Heartbreak at Tas Valley!
As a long weekend of cricket spluttered into life on The Green,
Aldborough hosted a bedraggled (hung-over) looking touring team from
Essex for their first visit to the village.
Aldborough CC v Wickham St Pauls CC (Friendly)
Cookie graciously put the visitors in and a slightly weakened bowling attack was played well by
Wickham St Paul who moved to 99-2 off the first 20 overs with little
drama. Some good bowling from Flannigan and JPW was backed up by J
Siemen and M Cook who both ably assisted the Aldborough 1st teamers.
After 30 over’s W.S.P were 158-4 and it looked like game on.
Cookie then turned to the devilish spin of R Fisher and the seam
bowling of G Swinbourne. Unfortunately, but perhaps unsurprisingly,
the run rate was upped dramatically with the last 10 over’s going for
86 runs. W.S.P finished on 242-8.
In reply, needing over 6 an over, Cannon got off to a flyer with some
early loose stuff being sent to the boundary. At the other end The
Mighty Fish was doing what he does best and blocking anything straight
or loose with perfect forward defensives. Despite the sheer majesty of
this shot, it was not what Aldborough needed and after 13 over’s The
Fish departed for 6. At this stage Cannon was in his early forties and
he and Flannigan started to push the ball around nicely. Unfortunately
Cannon (53) took one quick single too many and was run out brilliantly
by a diving square leg. JPW was unlucky to be caught for a duck before
J Siemen and Flannigan started to hit out and up the run rate.
Aldborough were always 20 or 30 runs behind the pace though and after
Siemen went the game was as good as over. Flanner’s batted on
diligently with some support from in-form Swinbourne (13) and latterly
Cook (18n.o). Aldborough batted on and finished on 176-5 with
Flanner’s unbeaten on 57.
Aldborough CC V Hethersett and Tas Valley CC
This is not an easy thing to write as even thinking about the game
makes my stomach turn. However, I will press on.
Eddy lost the toss and on a great track, H and TV chose to bat. The
strong top order was rattled early as Curtis bowled superbly and was
rewarded by a fine catch at slip from Botwright. This bought M Ellis
to the crease and he and the young all rounder T Shelley eased the run
rate up to 5 an over before Shelley was eventually bowled by Bacon in
his seventies. Another few wickets fell and with 8 overs to go H and
TV were teetering on 160-5. Unfortunately the Aldborough team feel
apart under some big hitting and H and TV ended on 242 all out. The
only bright point was Streaky Bacon who took six wickets to add to his
collection.
In reply, Mack went early before Farrow was run out for 9 and
Botwright was caught for a duck. Cannon went quickly and only
Flannigan hung around to keep Cooper (22) company. Despite this
rearguard action, Aldborough were way behind the run rate and it took
a good 29 from Adam Worthington and some Social Bowling from H and TV
to even get Aldborough a batting point. We finished on 121-8.
Aldborough CC V Marlingford CC
The Green
Sunday 20th July, 2008.
On the third day of a gruelling weekend for The Greens, Aldborough
hobbled out to face Marlingford CC, led by the inimitable Vic Miller.
JPW and Cannon, the only two men to have completed the full three day
marathon of cricket were looking particularly haggard after the
mauling on Saturday against Hethersett and Tas Valley (’nuff said).
The ever keen JPW took the new ball and (he promised me) his chill
pills, before steaming in to bowl from the Spar End. Tom Westwood came
on at the Other End and bowled possibly the worst over ever seen in
the history of Aldborough CC. Tom ‘King of the Yips’ Westwood went for
… … 35… … yes, 35… in his ONE over. So, Tom, that is figures of 1 – 0
– 35 – 0… Not to rub it in or anything mate but… 1 – 0 – 35 – 0… … Can
anyone recall better (or worse) figures than this? Surely this
deserves some kind of booby prize at the club dinner? A toilet brush?
A wooden spoon? Or a good, honest round of ‘The Bumps’? One bump for
every run? Oh no, maybe that would be too harsh? We don’t want to kill
the poor chap.
Okay… so after that drama Cookie was left with a terrible dilemma as
he had very little bowling left. In desperation he tossed the ball to
Cannon. The last time Cannon bowled on The Green he was 14 years old
and full of the joys of life. Now, at 27, he lolloped in off 4 paces
and hurled down a series of pies which incredibly proved too hot for
the Marlingford openers. Cannon bowled Weber for 33 and his first over
went for just one run.
At the other end JPW continued the good work and after Marlingford had
been 52-0 after 3 over’s Aldborough pegged them back. Ben Howett came
on to replace JPW and bowled very nicely to back up Cannon, the
veteran all-rounder, at the other end. Journeyman Cannon bowled
through, returning figures of 8-1-19-1 which he then preceded to text
to every one of his friends, family members and well… everyone on his
mobile phone address book. The best thing about Cannon though, is that
he is modest, he would not go away and write a report all about his
extraordinary bowling performance, oh no, he is a gentleman and a
scholar. And a true twat of the highest order. [Edit by Club
Secretary]
Anyway, Fisher was back on to continue his weekends work returning
figures of 5-0-34-1 which vastly improved his economy rate from Friday
(4-0-45-1). A team bowling performance included two over’s from
Skinner and three from Broughton, while the skipper, Cook, bowled
8-0-52-1, which looked a little harsh after taking a pasting in his
last three over’s which went for 30 runs. Marlingford finished on
232-6.
In reply Cannon and Skinner opened up and were going nicely until
Skinner (16) edged behind off Ranger. That brought The Fish to the
crease. The run rate dipped now, with Cannon trying to keep up the
momentum but struggling against a good bowling attack and The Fish
blocking out at the other end. Cannon went for 33 which bought the
hapless JPW to the crease. The weekend from Hell continued for the
Angry Farmer as he smashed his first ball straight to square leg.
After smashing up most of the dressing room I gently suggested that
perhaps he could look into Duck Farming as a new venture, after all,
he already had two to start off. This was not met with a happy
response and it took Richard Farrow to wrestle JPW to the floor as he
attacked cannon with a series of right hooks and flying knee drops.
Luckily for JPW, the new leather bar stools in The Black Boys proved
too heavy for Cannon to lift and both men escaped unharmed.
As the light faded and an ugly black cloud loomed on the horizon
Barry, Farrow, Westwood and Cook were all given LBW in a series of
suspect decisions by umpires Cannon and Howett. As the rain came down,
all 22 men retreated to the bar and began drinking heavily in
preparation for a return to work. Cannon was named the Marlingford man
of the match for his fantastic LBW decisions and it was generally
agreed that a good time was had by all.
We decided to call it a winning draw. After all, we could still have
done it being 92-7 off 28 over’s. We needed another 140 off 12 over’s
but The Fish was still there. And when The Fish is still at the
crease, anything is possible.
Next weekend is the Memorial Weekend for the late Chris Lewis. I have
unfortunately been called away as bowling cover for Pattinson in the
England squad (I told them I have an Aussie Aunt and that seemed to be
enough). I really hope it proves a great weekend though and that as
many of you as possible get involved in the celebrations of Chris’s
life.
See you on The Green!
SC