Fowler's match: Taverners di-Spenced in stunning win
posted: August 23, 2012

Assiduous students of the history of cricket (of which, in the ranks of the Strollers, there are distressingly few) know all about Fowler’s Match. On the hundredth anniversary of this epic 1910 Eton versus Harrow encounter, The Spectator described it as “what might be the greatest cricket match of all time.” Without going into too many details, the heroic deeds of one Robert St Leger Fowler with bat and then ball rescued Eton from what seemed like certain defeat after following on and a startling victory was recorded.

Well, 102 years later, on a baking Ferme Park, the Strollers had their own Fowler’s Match. Without the contribution of Spencer with ball, bat and in the field, the Strollers would surely have succumbed to the Railway Taverners – a team which have handed us more than a few spankings over the years (steady on Betts –ed).

Spencer took 4 for 33 off his 7.2 overs, snaffled three catches (two of which were off the bowling of a tearily grateful Boughey) but that was only the overture for the main event. Coming in on the fourth ball of the innings after Gav had been bowled, he struck a majestic, game changing and virtually chanceless 121 not out at the end of which the Taverners were utterly demoralised. There was able and invaluable support from David, who made 34, and Tim, who made 40, but it was this brilliant knock that allowed the Strollers to chase down a formidable 231 for the loss of only four wickets. Fowler’s Match Redux.

After a summer of such appalling weather it was refreshingly comforting to wake up on a Sunday with sun streaming through the windows and no doubt whatsoever about whether the game would go ahead or not. After winning the toss, the skipper decided, untroubled by the temperatures of not far from 30 degrees, to field first.

The Taverners’ opening pair got off to a solid start, skipper Steve playing and missing several times outside off stump against Simon, but also punishing anything too straight or on his pads. The ever lithe and athletic Rob had to exit the attack after only 3.4 overs with a pulled back muscle and left the field, which left the Strollers not only a bowler down but also, more tellingly, a fielder down in the unforgiving surroundings of Ferme Park. The cause was not helped by several boundary misfields.

Adding to the injury list, opener Tony then damaged his ankle and was shortly thereafter out, mistiming an off-drive to Spencer who comfortably took the first of this three catches. Eamonn was nicely caught at deep point (as deep as any fielding position gets at Ferme Park) by Simon off the bowling of Jezz, making a welcome return to the side, and when the skipper was plumb LBW to Spencer, the Taverners were three down for 70.

The runs, however, which had not been exactly hard to come by, during the first third of the innings, began to flow even more freely as Terry, partnered by Chris, began to find the boundary regularly. Chris might have been picked up at long on by a slow moving Boughey, whose lumbering and ineffective efforts to get to the ball were met with the double teapot from bowler Spencer.

At this point, the Taverners might easily have got away from us. Yet, by a judicious mixing of the attack, use of the slower bowlers to take the pace off the ball and good smart fielding changes to keep Terry away from the strike (well done skip –ed) the Strollers kept in the hunt.  In the end, Chris was caught by Spencer himself off Jonny’s bowling, Hugh was caught in traditional rugby style by Tim off George and dangerman Terry was smartly stumped by David off Spencer for a thoroughbred 60.

The tiny Jeet struck some hefty blows at the bottom of the order (one of which flew a inch past the forehead of a startled Boughey who had adopted a position of Very Silly Mid-Off on the edge of the track to intimidate the little feller. Thereupon he departed to a safer distance, duly chastened). Jeet finally fell to another catch by Spencer on the midwicket boundary off Simon’s bowling to bring down the curtain on the innings. It had not been a bad effort by the Strollers. But for some iffy fielding, it could have been closer to 210, but restricting a solid batting line-up with only ten fielders on a hot day at Ferme Park to 231 was not bad. Still, getting those runs would be a bigger ask.

It looked an even bigger ask after openers Gav and George had departed with only a handful of runs on the board. Jeet got some inswing and movement of the wicket from the tennis court end, and Gav played down the wrong line to the third ball of the innings. Alex bowled absolute dross from the other tennis court end, and was mightily lucky to bowl George as the latter waited about two minutes for the ball to come down following a succession of wides.

At this point David joined Spencer and the partnership which would turn the game ensued. Spencer treated the better bowlers with respect and was utterly destructive with the lesser ones. David supplied a priceless 34, which included a huge six over long on which appeared to surprise the batsman more than anybody else. He left after sweeping and missing to the oppo skipper Parr, which brought Tim to the crease. Spencer was now in full flow, batting chancelessly and with great power. One full toss departed high over the pavilion in nearby Calthorpe, prompting the sarcastic encouragement from Eamonn, fielding close by, “He likes ’em there Skip.”

Tim batted well, as he always seems to, and the innings accelerated just at the right time. In the latter stages, some chances were given to fielders in the deep, but none were taken – to the chagrin of the Taverners’ bowlers and delight of onlooking Strollers. Jeet managed a particularly effective palm over the crossbar at midwicket for six. With seven or eight overs to go we still needed to go at almost 8 an over to win. There was much nervous pacing on the boundary as the game could still be lost if anything foolish were to happen – never, totally out of the question when the Strollers are concerned. However Spencer unleashed with a final flurry of boundaries and the game was finally made safe. Tim went for glory with only five required to win and was bowled which left Jezz to see us home with a slash through the gully for four. Spencer was left unbeaten, unbowed, and very hot and bothered, with 121 to his account.

It was an epic win. And. truly, Fowler’s Match.

Simon Boughey
22.08.12

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