob. The batsmen duly cashed in, and the only high point reached at this stage of the game was height the ball was sailing past the fielders as the length, line, pitch and everything was a total and utter mess. He wasn't aided by the fielders of course. 

Rob the batsman duly retired and Ackers and Joe scored some runs quite comfortably against some of our bowlers. Things were very flat in the field, with the Sharks getting a decent ish total on the board. Ackers retired, various Jags tried to shout at or encourage each other to some cricketing things, and the incoming batsman Ammad took a very open stance and massive shine to Sawyer's absolute crud stuff and bludgeoned him to all corners.

Ant was replaced by Phillips, and he bowled not too bad, although a run out was missed because I embraced the spirit of the evening and decided to try and lawn bowl the batsman out. If it had hit the stumps, maybe it would have been hailed as genius. Dear Reader, it didn't hit the stumps. It was both not in line with the stumps and not quite powerful enough to either reach them or dislodge the bails had it been in line.

Now's your chance to be a hero, Marky, don't blow it...

The free hitting Amman was caught by Chris Mailes off Phillips and Brett came back to finish things. He had some insane figures at this point, and was bowling at a young tail ender, so much so that the Sharks umpires said please be nice. We're always nice. 

Liam duly obliged by giving the young man a couple of sighters outside off. Deliberately bowling a fine edge for him, and then putting a few unplayable ones outside off, pretty much ruining his figures in the process, or so he told me. Except when I look at the book, 4 overs, 13 runs, 3 wickets. Not too shabby. 130-6 to chase. 

A slightly changed opening batting partnership of Ant and Sawyer took about their work with a minimum of fuss, aided by some fairly friendly bowling it must be said. Ant in particular was in a hurry to get to Milton - no rollicking in the field for him on video chat with his lady this week - he absolutely spanked the ball, pretty much entirely to the legside to get out of their on 28* sharpish. The book doesn't record the number of balls, but it was not a lot. One clip to square off his toes was dreamy. He basically cantered off the field, said his goodbyes on the way to the car and got the second part of his evening underway quick sharp. I won't write any details about his post cricket activities here in case this blog is being carefully followed by law enforcement.

Sawyer was a touch more reserved, joined now by Dan. Both got going, Sawyer with a nice late cut and Dan with a club/bludgeon to midwicket that I can recall. The only moment of alarm was when Sawyer hit the ground with his bat nowhere near the ball and I as umpire briefly forgot the rules of cricket on hearing an appeal from the keeper, and debated giving him out - until I came to my senses and realised that he needed to hit the ball to be caught out. 

Sawyer started to look classy, and Dan was scoring without ever really looking like he had a clue what he was doing, but there were no caught chances, no slowing of the rate and nothing really of note apart from some memorable shots. The bowling was tame, other than AB who was tight and controlled.

How the bowling was V How it is supposed to be

Sawyer finished with a square cut that oozed class and a beastly pull that exuded power. Job done. George came in and quickly got up to pace, hitting a couple of 4's supported by Dan who hit a couple of nice late blows to retire. George was joined by Liam and George hit some wonderful shots, less casual with bat than when fielding but no less effective with a hook that I can recall just flying away. We lost 5 or 6 balls at the end, as the Plough boundary was peppered every other ball. George retired with a drive, leaving Liam and Toby to bring it home. Oddly the first two balls Toby faced were great, spice and venom and all that, but it was too late and we got where we needed to be.

Pub attendance and chat was great, I do love the Plough.

The Home of Cricket

Jags 163-5 (Dunn 62*, Brolia 38, Parrish 28, Panigrahi 2-17, Rodriguez 2-21) beat Waterbeach 123-7 (Jones 41, Talaga 27, Sawyer 3-26) by 40 runs.

POTM- Alex Dunn

On a sunny yet cool June evening, the Jags returned to Queens for the first home game of the year. Several absentees this week meant that the XI was supplemented with one of Histon’s most premier batters, Alex Dunn alongside much of the usual group of regulars. Mr Fardell had decided that some match at Lords was more significant than this business house 2 league game, so in his absence I, Savage, have taken honorary blog responsibilities.

We arrived to find the ground in as beautiful condition as ever, the chequered striped outfield was remarked upon most frequently by the team. Regular readers of the blog will recall the dire condition of the opposition’s, Waterbeach, ground in the reverse fixture last year. We were all thankful for the more even condition of the pitch for this year’s game.

Captain fantastic won the toss (after a 5 min hunt for a coin) and elected to make first use of the pitch with bat in hand. The seasoned opening partnership of Parrish and Brolia (our resident footgolf world cup finalist) set out to the middle to face the Waterbeach attack. Not for the first time this year, we were off the mark from the first delivery, a waist high no ball dutifully pulled away by Matt for 4.

The bowling was accurate, without being initially potent, allowing Matt to keep the scoreboard ticking, while Ant reacclimatised to sport on this side of the pond. Parrish continued to score the bulk of the runs, with many 2’s scored to the wide Queens boundaries. When Parish eventually fell for a well-made 28 to a good catch in the covers, the score was 36-1 (5) – a solid start. Dunny entered the fray at number 3, fresh off a cracking 50 in the Walker cup on Sunday. He began his innings patiently, with beautiful front foot defensives, right out of the ECB coaching manual. With the new batter in, Ant capitalised on some loose bowling to advance his total with 3X4’s in quick succession. The score moving on to 73-1 at the halfway point of our 20 over innings.

The first change bowler particularly caught the attention of the team, being identified as Lumber of Cottenham CC. Fortunately he was met with Dunny’s now swinging blade, who played 2 beautiful consecutive drives down the ground for maximums.

It took a beautiful looping full toss to remove Ant, who was bowled for a swashbuckling 38(26). Phillips strode out to the middle at number 4, his stay was alas short lived before he fell in the same over to a now well pumped-up Rodriguez. Barker entered the fray and got his innings underway with 1’s and 2’s into the gaps. Dunny was rolling now, having made short work of the 30’s and 40’s, he made it to 50 with a shot over midwicket for 4. Well batted sir.

In the meantime, Ant had caught his breath following his exploits with bat in hand enough to form a love shack facetime call with his +1. A touching moment, that he chose to share while lying in a bush.

The last over of the innings arrived and brought the end of Barker’s supportive innings of 11. Coslett had the unenviable job of swinging for the last 5 balls. He was very successful in this, finding open pasture on the leg side, pushing back for the third to get Dunny on strike, he was alas run out thanks to a strong return from the deep. Sawyer entered the middle to run 5 runs and not face a ball. Jags finished on a strong 163-5, knowing that early wickets would surely make the run rate unachievable.

Brett began the innings with usual economical accuracy. With the batter unsettled, a quick leg bye was attempted. The skipper bounded forwards ripped off a glove and threw down the stumps. The batter was well short at the non-strikers and their opener was back in the shed without score. 

Tyler opened from the other end but was treated firmly by Lumber. Dot balls at the other batter ensured that the required run rate continued to add up. Liam’s metronomic accuracy allowed the batters only to milk singles to the deep, the rate was soon getting away from the chasing team. Toby replaced Tyler only to be slogged away to cow for a maximum first ball. Not to worry, T made the adjustment, flighted the ball up and got the batter down the track to be stumped comfortably by Matt.

At this point Lumber was starting to find his stride, finding the long Queens boundary with ease. Despite this, Brett came back on for his third over with a gleam of hope in his eyes. A secret council with Barker at mid-on and an apparent “wobble seam” now in his locker led to back-to-back rising deliveries to start the over. Fans watching from the Barton Road end would have seen Brett’s grin and resolute nod as he moved to the top of his run out. Lumber had played at two and missed two. The pieces were in place. We all knew what was coming. It was time for The Cutter™.

The run up was smooth and fluid, the arm slightly higher than his stock ball, delivered from a few inches wider on the crease. His fingers expertly manipulated the seam, imparting revolutions at speeds few can achieve. The lure was cast, and the fish were hungry. Lumber took a step down the pitch, seeing the ball was there to be hit. A shock of fear across his face as the ball dipped early, then cut up and in with perfect precision. All he could do was try to work it through midwicket off the splice. 

Time stopped. The most dangerous player on the team had chipped one up for a sitter. The Jags followed the ball without concern - the celebrations had already begun in our heads. The fielder stood motionless. What was he doing? Brett dropped to his knees. The writing was on the wall. The ball was on the floor. Queens went silent.

“Oh you fu… Phillips”, said Liam. Defeat in his voice.

No other words were spoken, the ball returned to the bowler. Both the non-striker and the umpire gave an apologetic shake of the head as Brett passed them by, the gleam of hope replaced by a grim look of acceptance of the reality he is now forced to face. His next ball was pumped for 4. I hope he doesn’t hold grudges.

Savage was introduced following the conclusion of Liam’s spell, bowling without great pace, drew dots and singles from good balls. The occasional shorter ball was sent to the boundary by the opposition’s strong number 3. A particularly tight single to Dunny at point resulted in the next wicket for the jags. A good throw in gave Parrish enough time to whip the bails of to send beach’s number 4 packing.

Purton completed his spell from the far end to be replaced by our leg spinning sensation, Ben Sawyer. The initial grip and spin excited the fielders. As a few extras clocked up on the board, the batter reached wide of off stump, collecting a thin edge on the way into Matt’s welcoming gloves. This brought the new batter to the crease, an U15 from Histon, who our own Liam regularly coaches. His first ball was played respectfully back to the bowler, unfortunately Sawyer’s next ball was too hot to handle as the catch was taken by guess who in the covers. Liam offering no special treatment on that one.

Tyler changed ends to tidy up for his final 2 and took the off stump of Waterbeach’s strong keeper-batter sound 41. With the victory nailed down, the field tightened for the final few overs. Sawyer added a 3rd thanks to a comfortable catch by Toby at mid-on, demonstrating to the rest of the team how to do it when he is bowling. The lower order came in and played some risky shots, finishing the match with an aerial boundary over mid-off. The jags took the victory by a comfortable 40 runs.

The team retired to the Bull, where Ant came up trumps with a solid pizza order, earning forgiveness for the ball which he decided was not worthy of his fielding.

A beautiful evening ended with the Jags going 2 from 2 in the league, moving up to second in the table. Roll on the Sharks on Monday.