Jags 167-5 (Parrish 65, Meldal 44, Mailes 32, Keshwala 2-35) beat Milton 115-5 (Jones 42, Salgaonkar 32, Naseri 2-11) by 52 runs
Man of the Match - Parrish
This was a fun sort of game enhanced by the addition of 3 members of the Cooper clan, Paul, his son Alex (13) and Nate his brother-in-law, all turning out for us. Liam was a late cancellation owing to being generally broken by cricket so Paul’s son Alex, a Hunts County player with fully branded kit, kindly stepped in to get us to a full eleven.
We played Milton a couple of seasons ago in our first league match. It was a low scoring affair, 12 overs a side at a drizzly Milton that very much ponged. I recall getting us almost home in the chase, with Sabin demonstrating his famed late cut for 0 on many many occasions in a one sided partnership where someone else crawled us over the line for literally the last run.
I was glad we were at Queens again and the small prospect of promotion still beckons. It was a nice evening and there was general lazy time keeping from lots of people who turned up meaning a late start and some batting would take place in the dark. Thankfully Matt won a toss (hoorah!) and we decided to bat.
Freddie and Matt got us off to an absolutely rapid start, plundering the second over for 18 runs with Freddie deciding to enter full beast mode with a couple of excellent 4’s and an absolutely hammered 6. Not to be outdone, Parrish clipped a lovely 4 to deep mid wicket and unfurled his trademark late cut to boot. They raced along fairly chanceless getting to a 50 partnership in only the 4th over. It was controlled carnage.
The assembled throng - myself excluded - were just sunning themselves and enjoying the midsummer setting at Queens in quiet contemplation and Matt said afterwards that at one point he had wondered if we weren’t pleased with the ridiculous rate they’d set off at.
The assembled fans were treated to Mr Brolia turning up - fresh from the hairdressers to spectate. He indicated he wouldn’t have run as much as Freddie and Matt did and also provided a lot of batting tips from 40 yards away.
Matt and Freddie’s fun had to end eventually - and Freddie fell bowled by possibly the slowest ball I’ve ever seen - I think it was left arm round and he could have done anything to it he wanted - but if you give Freddie too much thinking time, it befuddles him, so he just missed it and saw his off peg pinned back.
Baines joined Matt, fresh from news that he would be going back to the old country for the winter and learning about whatever laws they apparently have in Scotland. Drink Tennents, don’t do too much skag, wear kilts - maybe there is more to it; no doubt he’ll tell us next year.
Baines was very slow into his stride and this is perhaps why when Parrish heard a big bellowing shout of “no!” he ran anyway, and made sure Baines was comfortably run out at the non striker’s end.
Ya canna be the big man every week, fella!
Mailes came in and joined Matt for a bit. I remember he hit an absolutely monster 6, it was like the ball or bowler had done him a personal mischief and he just wanted to hurt something. He followed it with 4’s and 2’s and felt on a demolition mission from the moment he was out there.
Parrish got to a well deserved 50, which is something we love to see, and the fellas had a nice little partnership. Matt was looking a touch tired and started slugging. 3, 4’s in one over - but mainly to save his legs before he holed out to the left arm round slow bowler, to backward point I think - if my beer addled memory is accurate.
I briefly joined Mailes and hit my first ball for 4 (square of the wicket, in case you feel the need to ask), got a single and then Mailes perished desperately trying to manufacture a shot from an absolute bobbins ball, slow and absolutely crap and outside off. He was suitably pleased that he found the fielder.
Scoring slowed down a bit with me and Paul and Nate at the death all making sure to score, but also not quite hitting it about at the pace of our betters. Paul fell caught and bowled and left his brother in law Nate to literally face the last ball of the innings. Cheers bro.
We had another cracking total on the board though - 167 felt like an awful lot on this pitch.
Amardin opened for us and he had that hare ‘em scare ‘em terror pace again this week. He was ably supported and watched by Maisie this week, and we are very grateful for her and Millie’s support in making him available, mainly as he is a right tyro with a cherry in his hand, but also as he has a cheeky little smile and pleasant demeanour. We also had Strachan behind the stumps, enthusiastic and willing and genuinely quite good.
Amardin’s first ball was so fast the opening batsman had a look on his face that said - “nah mate, I’ve got somewhere else I need to be”, so he missed the second ball and his leg stump took a battering. The stump however, did not cartwheel. Work on that, lad.
Amardin tied down the other fella and also had an edged behind dropped in what should go down as an ‘eventful’ first over. He got a second wicket with the final ball of the first over, inducing a high to the offside shot that Freddie Meldal, Mr Fielding, held with some ease.
167 felt a long long way off at this point, even so early.
Holmes bowled from the other end and he was Mr Rachel Reeves to start with - it was all about the economy. Eventually, the batsman took him on and pitched it high to me at the entirely new to me position of mid on. I used my crocodile catching action to snaffle an easy chance. The best part was I told Holmes it was coming before it did and turned my hat backwards moments before to clear my vision for the inevitable. Nostradamus.
Naseri continued and one drop was put down, but he was completely impossible to score from as no one can bloody see it, it’s too fast.
Holmes had an absolutelu hilarious second over - field set for medium fast stuff full and outside off, he pitched a couple slower, short and leg side, and the batsman duly cashed in, pulling to leg with ease. After this happened twice and Parrish did not change the field and Holmes had an absolute toys out the pram moment with the skipper - swear words were sent across the field and he uttered a, “what is this!”, and with comedic timing par excellence Matt said, “midweek cricket!”. Bowl to your field, fella.
Cooper and Baines took over the bowling reins with Milton a country mile behind the rate and the result all but assured. Baines gave an absolutely mega appeal for an LBW that he categorically knew wasn’t even close. He got the same fella - Scot to Scot - chipped high with a confident keeper shout early on from Strachan.
Paul was wicketless but solid, in a sensible spell that saw a little family saga enter the game.
First up, P Cooper was replaced by A Cooper - his son, who bowled a tidy first over in men’s cricket. Because we’re men. Most of us. Grrrr.
Nate Clark, Paul’s brother in law took the other end and bowled, and my goodness what an over. His first ball was topped high high straight towards him. He called really early and seemed mega confident he had it. Until he didn’t… it just went too high. The forces of gravity and his brain having far too much thinking time, colliding with the inevitable consequence that he dropped it. Next ball he dived full stretch to turn a 4 into a one and the next ball was absolutely marmaladed straight back at him. A lesser man would have got out the way, fearing things like a cricket ball sized hole through his abdomen. Not Nate, he took the full force of it and stopped a 4, instead conceding a single. After 3 balls of such drama, what was to come next. Sadly we weren’t treated to 5 more balls of absolute mayhem and instead got some sensible bowling. Booo.
Nate and Alex continued in tandem, the family having taken over the game somewhat. Alex has a pleasing bowling action, medium, a tiny bit of variation and hard to get away. He’s clearly been well coached.
Eventually Alex got the wicket his nagging line deserved, with his last ball of a 3 over spell. The top scoring batsman from the other side eventually got frustrated and tried to pull it. Top edge, but the pace meant it was one of those wicket keepers despise, behind you, you should get it, but with the helmet and the fraction of a second you have to react and move, it’s always going to be a challenge. Andy pivoted like a pro, perhaps sensing, just knowing, that getting a 13 year old boy his first fully-grown-man wicket was worth stretching every sinew and fibre of his being for. He did well, boy did he do well, catching with one glove diving and rolling and stretching his hand to the heavens. The game was more than won at this point, but a 13 year boy was playing cricket with his dad and uncle and the team did absolutely everything to get him a wicket. If that doesn’t melt your heart, then you’re not human.
Mailes bowled the last over, and somehow had annoyed the umpire and had 3 wides given against him, 2 of which were dubious, and had an LBW turned down which was absolutely stonewall as out as they come.
I cannot comment on pub attendance as I could not partake as I was heading off to Portugal to drink Super Bock and erm, drink some more Super Bock. Oh, and hang out with my family.
A pretty mega league season - played 10, won 7 and lost 3.
Two friendlies left. This game was the Cooper/Clark show though.
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