v Jolly Sailor, June 18
Posted Thursday, June 22, 2006
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Sunseekers 174-8 (P Downes 46no, J Taylor 36, W Evans 30ish, Nicholls 19)
Jolly Sailor 175-6 (Dave Evans - no, not ours! - 76, Crawford 5 lbws turned down and whinged about a lot for 34 runs).
by Colston Crawford
OK, so now we know. The Jolly Sailor is not just a knockabout game from here on in. The side that played us on Sunday, apparently without their two best batsmen, didn't bear too much resemblance to the one we beat in an evening match last year.
The pub team from Hemington have several "proper" players, not least a batsman called, of all things, Dave Evans, who was playing Derbyshire Premier League cricket for Ilkeston five years ago.
There was a feeling all along that, with the tiny boundaries at Hemington, our 174 for eight was a touch on the low side. After all, we'd knocked off 150 to win in a 20 overs game last year and pretty comfortably at that.
When the Sunseekers rabbits were coming and going at the end of the innings, the worst fate befel a real rabbit, first caught by Sam the dog (not quite as long-haired as Sam the Taylor, for those trying to tell them apart) and then "put out of its misery" by a Jolly Sailor fielder... eventually
Take nothing away from our early batters. Some of the bowling was sharp. Robin was bowled first ball by a bloke who hobbled off with a torn calf upon completing his over. Jim Taylor hit some typically strong blows, Will Evans improvised well and Paul Downes again showed he has the straightest bat in the squad in a fine knock... bit of a shame the longest boundaries at Hemington are the straight ones, Paul, although on second thoughts, perhaps it was that old favourite "jug avoidance!"
Will hit our only six of the innings, which told its own story on a ground where even I hit two last year.
When the Sunseekers rabbits were coming and going at the end of the innings, the worst fate befel a real rabbit, first caught by Sam the Dog (not quite as long-haired as Sam the Taylor, for those trying to tell them apart) and then "put out of its misery" by a Jolly Sailor fielder... eventually, its tail still fluttering after several hefty stamps.
"Hey, we're townies, we don't want to watch stuff like this from you country barbarians!" came the cry from the boundary.
When Jolly Sailor batted it was soon evident that we were going to have to take wickets because run rate was not a problem. It was equally evident that we weren't going to get a leg before decision, as the umpire proved every bit as ruthless as when he was killing the rabbit, much to the increasing frustration of er, me. It's a pain in the a*se to bowl straight, get just enough inswing to pass the bat, hit the back leg and then see the batsman grinning back up the wicket at you because he knows he's the best they've got and he's not going to get given out.
Well, I said at the start I whinged a lot about it, so if you've got this far, don't say you weren't warned...
Well, I said at the start I whinged a lot about it, so if you've got this far, don't say you weren't warned...
Credit where it's due, Dave Evans played some good shots before holing out to his namesake at square leg off Sam with the game as good as won. It had taken a typically brilliant swoop and throw over the stumps from Steve to get us our first wicket and a late flurry of wickets, including two in two balls for Jim Downes, didn't really look like changing the course of things.
Jim's second was the result of probably the second-best catch I have ever taken* and I say probably because (honestly) it arrived in my hand at gully virtually unseen. I would like to have known a lot more about it because it must have been great!
A chap called Dennett, who had bowled very well, came in to hit four fours and end our glimmer of hope but, on a different day, this was one that might have gone our way.
If any of the above gives the impression there was antagonism in the game, apologies. DBE and I both get wound up when things aren't going our way as bowlers and this was, in general, a very sociable game with an excellent tea and plenty of drinks served up from a temporary awning by several good ladies of Hemington. Our grateful thanks for the spread to all concerned.
I am easily bought and a pint from the cheerful (albeit wrong!) umpire settled me down afterwards (even if the comments about the lbw law from the benefiting batsman came close to sending me off on one again).
Next year...
* Go on, ask me. I can talk about the best one for hours.
