Strollers win nail-biter against the VCC
posted: September 3, 2012

One of the things that makes cricket great is that it pits those who are masters of their art against those who are far from expert at theirs. Watching a demonic fast bowler charge in against a quivering tail-end batsman is all the more delicious when everything is riding on it, as it was when man faced Beast, literally, at the end of the Strollers’ innings with just one wicket required by The VCC and 3 runs required by the Strollers…

The path leading to this precarious moment was a tortuous one. For a start, The VCC were only there at all by the grace of their fixtures secretary Martin Stockman who put together a team at short notice after Gray’s Inn pulled out. The VCC, aka The Currymen, are a fine lot. Traditionally playing all of their games outside the M25, they have nevertheless accepted two local games against the Strollers this year, a mid-week 20/20 (which they won), and now, the pinnacle of cricketing glory, a full Sunday game against the Strollers at Ferme Park.

With somewhat depleted bowling stocks and a strong batting line-up, the Skipper was very keen to bat first. Unfortunately, the toss was lost and The VCC sent us out to field. Things started very badly as The VCC openers, particularly Bamford, got off to a flyer with Jez being the main victim as the ball went flying to and over the boundary with alarming regularity. The score raced to 45 off 5 overs and it was all looking rather grim. Spencer was brought into the attack and this stemmed the flow of runs at one end, however the magic was about to take place at the other.

Rob Davies hadn’t gone for too many up to that point, but he had certainly been clouted around a bit, and once again he was smashed to the boundary by Bamford at the start of his 4th over. But all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he got one past Bamford’s swinging bat to knock the stumps over. The laconic man from Walsall isn’t known for his excitability on the field, but he was positively roared with delight at that one. The very next ball he almost had another as a leading edge flew narrowly into vacant space, but two balls later he did have a second as he trapped ‘Wazza’ LBW for nought.

In the very next over Spencer likewise had a successful LBW appeal given and then Rob took yet another wicket; a very sharp catch taken by wicket-keeper Matt, standing up at the stumps. Spencer was held back for later on, while Rob bowled out his 7 overs, adding another wicket to his haul in his final over and finishing with 4-24. Not content with that, he also later took a catch at mid-off to dismiss the no. 8 batsman.

5-55 and suddenly life was looking a lot rosier. Howver the VCC entered a consolidation period, with batsman Hiad batting extremely well, being patient with the good balls and boshing boundaries aggressively in between, and finally finishing on 44 not out. Bowstead bowled well but without luck. Jonny Kemp struggled a little with his line but was unlucky not to have a wicket after a leading edge flew high but the catch wasn’t taken.

Finally Spencer was brought back on with Gillies, and together they finished off the tail, with The VCC only having 10 batters as the 11th had a hand injury and could not bat. Spencer finished with another fine haul of 4-11.

A small target for the Strollers, 134, surely no problem ...right?

With the VCC’s innings finishing early after 24 overs, the Strollers had to go out to face a few overs before tea was ready. The VCC opened the bowling with a man they call Beast, and a beast Barker was as he fired the ball in at an extreme rate of knots and the keeper standing a mile back.

Two wickets were lost in the pre-tea overs, George falling to a blinder of a catch at mid-on after smashing a full toss for what looked like a certain boundary, and Hamza aggressively taking on the Beast and, unfortunately, losing. Mark Burgess was going nicely however, and while tea was enjoyed somewhat nervously, at 2-17 the game still felt pretty safe.

Unfortunately, the Strollers were victims of the mysterious twin pressures of Chasing a Low Score and Screwing Around Too Much with the Batting Order. Coming back from tea Gav smacked a lovely four and then got out to the Gav Shot. With the Beast still charging in the mounting pressure was given no better practical demonstration than when the Skipper shouldered arms and the bail was clipped at the top of middle and off! Yes, well, the less said about that one the better, ahem…

Mark Burgess was soon caught in the deep after a very promising knock. But now it was 41-5 and things looking a bit grim. Still, with plenty of batting to come, there was no need for outright panic just yet. Spencer came to the crease, fresh from two centuries in the last two games and was soon joined by Jez. This proved a successful combination once again for a time, with Jez pulling off some lovely boundaries through cover and fine leg, and Spencer batting with his usual effortless fluidity. However Jez became the 6th victim with the score on 69 and still 65 runs to go.

Out came Bowstead. Clearly a man for the pressure situation, he set about as if he had no care in the world, swinging aggressively at anything not on the stumps, and some that were bang on middle. The scoring was mercifully quick – merciful that is for the Strollers who were watching anxiously from the sidelines. Perhaps the key turning point for the Strollers was the final over from bowler Flow, in which Spencer boshed two fours and an almighty 6, taking 17 off the over, and the next over from Warren going for 13.

At 124-6 and only 10 to win surely nothing could go wrong, could it? Unfortunately, yes it could. The VCC brought back the Beast and new bowler Bamford, who immediately looked good and had Bowstead out caught behind off a great ball. This brought Matt to the crease, batting well down the order primarily because he had taken a painful blow to the inside of his knee while wicket-keeping. Still, as long as Spencer and Matt stayed in, surely we had to win!

But then - horreurs! - Spencer was bowled by Bamford (why on earth didn’t they bring him on earlier?). Spencer had scored 285 runs since his last dismissal three games earlier, but now it was going to have to be down to others to finish off the game. 8-127 and 7 runs to go.

Out strolled Rob, cool as a cucumber, on the outside at least. After surviving a big appeal for LBW first ball, he took a great heave at the next getting a big edge to 3rd man for 2 runs, like gold-dust, and the very next ball was dropped (!) at point with a single resulting. It was all happening here at Ferme Park!

4 runs to win, 2 wickets required by The VCC. If we could just get through the Beast’s final over we might be fine, but – horreurs again! – Matt smacked one off the middle and was briliantly caught and bowled.

Advantage-VCC. 3 runs to win, and number 11 Jonny Kemp in with 2 balls to face from the awesome Beast! One straight ball and it would probably be all over. Fortunately for us, both balls were outside off stump and Jonny did brilliantly to miss them both!

Rob then squirted the first ball of Bamford’s new over fine down leg for 2. Was there anything this man couldn’t do? Scores tied! Two balls later, and there went Rob again, boshing the ball finally through the gully region for 4. Whaddaplaya!!

Sighs of relief all round the Ferme Parke balcony. We’d been very lucky, but, somehow we’d won again. Well done Rob Davies, surely the man of the match and most definitely the man of the moment. The VCC were tremendous in the field with four great catches and with the relentless pressure they kept up against us. We look forward to the next drama-filled match-up in 2013!

Tim Sturm
02.09.12

<< scorecard