2006 Season - Belper - 2006/06/04
As told by James Lees � A Kiwi�s Perspective
Sunday�s weather was ideal for cricket, that coupled with a flat batting track and an under strength Belper team (due a 1st XI cup match), this against one of DCC�s strongest batting line-ups for some while, not to mention the return of our quartet (+ one) of �nearly� fast bowlers: Gaunty, Blakey, Mick �The Vicar�, Smudger & Brownie. Dorchester CC was in its element.
It started well for stand-in captain Crossy who, in true �Ted� fashion, negotiated the toss and suggested that it would be prudent that we bat first.
Enter the opening pairing of Briars & Flight, probably the two most technically correct batsmen in the club. Both came to the crease with an appetite for runs and neither left hungry. Unfortunately Nick, who feasted a little too quickly on the Buffet Bowling, suffered a touch of indigestion and held out for a simple catch after scoring a speedy 56, littered with some brutal 4�s, one of which nearly decapitated me umpiring at square-leg!!
Jez, on the other hand, made sure that his napkin was securely fastened and continued to dine like Pavarotti before a big show, unleashing some Vaughanesque strokes - in particular, the Shot of the Match: a back-foot cover drive for a boundary that was more stroked than hit.
Jez saw out partners Crossy (8), who was beaten by one that went the other way, and Paul (0) who possibly didn�t fancy anything on the menu. (Don�t worry Paul, Graham Gooch started his Test career with a pair).
Ady Cooper walked to the wicket at 116 for 3 and quickly tucked in, taking the score to 200 before Jez, who at that point had managed 3 courses, choked on the coffee� out stumped for 95. Had he scored those illusive 5 runs this would have been Jez�s first three figure score, but it wasn�t to be.
Having tossed earlier with Blakey for the no.6 spot and won, it was then my turn to watch Ady destroy the remainder of the Belper�s bowling and finish up with a very respectable score of 65 not out. I also finished not out on 25, half the job done at 257 for 4 off 40 overs�time for tea.
The bowlers who probably deserved them most shared wickets more or less evenly during Belper�s reply. Certainly missing the Calverton match could turn out to be crucial, even this early in the season, for those in pursuit of the illustrious DCC Bowling Award. Andy Gaunt and �The Vicar� Mick Stewardson both picked up fine figures of 2 of 16. Richard Brown (2 for 27) picked up the Wicket of the Day, more by accident than anything else, and in doing so Dorchester proved that it is possible to have a run-scoring wicket keeper who takes catches!! Brownie very cunningly speared a faster ball down the leg-side, which in turn was very finely leg-glanced by their no. 3 batsmen who, after making contact, set off for what he surely thought would be an easy couple of runs, only to see the ball stuck in Ady�s glove like fly paper. Great catch!!!
Blakey, wearing this season�s colours - white with blue & red stripesand going by the name Aqua-Fresh - bowled a tidy spell with 1 for 13 with his new energy saving spin. Say what you like about Blakey, he is still the best-dressed man in club cricket!!
At 48 for 6 after only 18-overs Crossy brought on Smugder and myself to make a game of it and it was another 20-overs before DCC took the last Belper wicket to fall. Other than the usual array of dropped catches, which of late have plagued our fielding efforts, the only other point of interest was the injury to Dean �Aqua-Fresh� Blake. Both he and Jez went for the same miss-timed shot between mid-wicket and mid-on, of which neither called, neither looked, neither stopped and neither caught it. Although there was no actual bodily contact, Blakey was left rolling on the ground in agony clutching his knee and Jez completely unscathed!!?? Crossy was simply gutted at the missed chance of some very fortuitist fantasy points.
Belper finished 126 for 7 after their allotted 40-overs and, other than the injury to Dean, I think it would be fair to say that everyone had an enjoyable day out.