2011 Season
The match reports from the 2011 season are available below:
| Date | Opposition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 1st May 2011 | Long Whatton | Lost |
| Sunday 29th May 2011 | Belper | Won by 9-wickets |
| Sunday 3rd July 2011 | Eastwood | Battered |
Long Whatton - Sunday 1st May 2011
Match report by Smudger
So, the final season began with a trip to Long Whatton with the assembled players looking suitably prepared for the season ahead, which roughly translates to everyone arriving at the ground on time. There was much discussion and filling in forms for the spot fixing challenge, although captain for the day Crossy considered the whole thing to be a travesty of the game and refused to enter the competition, instead choosing to go out to the middle and negotiate us having first bat, which he duly achieved, possibly without a coin being tossed in anger.
So Ady and Jamie padded up on a sunny but windy day but what looked like a true and even surface at the start, with four players on the opposition side wearing some form of headgear, in case you are interested, was soon displaying some uneven bounce, with the low shooter requiring particular attention. Jamie was first to depart, caught and bowled, after an opening stand of 29, in case you are interested, and it was quickly two wickets in two balls when a tall, thin, left handed makeshift number three missed a straight one with his bat but middled it with his right foot, umpire Bennett raising a wry smile just before raising his finger. Guest player John faired little better and we were soon 30 for three with Crossy striding out to the middle. He and Ady did a super rescue job though, putting on 103 in 25 overs, Crossy in particular finding the boundary on a regular occasion. He eventually departed for 62 and Ady for 72 but limited wagging from the tail, particularly from last over, dot ball, I thought there was another over chaps, specialist Brown Dawg Senior, left us with a total of 169 for eight, in case you are interested.
Tea was taken with four different varieties of cake available, in case you are interested, and we headed into the field, watched by six supporters, in case you are interested, to defend our total.
It was a left arm opening combination with Faizal and Brown Dawg Junior opening the bowling and, after his first ball nightmare here two seasons ago, Rich got a wicket with his first ball and soon picked up another with a smart caught and bowled to finish with two for 18. Benno came on and bowled a tidy spell, also claiming two wickets but some strong acceleration from their numbers five and six, combined with some indifferent bowling and fielding from ourselves, saw them home with over four overs to spare. Kev declined Crossy's offer of a bowl, claiming he had pulled a muscle although it looked like all he had pulled was the wool over Crossy's eyes as he didn't fancy being tonked to all parts like the rest of us were towards the end.
So a defeat but nice to be back in the swing of things playing some cricket and enjoying a beer and a natter after the game.
Belper - Sunday 29th May 2011
Match report by Paul
We have been going to Belper Meadows pretty much every season for the last 28 years and it has always been a competitive game. Always a good tea, TV in the pavilion and in recent years a post match BBQ -the three latter points positively contributing to the visit.
Some memories include Hibbo smashing one of the biggest sixes I have ever seen, into the chocolate factory, Crossy & Blakey scoring tremendous tons and me getting a trip to Derby royal infirmary for 13 stitches in my lip after eating a short ball - Crossy said it was like batting with JFK.
For our last visit to BM, we struggled a little to draw an eleven from our Club playing squad, which in light of the aforementioned quality tea and BBQ came as something of a surprise. But I managed to recruit willing youthful replacements happy to oblige and so we went into the game with four cricketers under 18, which may have been a first. For me as Captain that was quite a bonus as it meant I only had to "hide" Benno, rather than three or four less than agile individuals, but more of that later.
The inevitable TAILS prevailed and due to the lack of Lees, Blake & Flight I decided to let them have first dibs on a day where showers could easily bring Duckworth-Lewis into play.
One of my Kimberley proteges opened the bowling, namely Tom Boyden, who bowled a very good line and length, mainly at the more aggressive opener and was unlucky not to get a wicket. He probably would have if I had introduced a second slip, rather than watch two big snicks shoot through for fours. When I finally succumbed and put a second slip in, I realised quickly that this was a fruitless exercise. Firstly as the prior chances had passed us by and secondly with Andy Gaunt rubbing his hands and standing very unconvincingly at slip with the demeanour of a man that really didn't want the ball to go anywhere near him. But fair play to Andy, as there was not a long queue of players who genuinely fancied going in the cordon.
At the other end Brown Dawg junior bowled a great line and his 7 overs for just 17 runs indicate that.
A double bowling change followed and the sixteenth over saw a breakthrough. But not before some great amusement as Andy bowled his first ball since I don't know when (and Andy didn't care to remember). The first two balls were pretty good, nice and tidy, but Andy apparently complained of chest pains as he started to build a head of steam. On his second ball the batsman could easily have pulled out as Andy was talking on the way to the wicket (!) or I should say part laughing, part jibberish, part "oh my God" that feels odd kind of stuff.
Anyway, the third ball, a full bunger, was driven to Mid Off where Smudger was patrolling and as the ball dipped, he sort of crumbled to the ground, but managed to cling on to it and "hey presto". Over many years Gaunty has taken more than his fair share of wickets with full tosses. This one provided as much amusement as all the prior wickets particularly when we compared it to Richard's wicketless spell of line and length and maidens bowled from that end in the preceding 7 overs, but that's cricket for you.
Anyway a 70 run partnership followed but it was in 18 overs, so not running away from us and we bowled well, with just one wide in the whole innings and some very good fielding - oh what a joy to have young legs, willing youthfulness and eager bodies on our side!
We did put two catches down in this spell. Their Captain and opening batter chipped a modest skier to mid on, but as Benno lined himself up, a gust of wind caught the ball and its trajectory and angle of descent changed dramatically leaving Benno standing waiting and the ball landing a yard in front of him!
I was the other "dropper" - unbelievably in my favourite tickle round the corner, leg slippy type position. But unlike prior years where I would have plucked it out with aplomb, today it hit my calf and I didn't lay a hand on it. Bradley mentioned Specsavers twice. The first time it was funny....
Guest Gavin Huskinson bowled six overs for 28, Andy finished with 7 overs 1-21 and we contained well.
We bagged the Skipper for 78 in the 34th over when he turned Smudger to square leg where Gav took an easy catch. As the score was 128 and Benno was keeping the runs down very well at the other end, I fancied we could keep the score down well.
There have been lots of match reports where at this point, it goes... but then this happened... or but then our worst fears came true... but their number six had other ideas. You know the ones don't you?
But hey guess what it didn't happen as our tidy fielding (inc a good catch from Danny - great technique!) and excellent death bowling from Smudge (2-38) and Benno (8-1-28-1) bore fruit and they closed at 161-4 in 40 and we were definitely in with a shout.
Tea followed and Ady and I went out to chase down the runs. When I say "chase" it was more of a brisk walk and at times a bit of hopping, then a sit down and one or two fairy steps... but we kept going... and going... putting on 101 for the first wicket, in 27 overs.
Regrettably we ran four threes - and I mean regrettably, as my bones, knee & back were screaming "Get out or hit fours!!"
Adey batted sensibly as ever, guiding, cutting and driving in commanding fashion. I played more "air shots" than I care to count. Fair play to the Belper boys they could have chirped harder (or louder)... not once did they say "shall we put a bell in it?" or different versions of that kind of thing.
Anyway I tamely holed out to mid wicket in the end (for 37) leaving Crossy (31 not out) to do what he does, by taking control and dominating the bowlers, with Adey moving very nicely to a well played 78 not out. The 9 wicket victory came in the 38th over.
The humour in the changing room continued, with Benno as ever the main exponent. His suggestion that Gaunty was playing with his stab vest under his shirt resonated as the biggest kettle and teapot comment of the century. The language was at times ripe, the stories always funny and the satisfaction of a job well done was enjoyed by all.
Eastwood - Sunday 3rd July 2011
Match report by Paul
Much confusion before the match - will it be 2 x 20 overs, 1 x 25 overs and 1 x 20?? But at the pre match captains chat we settled on a 45 over game. I invited Eastwood to have a bat as they had beat us batting second last year and it seemed the right thing to do - plus I still prefer being on the balcony for the second half.
We had a new ball and Richard was eager to crack on (predominantly because he had to leave at 4pm to go to work) however when I offered the new ball opportunity out there was a deadly silence and indeed Andy Gaunt did a quick U turn and walked the other way. So it was left to Smudge to give it a burst at the other end.
It was Brown Dog jnr who got an early breakthrough on 13, but that lead to the ever daunting prospect of Neil Gregory ambling to the middle. A 132 run partnership followed in 23 overs with the unlikely outcome of Benno not taking a wicket at Eastwood.
However there was one spinner (erm slow bowler) that was in the wickets - namely David Spencer, cometh the hour cometh the pacemaker man! Six overs, five wickets for forty runs! A delightful mixture of deliveries ranging from 10mph to 40mph (effort ball) and no one more delighted (or surprised) than Spinno himself to bag a bowling trophy for the haul.
Eastwood wilted a little from 180-2 to 234-10 then the agreed last man added 32 with his partner so it was 266-10 off 40 overs. 54 runs and eight wickets is a good effort in the middle there and everything was going right at this stage - not least a stunning catch at cover by Adey, 2 stumpings and 2 catches by Bradley and a stupendous long on catch by Brown Dog snr who didn't have to move one pace to one that was drilled at him. Danny picked 2 wickets up with some medium pace and just Crossy and Jez chose not to bowl.
Halfway through the first innings the game was halted for the team to go over and shake the hand of former DCC legend Keith Brown, who had called in to watch and before long two other A listers namely Mark Dawson and Steve Mee appeared. I was hopeful we could do them justice in the run chase - 266 off 45 overs.....maybe?
Frankly, sadly not - nowhere near. Indeed at 10-0 in the eighth it was crystal clear we were up against it. At 93-4 in the 30th even less so. However, credit where it's due things would have looked significantly worse had it not been for the doggedness of Ady who made a solid 41. Along with Crossy's 30.
The innings closed at 144-8 and the A listers dispersed - except for Daws who had another couple of pints - "no point rushing off Kid"
Bit of an anti climax to be honest ........
Best part of the day?......sharing so many stories from years and games gone by with Keith ........it occurred to me that the Legends game on 31st July and the 50 years of the Club event will be a great success if a small proportion of the huge repertoire of stories come out - magic!