2007 Season
Repton School vs DCC
Paul writes:
After a November-like Sunday the week before and a disappointing but oh so predictable call off of the first match, we were blessed with fair May weather and a trip to Repton, a favourite fixture of many. Which is odd when you consider that it is the only fixture without a bar on the ground. Something of a conundrum there, but it says much for the beauty of the grounds and surrounding architecture, certainly if it outweighs not having Carling Cold within feet of the boundary!
So we were back for another season and we trooped into the historic Repton changing rooms and I was pleased to welcome back the legendary Hibbo and as I started to get changed the door opened and I heard �morning skipper, morning everyone� in a Richie Benaud-ish voice��Alec had arrived.
So, two welcome old stagers of our squad to compliment the very youthful look � due to illness, work, holidays and lame excuses, we had drafted in two of Bradley�s pals from his Kimberley team � Domonic & Danny. Thus 3 players combined age was equal to my waistline. A shocking statistic.
Even more shocking was the decision to insert the opposition, after seeing Tails come down � how many times have I done that?
Nice day, good light, 3 juniors, not stacked with bowling, opposition captain confident he can set a target � it still felt wrong though. A bit like the Fonz trying to say �s s s s s sorry�, it was��you can have a b b b b bat.
We gave the new ball to the Vicar, back out of retirement (didn�t actually retire after all) and he dibble & dobbled a steady 8 overs for 30 runs and wait for it�he didn�t go round the wicket once!
At the other end Jamie couldn�t quite get it right and was also wicketless, in five overs. But there was a breakthrough in there when a push to cover saw Jeremy pounce and whiz the ball back about four feet to the left of the stumps. Very impressively the keeper eased over and calmly and swiftly gathered and broke the stumps. Even more impressively as it was Bradley keeping for the first time for DCC and he was looking good.
It was in the eleventh over at 53 for 1 that I brought Alec on. We then saw a super spell of 3-23 in 7 overs with batters 2,3 and 5 all bowled, dispatched back to the pavilion. Alec really bowled well. The only bowler from either team to genuinely get something out of the near perfect track. Praise indeed, but then again our second change seamer was Crossy who very cleverly talked me into a 4 over stint after �netting well this winter� however 4 overs 0-8 was not a bad return at all. Well bowled.
The two debutants Danny & Dom really bowled well, they got a wicket apiece and coming on at the best part of � of the way through the innings they kept the run rate below 5 an over � no mean effort.
That just left Benno, a split spell, 3 overs from each end, customary guile and 2 wickets bagged.
I was well pleased with Bradley�s keeping, but I thought I would try and get him a stumping, so I delivered a trademark leg spin hand grenade to the number 11, who stepped down the wicket and had a swish, but the ball managed to hit middle stump rather than nip through for a stumping. Not complaining though, 0.1-0-0-1. � good strike rate!!.
In and around all the action Jez and Bradley combined for another run out � a key one as well, their skipper who had got a ton against us two years ago. So with a tumbling catch and two run outs I christened our player of the year 2006 as �Ricky P� for top work in the field��how long will it last? Not sure but it amused me. Jeremy being called Ricky P�..I love it�.I suspect as much as Jeremy dislikes it!
"Go on Ricky!"
179 all out in 38.1 overs. A nice total to chase � not too many, not too few..
Before that, tea on the balcony, overlooking the ground, in the sun. Beautiful.
Anyway at 11-1 in the sixth with run machine Flight back in the hutch, not good. No better at 30-2 in the 12th with star batter Crossy walking back with an unlucky 13 to his name and an even unluckier pulled back muscle.
But having been promoted to opener and after a seriously cautious start, Hibbo was growing in confidence and ultimately with 7 x 4�s and 3 x 6�s his excellent 55 was the backbone of the innings. Hibbo & I (29) managed to put together 87 for the third wicket, but with us both departing along with Domonic who unfortunately got bowled first ball, we were fifty runs short with 10 overs to go.
Cue the Lees/Street combo, who two years back had steered us to victory at the very same ground in amusing circumstances, with Alec trying to run, with his box slipping down his leg and Jamie nearly catching him up. Anyway Jamie (39no � oh no here we go again) and Alec 17 no delivered victory in the 38th over.
Highlights of the innings were generally from Hibbo, who characteristically had a big beaming smile immediately after being bowled (he�s the only person I know that takes getting out in this very sporting way). Two of the three sixes he hit were huge. They probably fell short of his �over the trees and out the ground� at Nuthall (about 20 years ago) and his �into the chocolate factory� shot at Belper Meadows, which was talked about for many years.
And so we retired to the Red Lion across the road. The new terraced outside drinking/smoking area was just right for celebratory Carlings and J2Os alike dependent on age. We totted up the points for the fantasy league and shared views on how sore and stiff we were getting after the first match (no different to the last match � its called getting old).
Man of the Match � well there was only one winner. With no nets this winter and no games last year, Alec dropped it on a sixpence and uprooted the stumps three times and batted sublimely (he hit a hat trick ball off his legs for four). But there was no talk of further matches, no talk of re-creating todays glory. The dreaded �hanging your boots up� conversation was avoided fortunately and long may that continue. Whilst ever he can deliver, like today, a few games a year have surely got to be squeezed out. The sad truth is that when that day comes it will be just like the burning embers of the Cutty Sark and we stand to lose the work of a craftsman.
Anyway a good day, encouraging youth policy, a new nickname, lots of laughs, a beautiful ground, a victory and the cricket was pretty good as well.
The season has commenced.