2006 Season - Eastwood - 2006/09/20
Paul writes
After the batting debacle at Risley last week we went to Eastwood for the last match of the season, where we had won off the last ball last year and this was Mick Stewardson�s last DCC match.
The batting and bowling averages were pretty much sewn up � Jez (averaging 70 odd) with a stunning run of form and over 650 runs had seen off the noble challenge of Not Out specialist Smudger and Jamie�s good run of late form left his average 20 odd runs short.
Once again with a second half of the season charge Benno had put himself clear of the bowling pack.
But Eastwood has seen some memorable events over the years, some dramatic matches, record breaking performances and close finishes with cruel twists for some and trophy elation for others.
Today turned out to have everything.
You couldn�t make this stuff up.
Business as usual to kick off with � toss won, we�ll bat and the welcome return of ace gloveman Adey Cooper saw him stroll out sporting no headgear with the helmeted Jez, intent on surpassing the 700 run mark in only his 12th knock. Bad news for the DCC boys as the away dressing room balcony was deemed unsafe by a structural engineer type from Eastwood. This was met with great disappointment and grunts of disapproval from our boys, but as we stripped off to don our whites, I viewed the variety of shapes, sizes and notable paunches and felt the decision was vindicated. We�d come down to earth with a bang the week before and we didn�t want to do it again! Literally.
A steady start ensued, but with the score at 21 in the 9th over Adey was bowled. Then it was 25-2 as run machine Jez departed for 17. Jamie went in at 4 and lost Crossy 3 runs later and my good self 3 runs after that.
So that was Batters 1,2,3 & 5 all bowled, back in the hutch, 31-4 in the 14th over and to say Eastwood had their tails up was an understatement. Dean Blake (a man I named in my All Time DCC X1) was playing for Eastwood � his Saturday club, viewing proceedings from 1st slip and loving it.
A small recovery followed, with a partnership of 53 in 10 overs between Jamie and Smudger. To say it was a one sided partnership is one thing, but to say Smudge got 5 of those explains how Jamie started to build an innings in the manner he had batted over the last few weeks, with his favourite old faithful bat and with the class that we all know he possesses.
Smudge trudged off - bowled like the previous 4 batters, but he should have held his head high with an average of over 50 and with a terrific season behind him and with the score at 84-5 we were frankly in a much better place than when he went in.
But then it was Looney Tunes time.
Smudger turned out to be the first victim in a hat trick in the fateful 25th over, with Richard and then Kevin succumbing first ball. 84-7.
Nine runs came from the next over, but when Jamie took a single off Eastwood�s chief destroyer A. Noble on the first ball of his next over it was Benno and Andy�s turn to go for �goldens�. This Noble fellow had taken 5 DCC wickets in six balls � 4 golden ducks, 5 ducks so far in the innings and we were basically knackered on 94-9 in the 27th.
This meant a few things-
- We were about to get bowled out for less than a ton for the second week in a row
- We had lost our last 16 wickets for 107 runs (end Risley/start Eastwood)
- We were about to caned by Eastwood
- We were about to spoil the season, in which we had played some great cricket and re-lit the DCC flame
- Unbelievably, now with everyone capitulating there was a great likelihood that number 4 batter Jamie would end up Not Out and with a quick calculation it was determined that if Jamie surpassed 82 and stayed not out he would average more than Jez�s 69.6 and thus scoop the batting award!
Ooh eck��..but back in the middle��
We had to rely on the Vicar, to support Jamie, stranded on 52 no.
The Vicar, whose two shots were portrayed by Jez on the boundary, one of which was straight out of the old �Test match� game (string & ballbearing version) and the second which was actually a miss.
The Vicar, who the previous week had batted for the first time this year for DCC and who had taken a single on the first ball of an over exposing junior Jordan to the remaining 5 balls!
Confidence was low.
Even lower when, rather than tossing a few up to oblige us with a few extra to �chase�, the Eastwood Captain, sensing blood like a Great white, brought Neil Gregory on to nail our paltry innings. Surely the Vicar couldn�t survive��..
But something weird happened��..as if the Vicar had summoned divine intervention and all the Christian strength he could muster � and at this precise time the Almighty shone onto him and praise the Lord he survived a few balls. And then a few more�.. and then a few more. Neil Gregory grunted and ooohed and aaaghed, cursed and chuntered. The Vicar played and missed and deadbatted with increasing confidence
And at the same time Jamie was going to work, cutting hard and driving high and handsome.
Jamie worked his way through the sixties, then the seventies and then�. past the 82 mark and now if he stayed Not Out he would mug Jez for the batting gong.
Biggest DCC cheer of the day, in the penultimate over, the Vicar straight drove (he�d batted 12 overs for 1 run up to then) Neil Gregory for a delightful 3 and even better with the field up, he had to chase the ball as well!
And then Jamie�s hundred! He celebrated with a Pieterson/Nasser style jump and simultaneous bat wave.
A few more balls passed without either Jamie (102) or Mick (5) losing their wicket. Their partnership had taken us from desperate dire straits in the 27th over at 94-9 through to a respectable 156-9 at the forty over mark. Their unbroken partnership of 62 is now the new all time last wicket partnership (and the third all time record partnership broken this year).
Trust me, Eastwood were very aggressively going for that last wicket and whilst the Vicar hung on for grim death, Jamie�s innings was superb. To put it in to context in our innings of 156, there were only 20 scoring shots from the other batters! That�s how big his innings was.
And then ofcourse amazingly Jamie pipped Jez for the batting award with an average of 73.60, compared to Jez�s 69.60 � wow!
So, with that drama out of the way we had tea and to be fair it was the best one we have had at Eastwood as we contemplated restricting Eastwood to less than our 156 or bowling them out. As ever we needed a good start � Blakey was one of the openers and it was vital we either got a breakthrough or strangled their scoring. To that end Benno was given the opening slot with Andy.
Benno toiled away, but Andy (having indulged too much at the tea table) was pulled after 4 overs and then Richard was also withdrawn from the attack after only 2 overs. We achieved neither of our objectives as they cruised to 70-0 after 17 overs.
Insult was added to injury as Dean donned his DCC cap as he cut and drove fours. Banter from the home balcony and a couple of drops added to frustrations. A notable drop (off Dean) was by Andy at extra cover, in a fashion that Benno later called �like a baby touching a kettle��..mind you, it was travelling. This was off Jamie who has had his fair share of drops over the last two years. But he did provide the breakthrough as Dean went for just one too many expansive drives and for all money it was over Richard at deep mid on, but with a hop, skip and a jump he plucked it out of the air.
Benno completed a tidy 8 overs for 19 and now it was the turn of the Vicar, in his last match, on a high after his batting efforts. And what a spell he delivered, dibbling and dobbling, popping and seaming. But crucially keeping the run rate down and with an upturn in fielding quality and better support from the other bowlers we dragged ourselves into the match. 70-0 off 17, became 109-4 in 30 and Mick posted a more than handy 8-0-19-3. It was a super effort and now we were on it, with growing momentum and now it wasn�t about wickets it just became containment.
Neil Gregory had arrived and I knew that if we got him we would really have a great shout and following Mick�s tight lines, Andy got one to nip back and take the edge through to Adey (standing up). Dean gave it Not out. Must have been pad.
But 2 balls later, middle and leg were uprooted and Andy pulled a belter �out of the locker�.
124-5 after 32. Leaving 33 in eight to win with 5 wickets in hand.
Its �Brown Dog� time�.a bit like �Hammer Time� but not as noisy or aggressive!
Couldn�t have asked for more from Kev, I mean who would really want the responsibility of keeping it below 5 an over at the death. At the other end Rich nipped in with a much tidier 3 overs for 12. The fielding bar was raised again as we fought to keep the score down.
Nice little bowling change, take the pace off�..Jez didn�t hesitate when offered the penultimate over. I did, when his first ball was a wide! But alls well that ends well and a bit of flat Jack Flight saw his over concede just 3 runs. Nice.
Last over, no reason to change Brown Dog snr and they need 8 to win.
1 1 2 dot 2 and so we came to the last ball and fair play to Kev, he was as cool as a cucumber. Not so the batter, who as the field encroached, decided quite inexplicably to try and do a �Viv� and lift the ball to leg having stepped to off. Not a great move particularly as Kev hit leg stump�� and so we did it!
A last ball victory by one run.
This was a great day�.one of the best matches for many years, with more ups & downs than you could through a stick at. Brilliance from Jamie with the bat � but you had to have sympathy for Jez � how unlucky to score 690 odd runs averaging over 69 and not scoop the award. A great team performance in the field, lots of humour, a few beers and a curry.
How on earth we did it I still don�t know 3 days on. But we did. And no, we didn�t win a row of houses, but it felt like it!
Lots of banter in the changing room and after a beer in the pavilion a healthy turn out of 11 retired to the Simla in Kimberley for the end of season Ruby.
We reflected on the game and chewed the fat � How long we�ve all played for the club, AG�s impending Bobby work, Jez�s bad luck with the batting trophy and Benno�s take on most things!
We all �celebrated� Mick�s DCC career and he magnanimously took the praise, we treated him to his curry, but invited him chuck some loose change as a tip.
And here it is ...................................................he tossed a few coins��.and missed the plate!
What a great day for the Vicar with bat and ball�..but what a lovely sign off!