Match Report
And so it was; on one of the hottest days of the year and with Ploughman?s CC fielding a very competitive side we faced the might of Carpe Vinum CC, well six of them at least, as when play started two of their side were still travelling from Gatwick Airport having spent a few days on the French Riviera and the others were late.
Being an amenable club we donated five fielders to get the match started but it wasn?t long before they were up to full strength and we really were playing Vinum as opposed to a Ploughman?s select eleven. (The president?s game is this weekend isn?t it?)
Carpe Vinum CC were actually a very pleasant club and played the game in a very good spirit (their club crest included a bottle of red wine and glass!)
The Plough took up the strain! With run machine and leading Batsman Britto and James ?Nissan? Tisato.? Vinum?s opening bowlers were not bad and sadly after a very short stay run machine was out, gloving a delivery behind with a good ball that seamed away off the pitch! Let?s face it, it had to be a good ball to get the ?run machine? out. And so Steve trudged off to change into his Chadders T shirt and matching blue shorts and cap, later to return as an umpire!
Nissan was joined by Freddie ?I?ve cut down on the digestives? Mills and soon these two batsman were timing the ball very well and dispatching it to the boundary on a regular basis. A large 2nd wicket partnership was constructed. Nissan is a very good addition to our club, he smashed the ball here, there and everywhere and played some very powerful authentic cricket shots as he raced to 50 (another jug!) and finally fell for 93. Freddie opening his stance and playing powerfully straight also raced to 50 and then on into the 70?s. Sadly both fell with the score around 180 and it was left to ?Student?, myself, and then ?The Wall? to get us up to 213 for 3 after 35 overs. A very respectable and defendable total you might think?
Tea was taken with a delightful selection of sandwiches and Yorkshire Tea, which Jacko would have devoured happily! If he had played, how was that European Tour Jacko? Love You!
And so to the innings of Vinum! They started well and were 50 for no loss after about 9 overs. Our problem was that Nissan had informed Scoops that he couldn?t bowl flat out as he was protecting his Hamstring. He had apparently damaged it on honeymoon!
So we opened with Scoops and Student. Both did their utmost, and Scoops had their opener PLUMB LBW when the score was on about 10 only to be not given! I am only glad that Pauly wasn?t present as he may have escorted the umpire from the field! It was a very sad decision, so sad in-fact I nearly took of my cap off! I didn?t as I didn?t have the energy! The batsman was caught bang in front of his stumps with the ball hitting middle and leg!!! Exasperated we carried on only for Scoops to injure his Achilles. Again! Was it in sympathy with Nissan?? Si hadn?t even been on Honeymoon!
In truth, despite the LBW both openers batted very well and dispatched the bad and the good ball very well. We tried different combinations to try and get a break through. Special mention here to Timmy Mallet who put down the croquet hammer of England for the honour of playing for the Plough! And who bowled a very tidy off spin! More to come from him I think. Also to Uncle Nigel with his nagging length, Boydy with his grenades which are very accurate this season and which can be so frustrating for a batsman to play against because he gives them a lot of air and they are very accurate and to Kevin Chau who bowled with all his heart and deserved a wicket. Freddie also bowled well with his lively mediums.
Sadly, we only took one wicket and Vinum CC beat us by 9 wickets! Ouch!
We were all a little fed up with how and why we got beaten but upon reflection we could have done with Nissan at full pace (although my hands wouldn?t have enjoyed it ) and with Scoops not getting injured.? If the LBW had gone our way he could have been in for more, but who knows? I was really impressed with our depth of bowling but we couldn?t get past some good experienced batsmen.
At the end we retired to savour the delights of another Nissan Jug (its expensive playing for the plough mate!) ?Perhaps we should buy you a jug every time you score a 50 or a ton? And run machine Britto decided to rush on to a ladies? game to umpire! I will let him explain his reasons!
Paddy.
