MOTM - Gogia - (it would have been Freddie, but he dropped lots).
This game merits a longer match report and I have notes, but in the interests of keeping the content flowing, here is where I am at.
We played away at Greater Cambourne in our first league fixture of the season in the more happy environs of The Cambridge Business House League Division 2. We've had some nice games against Cambourne 1's and 2's, most have tended to be quite close and tonight was no exception. This game saw us face Mr Bennett in deep and intense anger for the first time in his new guise as a Cambourne-ite. It's a very nice setting for cricket this place, but the strip is a bit, erm, undulating and the fences were put together in the 1860's by frontier's folk pushing out west to find gold and not get scalped. This means you lose the ball. A lot. Also, it was really windy.
The man who decided this was adequate to stop cricket balls, needs to learn what cricket is
Spoiler alert, we lost and catches do win matches... cough cough, Freddie.
Matt won the toss and batted first, opening with Kav. Matt's first shot off Tyler's bowling was classic and class, a purposeful late cut to third man off the angled blade, to leave Tyler as happy as he can be. Kav started in typical rumbunctious form, spanking one into the playground across the way and looking like he might take a shine to Tyler after some typical pre game Whats App banter.
The pitch did not help matters and live by the sword and die by the sword fell to Tyler caught on the offside in the deep. I say fell to Tyler, Tyler had very little to do with it - Kav just went big, it held up with the wind and fell nicely to the fielder. I think he would have got out the same ish sort of way if I was bowling. Kav got Kav out, basically. Nothing to do with Tyler. Kav was suitably smiley and cheery as he hopped off the pitch...
Matt was joined by Freddie, and they built briefly, Matt hitting one more 4, and Freddie looking in fluent form. Matt fell to the other tricky opener White, caught on the on side. So I joined the fray. I really struggled with the opener, ending up with 1 off 7 balls at this stage. I wasn't out though.
The bowling change helped. A lot. Freddie let loose at the looseners he was presented with and I went from 1 off 7 to 13 off 10, thanks to some shorter stuff that didn't get up too high. I got lots of well appreciated applause for some middling shots from the assembled throng. Freddie's rate and accumulation, and between overs coaching tips to me, helped us cruise along trouble free for 3-4 overs and post a rapid 50 partnership, mostly Freddie.
Then a slow bowler. Man I hate slow bowlers. Spinners are fine, but slow bowlers who just loop it can get in the bin. I should have been LBW first ball, but it was a 3 bounce no ball. I then couldn't do much with the next few and realising this was my kryptonite, I decided to charge forward (me, moving my feet, imagine!), tried to mow across the line and was easily stumped. I actually started walking back to the pavilion before the bails had been removed.
Argh, slow bowling, it burns!
Sawyer then joined the fray, and the fireworks began. Sawyer has looked in fine touch and was straight into it from the get go, reverse pulling, and clubbing and running like a younger, fitter man. Inspired by age being nothing but a number, Freddie got his 50 by pulling into the car park almost hitting the, now sadly closed, kebab van.
Freddie fell next ball, the wind was a factor in a catch at longish on, and Phillips joined Sawyer for a bit, but was bowled in relatively short order. Barker then joined (nice to see you back, Mr Cambourne) and there was a ruckus over the digital scoring and all of us being technology illiterate. Barker fell LBW, Sawyer continued at pace, and the slow bowler carried on tying people down. He had that incredibly annoying habit of bowling at the stumps.
Baines and Sawyer saw things out, getting us to a good total. Sawyer fell last ball for a well deserved and rapid 37 off 20.
The change of innings saw the very pleasant Mr Mcalister (normally of the Cambourne 1's) and Durrani junior open the batting. The latter's parents are on Hajj at the moment, so a massive party at his house was expected post game. Baines and Savage opened the bowling and Ryan started with aplomb, testing the fence at many an opportunity. We had to hunt for the ball a lot in neighbouring fields and the cars were constantly under threat.
Ryan should have been caught legside deep by My Meldal early on, but he wasn't. Ryan took this as his sign to tee off. Good job Freddie. Kav rotated into the attack and we had the debutante Gogia join us, with his twirly armed stuff breaking the partnership at last, first ball, stumped by Mr Parrish with some slick glovework. Fielding was generally pretty good, although I do remember Freddie dropping another at some point in the ring (or he just didn't fancy it). Phillips did some great fielding in the ring that I can recall, putting his body on the line to stop some runs. Chirp was ok, but when it's mostly me, it can be not the most ideal.
Phillips after all his injuries, more machine now than man
Gogia got the 1-2 with the 3rd batsman falling bowled. He then took a ridiculous catch in the deep at some point from O Savage, running and clutching on the go at the same time. The game was in the balance here, not least as Cooper bowled the opener (for 56), and things were looking pretty tight.
We then had a fielding fuck up for the ages where several players, you know who you are, managed to give the oppo 4 runs throwing it everywhere but the stumps. The pleasingly named Willow White, opening bowler, steadied the ship, inspired by our crap fielding, and there was time for some minor controversy, when the square leg umpire didn't give a stumping, even though the batsman walked. I was told later they are related. Neutral as Switzerland he was.
We got a cheeky run out, but at this point Cambourne were on the rate. Then we had to lose Kav as he had a shift at Nando's, Churrasco ahoy and we were pretty short of bowlers. Cooper bowled incredibly well, and the 14th of 15 was Phillips's. He did his utmost, with some good balls, but it left them needing 8 or so from the last over.
They got there comfortably, finishing with a 4 from our newly acquired lovable Scot, Baines. We also lost a new Dukes pink ball and Freddie probably dropped it again. Details details. Good game mind, I'd rather lose a tight one than win a walkover, but maybe that's why I'm not captain material.
We retired to the pavilion had ten minutes to grab beers before the bar turned into a prayer room, and then sat out on the grass king of the hill style drinking a local brewed ale called The Third Man, which was pretty solid.
I've missed some details, but it was a good total, some good bowling and batting, and just a few slips in the field made the difference I feel. Barrington next week.
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