So, when the DoC turned to me late into Sunday evening and informed me that it would be my turn to write the match report (it's always your turn! - DoC) he immediately asked "Where do you start?" A good point... how about at the venue on time!! Some of these Sat-navs just don't seem to be up to the task...eh, Scotty? Still, at least Graham was on time; just as well as the sight of a hearse bombing along the A25 might have shocked a few!
Our first visit to Merstham CC then, their ground entrance eluding most of us initially, and the first thing you notice is their impressive electronic scoreboard...Ron was like a kid at the Science Museum with all those buttons. A Beechwood bowling attack including Valentine, Rogers and Garnett gave us a bit more teeth than of late, and acting skipper Cooksley, upon losing the toss was invited to bowl first on a rock-hard track. This was to be a 40-over match. With Scotty and Sheikhy still not present the field was looking a bit South Beckish as Rogers lined up to bowl the first over.
Six balls and sixteen runs later we were all wondering just what we could be chasing this afternoon, especially if we remain two fielders light for any length of time. Fortunately Graham settled into a groove thereafter, and his opening partner Val was on the spot from ball one. Runs were still easy to find with so many gaps however, but fortunately Val trapped the dangerous looking Drewett with the score on 27. Scott and Tariq arrived finally giving the field a more orthodox look but some very dark clouds were now starting to loom over the neighbouring golf course. Val was still bowling well in the fading light, forcing opener Mann to edge into the gloves of Makin with Merstham having reached 36-2. Halfway throught the twelfth over, with lightning surrounding us we were invited by the umpires to flee the pitch before the rains arrived, which some of us only just managed to avoid. After a delay of forty minutes or so and a few re-calculations it was agreed that the match would now be reduced to a 35-over affair, meaning that Graham and Val were all but bowled out, the DoC leaving them with one death-over each.
Scott replaced Graham and throughout his two spells for the afternoon enjoyed no luck at all, with at least four of five shots sailing through the vacant first slip region at catchable height and 0-41 was an unfair reflection of his spells. Savory replaced Val, and the damp conditions negated any spin for him but it didn't seem to matter as three batsmen all missed straight balls and he'll have gladly accepted 3-21 off 7, especially as he bowled so many balls at left-handers. Merstham had stuttered to 105-5 but captain Feist was proving to be quite an obstacle and was rebuilding their innings alongside fellow left-hander Vincent. Cooksley and Boss filled the fifth bowler role between them, the DoC using his guile to good effect and even extracting some turn out there. Boss initially was using his own brand of f&g to good effect but after not being backed up by his fielders on a couple of occasions, he resorted to bowling seamers, some of which, sadly, went round the park, and following the advice of a miffed Graham and his skipper, reverted to type and had the consolation of picking up the wicket of Feist, smartly caught by Scotty on the 45. Feist had played well and had steered Mersthan to 160-6 and scoring a half-century to boot. New batsman Lowe accompanied Vincent up to the closure of Merstham's innings which ended on 190-6 from their 35 overs. It wasn't a great day for our senior pros...Colin tweaking a hamstring, rendering him a passenger for most of the innings, and even Keith found it tough underfoot, often failing to gather throws from the outfield and at one stage found himself on all fours... and no Harveys to blame for once!
An excellent tea was a taster for the curry later, and the sun started to shine to greet Beechwood as they set about chasing down the total. Freeman and Makin opened up for Beechwood and without exactly dominating, were both looking comfortable although Keith did survive one confident appeal for a caught-behind. The score was 41 when in the tenth over Keith was run out, having run well with Tony up to that point. Val was next in, but a key partnership with Tony failed to materialise when Tony uncharacteristically missed out on his favourite pull-shot, succeeding only in screwing it back to the bowler having scored 32. 51-2 then, Sheikh was next to the crease, and needing to be the perfect foil for Val, he didn't disappoint. This partnership blossomed from a steady start and Tariq was matching Val on the stroke front before Val started to clear the ropes. A bit of controversy reared its head whem bowler Lowe, coming off a 12 or so pace run-up suddenly came off three paces to deliver a ball at Val. An alert umpire Savory just about managed to splutter a dead-ball call before the ball deflected off pads onto stumps, Val looking nowhere near the direction of the bowler.
Tariq also survived a simple dropped chance around this time and it took a few more boundaries from Val to calm our nerves a little. After a hundred stand the introduction of Mann provided a lifeline for Merstham when Val, unable to resist trying to clear the ropes one more time succeeded only in picking out the fielder on the ropes. Val's great innings of 69 was over but Beechwood were still up with the run-rate. Rogers joined Tariq, still going nicely, and these two just needed to keep cool heads to see us home. A run a ball was all that was needed with three overs left when Tariq attempted an expansive drive and was bowled for 39. A pity he couldn't have stayed till the end but it was a fine effort nonetheless. A nervous lower middle-order watched as Morton strode out to bat. Boris played well, with Graham's encouragement, but a few "one-trick pony" type jibes seemed to unsettle him a little and with four balls left and just five needed to win Boris was bowled attempting to play straight. Garnett was next in...three balls remaining and after a second appeal for lbw in two balls was turned down Graham scampered down to the striker's end off a leg-bye to face the final ball...four needed but the ball was a good'un and Graham did well to dig it out towards long-off where the fielder, having gathered cleanly, decided to throw wicket-wards. I was watching the other end but apparently with Scott having made his ground for two, the ball ricocheted off the stumps and both batsman somehow scrambled the run from the overthrow to level the scores...Madness!! Boss was first to jump up shrieking the "tie" word followed by the rest of us who celebrated like we'd won.
Another nail-biter then...I'm going to leave the summing up to the DoC, who's becoming a bit of a golden-balls when it comes to captaincy, suffice to say...any chance of a one-sided affair next week?! Oh, and well played Merstham, and many thanks for your excellent hospitality afterwards.
Beechwood:
Boss, Cooksley (c), Freeman, Garnett, Makin (wk), Morton, Robinson, Rogers, Savory, Sheikh, Valentine
Final word from the DoC:
You'll have to say that when the weather hasn't intervened, 2007 has provided us with some riproaring matches, but you'll have to go a long way to beat this one. Many thanks to Merstham for a great game, and a fine curry afterwards too! |
