2010 Season

The match reports, batting averages and bowling averages from the 2010 season are available below:

Date Opposition Result
Sunday 18th April 2010 ARNOLD-NOTTS AMS Won by 22 runs
Sunday 2nd May 2010 LONG WHATTON Lost by 83 runs
Sunday 9th May 2010 LOUGHBOROUGH CAR
Sunday 23rd May 2010 QUORN CC Won by 76 runs
Sunday 30th May 2010 BELPER MEADOWS Lost by 6 runs
Sunday 13th June 2010 ROLLESTON Abandoned - rain
Sunday 4th July 2010 BUCKMINSTER CC Lost by 5 wickets
Sunday 1st August 2010 LOUGHBOROUGH OUTWOODS
Sunday 22nd August 2010 BROOMLEYS Cancelled
Sunday 29th August 2010 EASTWOOD TOWN Cancelled

Batting

M

I

N/O

R

Ave

H/S

50s

100s

4s

6s

B'dary. %

Ct

St

I Cross

7

7

1

307

51.17

109

2

1

43

4

63.84%

2

0

A Cooper

7

7

0

287

41.00

95

2

0

37

0

51.57%

5

3

Also batted

J Smith

6

3

1

48

24.00

45

0

0

5

0

41.67%

1

0

J Lees

3

3

0

65

21.67

37

0

0

9

1

64.62%

0

0

S Bennett

7

2

1

17

17.00

11

0

0

3

0

70.59%

3

0

D Blake

2

2

0

33

16.50

23

0

0

5

0

37.04%

0

0

P Taylor

7

6

0

86

14.33

31

0

0

8

0

37.21%

0

0

B Taylor

6

5

1

45

11.25

15

0

0

4

0

35.56%

2

0

R Brown

7

6

2

36

9.00

27

0

0

5

0

55.56%

2

0

M Stewardson

4

1

0

6

6.00

6

0

0

1

0

66.67%

0

0

D Spencer

6

3

1

12

6.00

5

0

0

0

0

0.00%

1

0

D Brennan

4

4

1

8

2.67

3

0

0

0

0

0.00%

3

0

J Allport

1

1

0

2

2.00

2

0

0

0

0

0.00%

0

0

K Brown

5

2

0

3

1.50

3

0

0

0

0

0.00%

3

0

J Flight

2

2

2

54

-

35

0

0

5

0

37.04%

0

0

M Sugarman

1

0

0

0

-

0

0

0

0

0

0.00%

0

0

A Gaunt

3

0

0

0

-

0

0

0

0

0

0.00%

0

0

Bowling

O

M

R

W

Ave

Best

R per O

St. Rate

S Bennett

44

8

181

14

12.93

5 for 17

4.11

18.86

R Brown

42

5

174

2

87.00

2 for 24

4.14

126

Also bowled

P Taylor

4.2

0

17

2

8.50

1 for 4

3.92

13.00

K Brown

15.1

2

67

4

16.75

3 for 10

4.42

22.75

J Smith

34.1

7

125

6

20.83

2 for 17

3.66

34.17

M Stewardson

28

6

92

4

23.00

3 for 15

3.29

42

A Gaunt

13

1

53

2

26.50

2 for 31

4.08

39

D Spencer

22

2

114

4

28.50

2 for 26

5.18

33

D Brennan

16

1

92

3

30.67

2 for 43

5.75

32

D Blake

7

0

43

1

43.00

1 for 26

6.14

42

J Allport

5

0

24

0

-

0 for 24

4.80

-

ARNOLD-NOTTS AMS - Sunday 18th April 2010

Match report by Smudger

The start of another season, either our 49th or 50th, no-one seems to be quite sure, and it was off to Goosedale for a match against Notts and Arnold Amateurs. Despite the ban on air travel, all that could be heard at the ground was the sound of aeroplanes courtesy of the neighbouring model aeroplane enthusiasts on what was a sunny but rather chilly day. I'm not quite sure if Paul genuinely won the toss or whether he just did his usual negotiating but we batted first and he and Jamie padded up with Ady on standby for the number 3 position as Ian was running a bit late. Understandable though as he lives at least half a mile from the ground.

 

Paul didn't last too long unfortunately as he chopped one onto his stumps in the third over and was out for only two. Ian had arrived by this time so went in first drop but Jamie was soon departed with one that kept low and hit him pretty much bang in front. Umpire Benno didn't hesitate in raising the finger of doom, leading to suggestions that Jamie was not one of his fantasy team selections.

 

Ady joined Ian and the pair put on 120 in 27 overs with Ian first to reach his fifty. Ady completed his half century shortly afterwards and in fine style with a reverse sweep. Now, I can't remember such a shot in the club's history and certainly not one played with such aplomb, the ball racing to the boundary. Wickets soon began to fall though with Ady first to go, followed by Ian next over. Bradley made a useful 15 not out and we finished on 165 for 6 off our 40.

 

Tea was taken in a somewhat crowded pavilion with more footballers around than cricketers and it was a good deal cooler when we went out to field. Before a ball had even been bowled, Benno staked an early claim for the boob award when he took a bit of a tumble on the artificial practicing his bowling. It certainly reminded me of his little fall at Sherwood Colliery all those years ago, but without the run up.

 

He dusted himself down sufficiently enough to open the bowling with the vicar (Richard apparently declining the first over of the season after what happened at Long Whatton last season) and Benno took a wicket in his first over before going on to claim three in his three spells. N and AA made a fair go of it but a quick three wickets in two overs spell from Rich and myself plus wickets for Danny and Paul led to our hosts falling 22 runs short.

 

Paul's wicket was notable as the most accurate club records suggest that it was his 100th wicket for the club. It was taken in typical fashion with a big pie sent down invitingly to the batsman who danced down the wicket and missed it completely, allowing Ady enough time to read the latest Wisden before removing the bails. After the match, Paul reckoned that it worked out at about three wickets per season although he did say that he didn't get a bowl until he became captain. Safe to say the previous captain missed a trick there.

 

The final mention must go to Bradley who capped an impressive performance with a direct hit run out reminiscent of Derek Randall in his pomp.

 

For the record, here's Paul's career bowling figures.

 

291.5 overs, 7 maidens, 1704 runs, 100 wickets, average 17.04.

LONG WHATTON - Sunday 2nd May 2010

Match report by Paul Taylor

So there he stood with new ball in hand, ready to "unleash hell", well maybe not quite but as Brown Dog junior stood at the end of his run up, his memory must have cast back to the same time last year. That was ofcourse the first ball of the season and he fell sideways, breaking his finger and played the shortest game of cricket in the history of well, er cricket really. I mean he effectively got injured before the first ball had travelled half way down the wicket.

Beads of sweat considered peppering his forehead, but the fact that it was 9 degrees centigrade sent them back to where they came and he ran in for the first ball.

I can't actually remember what happened, but suffice to say no broken fingers, no trips to hospital and the book records a maiden. Demons dealt with, on with the game.

This was Long Whatton and I had forgot my socks. I was last in the changing room and was getting organised in the shower area, as this was the last space available. Benno threw me some socks. They were old, knobbly and had seen one or two matches. Beggars can't be choosers I thought. At leats they are branded I noticed. But whats this? Not Nike, Adidas or maybe even G&M - no they were "Georgio"... the first choice for gay cricketers. Ah well, on they go - along with 5 layers on top- as its now 8.5 degrees centrigrade.

You recall that we are bowling and to be fair its not a bad start, with Vicar nipping in with a surprisingly good 8-4-15-3 and Richard containing well with just 25 runs off his 8.

Joe Allport making his DCC debut bowled well and Benno was split into 3 spells (a first for him) and conceding just 28 runs, albeit 16 of those came in his last over! Spinno (2 wkts), Brown Dog snr and Danny(2 wkts) all had a go as well and they ended up at 196-7 after 40 overs. Bearing in mind they were 95-5, its fair to say we let them have one or two more than we wanted and predictably their captain made 60, before he was stumped by Ady off Danny.

Tea is good at LW and today was no different. The cup of tea was particularly good to warm the inners and hands which had been starved of warmth for the last 2 1/2 hours.

We kicked off pretty well with 40 in the first 10, predominantly from Ady, who looked very nice indeed. But as he stepped in front to the left arm over opening bowler, the crooked finger of doom was lifted by Mick and Ady trudged off. I capitulated to an LB as well but to one that kept low from their spinner (captain Alex after batting 3 and getting sixty bought himself on as first change). So when Mick gave Joe out LBW as well although he was convinced he had hit it, we awre 75-3 and it was time to relieve the Vicar of LBW, er umpiring duties. Thus it came as quite a surprise to me when the first ball I umpired saw Ian's back leg chock in front of middle stump. It took a few fleeting seconds to think of any way possible to turn down the appeal, but I succumbed and the first four batters had all gone for 80 - all LBW.

This was a shame as Crossy was looking good with 32 to his name and the fielders getting agitated, remembering his bludgeoning of the year before.

There were nineteen further scoring shots, mainly ones, as we crumbled in the cold to a dismal 113 all out. Seeing 8 wickets fall for 38 runs was no fun, but there you go. Their captain bowled his full 8 overs, getting great value for his subscription, but rendering half his team to barely a game. They didn't seem to care though.

We licked our wounds and looked forward to better and warmer days ahead.

QUORN CC - Sunday 23rd May 2010

Match report by Spenno

On a balmy late spring afternoon Quorn was the venue for the latest outing for the sporting colossus known simply as Dorchester. Pre match tales of Saturday matches were exchanged and the consensus was on a day like today it's a good toss to win and bat first. Thankfully Paul obliged and Messrs Lees and Cooper strode to the crease to begin the task of accumulating a good score. However where was Tel? The finest run scorer in the club was absent from his post, not only that no-one knew where he was and why he was late.

A steady start, runs coming at about four an over, some interesting shot selections and the first ten overs safely negotiated with 45 on the board with no loss. But still no Tel. This was serious, this was Clough without Taylor, Torvill without Dean, Tea without Cake. No matter- still the brave openers toiled in the heat until after 12 overs, looming over the horizon came our hero. What a man, we could all breathe easy. Apparently picked up a job in Bridgford on his way to the match.

Back to the mundane...after 17 overs the rate had been upped and drinks were taken at 86 for no loss. First ball after drinks..Mr Lees plays and misses 86-1 Nice 37 from Jamie obviously disappointed not to have progressed on. In comes Ian Cross and in tandem with Ady proceed to take the score to 203-2 after 35. A fine 55 from Ian perhaps spoiled by his outshot but no matter, not easy to keep fully focussed on a hot day.Brad Taylor next up and willing to join the fray however at 207 Ady nibbles at a slightly wider one and a fine one handed catch by the Quorn keeper snares him for 95. Brad is joined by Danny Brenan and between them they manage to steer the score to a respectable 221-3 with Brad being out LBW on the last ball. Brad produced the shot of the day...a touch of the IPL spoon for a fine four and also chased hard in the last over in which Danny could have been run out twice. Brad ended up with 14 and Danny a 3 not out.

So a fairly routine evening in the field and back to the bar for a drink.....well...if you've been an avid watcher of Dorchester over the years you'll know that routine and DCC and going to plan don't always work.

Rich Brown and Jon Smith to open the bowling, Jamie manages to drop the more free-scoring of the openers very early on...poor Brown Dog Junior no luck for him, as the batsman takes advantage of his slice of luck. Steve Bennett comes on after 10 overs and in the 12th Smudge bowls the more conservative opener. Jamie drops the other opener again but Benno gets him (bowled) and the number 4 (Caught and Stumped all in one movement by Brad) in quick succession 70-3 which becomes 77-4 as Benno strikes again this time a fine catch by Ady behind after the 20 over change around with Brad.

Now the fun really starts...mainly because Dave Spencer is bowling. First there's there's a dropped catch by Rich Brown which I have to say would have been stupendous had it been held, then Danny misjudges one and to add insult to injury Spinno dropped one off his own bowling “didn't see it was the cry...'yeah right. The beneficiary of this drop decided to attack at this point and 3 consecutive boundaries is normally sufficient to remove a bowler from the action, however Paul with excellent working knowledge of the Disability Discrimination Act and “reasonable adjustment'gives Spinno another chance and is rewarded with two wickets in the next over...a fine catch by Danny and a bowled. Benno joins in again and it's 107-7.

Danny enters the fray along with Kev Brown and a couple of supporting overs from Paul. Quorn nudge and nurdle (but with the odd big hit) to 145 all out...Brown Dog Senior wrapping up the tail virtually single handed...two bowled and one caught by his lad.

So a fairly competent performance but being hyper critical more catches need to held.

Vice- skip was around to keep an eye on the proceedings...practising his golf with young Harry....mmm expect an announcement anytime soon re the golf day....it's not his injury keeping him out it's the fact he thinks he's gonna win the golf and doesn't want any alarms....

Scores on the doors..DCC 221-3 (Cooper 95, Cross 55) Quorn 145 (Bennett 4-15, K Brown 3-10)

BELPER MEADOWS - Sunday 30th May 2010

Match report by Paul Taylor

We've been going to Belper for a good many years. It's a nice place to play cricket and their always a decent bunch of folks.

I decided to insert them for a bat today as our batting seemed atouch slim and they appeared full of youth and looking forward to the game. We had one eye on the tea 'always a goodie.

The Smith/Stewardson opening combo saw a steady start, but no wickets. Thus a Brown Dog jnr/PC Gaunt double change after 8 overs was employed. Cue a potential champagne moment, with Andy sending down his first ball for 6 weeks as a juicy full toss. His arm, stiffer than his truncheon. The batter cracked it merrily towards extra cover, whereupon the aptly placed short extra cover fielder, Ian dived down and snaffled the ball with shocking ease and in a jiffy we had our first wicket….albeit fortuitous in the extreme.

Andy has, over many years, used the off stump full bunger to good effect, collecting wickets all round Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire and this was even more satisfying at it turned out to be his nephew. So always got that one in the locker for Christmas get togethers.

Andy collected another wicket and at 43-2 in the 14th we were well placed. Consequently it was a bit of a shock to walk off at 430pm with them having posted 229-5 in their allotted 40. So that 180 odd runs give or take in the last 26. Their number 3 batter called Roe (no fish jokes please……batter…..Roe) made hay while the sun shone, ending up with a fine 148 not out and leaving normally reliable bowlers like Benno with figures to erase from the memory. But due to his poor sock offering at Long whatton I can confirm he went for 58 in 6 overs. All the other bowlers suffered as well. But with one highlight a very nice run out from Richard.

Tea was as good as ever and we perked up on the back of it and began to set our stall out for the run chase. Ady and I went out and after he had ably dealt with the first over, my positive intentions over came me on the first ball outside off stump and I struck it straight down the gullet of the aforementioned Mr Roe at extra cover, who made no mistake and snapped me up.

I was well and truly kippered. I should and cod have done better. I could have gudgeoned it anywhere on the off side. So many gaps to hit my first ball, so many plaices to pick, but there it was….as if in slow motion….a golden duck, trout first ball, caught Roe and I was herring on the inconsolable.

This was however an opportunity for Ian and Ady to develop a partnership and so they did. In fact a very healthy one of 134 in 28 overs, meaning it was 90 odd required in the last 11.

Ian played fantastically well with 15 fours and a six and he secured a terrific century (104) with some powerful leg side blows. Ady's 41 was the perfect supporting role,

So the stage was set and when Smudger strolled to the wicket I am sure he didn't truly fancy his chances. But as Bradley, Danny and Spinno departed 'all trying to keep the rate moving, Smudger got his sleeves rolled up and was cracking it all over. In fact the partnership with Spinno of 29 was all action and as Dave nipped in with just 5 of those in the four overs it took to compile you can see that here was Smudger at his batting best. All of a sudden the score board was being changed each ball rather than each over and although 228 was a big ask, we heading towards it at pace.

Regrettably we were just one hit short and as Jonny ended at 45 not out and the innings completed at 217-6 in our 40. A great effort!

After I was out I sat in the changing rooms, on my own, with all my kit on for about 20 minutes. Certainly not the cricketer I once was, but then again I'm nearly forty six for goodness sake. I reflected on all the great Dorchester years, my 33 playing years in fact. I thought about where we are now, where we have been and we might go. Not a great time to make a decision after a first ball nought, so I put it to one side. But then I spoke to two senior pro's 'guys like me who have put years and years into the club we love and into the game we love.

I continued to think about my time in the Belper changing rooms and a week after I decided that next year will be my last with DCC. Our 50th year and my 34th.

BUCKMINSTER CC - Sunday 4th July 2010

Match report by Jeremy Flight

I arrived fashionably late in the scenic environs of Buckminster, having been rather alarmed, an hour and twenty minutes ago, to see “1-hour 20-mins'flash up on the sat nav after I'd tapped in today's destination. I was running late anyway but was now in serious danger of missing tea.

Kathy Lette once described cricket thus: “Basically, it's just a whole bunch of blokes standing around scratching themselves'. Kathy Lette is a feminist, which ain't good, and Australian, which is far worse and as I lugged my bag across the outfield towards the pavilion, I saw a whole bunch of Dorchester blokes sitting down scratching themselves and realised just how wrong she was.

We were 50-odd for 1 at this point. Blakey was the man out for 23, meaning that Paul and Crossy were in. Several things were immediately apparent:

  1. I hadn't missed tea.
  2. Crossy was doing his best to swipe everything over the legside boundary, which was significantly closer to the cut strip than that on the offside.
  3. Several swipes didn't connect properly / at all, due in large part to the unpredictable bounce emanating from the straw-coloured strip, which itself was surrounded by a straw-coloured outfield comprised mostly of long, dry, dead grass. Straw, that is. They hadn't seen too much rain down here in the last few weeks.

The innings proceeded in similar vein: the wicket often out-doing the incumbant Dorchester batter on account of the assortment of popping bounce, vicious sideways movement or shooting low grubbiness.

All in all, we made a reasonable fist of it, Crossy top scoring with 38, Ady and Paul adding 26 and 21 respectively and Bradders, Brown Dawg Minor and m'good self nurdling a few at the end to bring our innings total to 176 '6 off 40-overs. Note the helpful addition of 20 byes in that total, due to the aforementioned vicious popping shooting grubber bounce and the fact that their keeper seemed awesome at taking balls on off stump and pretty piss poor with anything down leg.

Tea was taken without hesitation and what a marvellous effort that was. The cake end of the table was quite rightly more populated than the sandwich end and cups of tea, served in mugs of assorted sizes, that rather hit the spot.

Buckminster had a dusty old transistor radio circa 1976 talking away to itself in the corner and the general scene was of twenty-odd well-plated blokes lounging around (some scratching, some not) in no particular hurry to do anything. Splendid.

All good things come to an end and in the changing room before the resumption, we discussed the finer tactical points of our bowling strategy. The word “straight'got plenty of air time. One or two looked around quizzically, wondering what it meant. I ventured that the wicket was ideally suited to Mїk Vicårssön, our infamous Danish bowler playing for Dorchester on a Kolpac, but sadly conspicuous by his absence today. Trainee dobbler Brown Dog Major, along with seasoned veterans Bennett and Smith, would have to shoulder the burden of responsibility.

2nd over in and their opener larrups one for four back over Benno's head. In Benno's next over, he does it twice more. And Benno says "Shot!" to him on both occasions! I think he's going soft. Now, if it'd been a chirpy 15-year old...

The Buckmeister, as he shall henceforth be known, dominated their innings with an entertaining knock of 86, comprised almost entirely of boundaries and shots that would have been boundaries had he not picked out one of our fielders. The delicate late cut and Bradley's “Dilshan'don't appear part of his shot-making repertoire just yet. “Stand up and hit the bugger'more accurately reflects his approach. And fair play, he knew his own game and played it well.

Not something that could be said of matey boy at t'other end, who'd joined the Buckmeister after Benno had lured numbers 2 and 3 into mis-hitting balls out to Brown Dawg the Elder, patrolling the long off territory, where he took two solid catches.

His innings of 29 included more chips than you get at a Harry Ramsdens' Bumper Buffet Night and was either the:

  1. flukiest display of poorly timed shots ever seen
  2. most skilful exhibition of subtle placement even seen

Without exception, balls lobbed lazily to all parts, missing fielders by 5-yards here or a few feet there. Sheer self-respect would have caused better men to stand on their own stumps after reaching 15 or so but no, on he went, until Blakey, fielding in the covers, put him out of his misery with a canon that knocked back middle stump. Run out, but with the score on 152 and still 7-overs to go, it was too late.

When we trooped off the field a little later and shook hands with the opposition, he simply said to me, in a rather meek voice, "Sorry!". Which rather sums it up.

A little earlier in the piece, as their run rate got further ahead of what was required, Paul had turned to Spenno for what he described as an “experimental'over. Spenno duly experimented with some loopy off-tweakers, which went well enough other than the two 4's their opener spanked into the hedge behind the short boundary. Well bowled, Spenno. Have a break, son.

There was still time for us to collect a few wickets though, the Buckmeister finally lobbing one to Bradders off Kev's bowling and Blakey claiming a "proper" dismissal, their number 6 caught behind first ball. Spenno came back for a second spell as well, which was only fair.

Bradders catch warrants mention given his earlier attempt to claim one at slip, which involved four limbs being thrust towards all points of the compass, whilst in mid-air. He never looked close to catching it from where I stood at mid-off, although I heard later that he had “thumbed'it on its way past, but it was tremendous entertainment for the casual onlooker.

Mention should also go to Brown Dawg Junior who looked the most threatening with the ball and, on one occasion, got one to rear up off a length like a frightened horse, which their number 4 tried to chip in between two fielders, missed, and Ady wore it on the chest. That aside, Ady's display was near impeccable in non-friendly keeping conditions.

But the Buckmeister had basically won it for Buckminster and, with the help of their number 5 who played a pleasant innings of 17 to see them home, they reached 177 in the 36th over, for the loss of 5-wickets.

Next week's bureau lucky dip was quickly pooh-poohed in favour of watching the footie World Cup final and so our next fixture is in about 4-weeks' time.

Highlights:

DCC

Total 176 - 6
I Cross 38 (6 x 4's, 1 x 6)
A Cooper 26 (2 x 4's)
D Blake 23 (4 x 4's)

Buckminster CC

Total 177 - 5
S Bennett 7 overs, 2 for 36
K Brown 6 overs, 1 for 21
D Blake 5 overs, 1 for 26