Concorde v Wibbandune CC

Match Report

Despite sending out the team for Sunday twice by Whatsapp and three times by email (admittedly by mistake and under the influence of a long two days at Lords) it seems the message that it was an earlier than usual start did not quite get through to everyone. Even less so in the case of the opposition who at the appointed hour had only 8 men available.As a result, the game started at the same time as the previous week (ie half an hour later than slated) though ultimately to no detriment of the match which still finished with plenty of light available!

Skipper for the day, Jerry Wright, perhaps buoyed by the fact that we had selected from 16 available, changed the habit of a lifetime and elected to bat first without first actually checking the team sheet to establish the strength of the Concorde bowling attack – a bad error in the circumstances! Nevertheless, we could hardly have got off to a better start as Jody and Nick Freeman, with some caution to begin with but with increasing aggression, piled on the runs. A 50 partnership for the first wicket was passed for the second time in successive weeks and in fact the first wicket did not fall until the score had reached 87, Nick being well caught at Midwicket.

Jody continued along his merry way with a pugnacious Phil Hall for company and had passed 50 before be was caught behind for 57. Phil looked in fine fettle after a couple of fallow weeks and had blasted his way to 46 before being caught, a serious case of jug avoidance if ever there was one. With Nick Wright and Andy Marshall at the wicket we had two of the biggest run scorers in Concorde history at the wicket but both are rusty after long lay off’s and after stroking a lovely boundary through cover, Nick was bowled for 6 and soon after, Andy was caught at slip for 7 aiming another of his trademark cuts through gulley.

This exposed the soft underbelly of the Concorde batting line up and Butt, bowling fast and throughout the innings, ripped out Luke Cottrell for 1 and Luca and Rob Symondson for ducks. 200 was looking a long way off but Matt Stockbridge and Dave Nash combined for a fruitful 8th wicket stand putting on 50 together in quick time before Jerry Wright declared the innings closed at bang on 4.15 with 220 in the bank. Dave was unbeaten on 25 as was Matt with 21.

It was after the usual splendid tea and upon taking the field that Skipper Jerry looked around him and realised the bowling cupboard might be, if not bare, at least a little thin. Dave Nash has opened the bowling on many an occasion with distinction but who to partner him? Andy Marshall stepped up to the plate and manfully trundled in but the creaks and groans coming from his unoiled limbs were audible from fine leg and the ball was not quite going where directed. Nevertheless, Dave at the other end, having taken his skippers advice to come round the wicket to the left hander, promptly knocked out the batsman’s off stump with his first delivery thereafter. As Jerry preened himself for his acute tactical vision, it became clear that the batsman was going nowhere, claiming that in spite of having taken guard, looked at the bowler all the way during his run up and having played a defensive shot, he was not ready to receive the ball!

For the second week in a row, it looked like another ugly incident was brewing as the batsman refused to budge but eventually his own team mates persuaded him to go and normal service was resumed. Had we known that the refusnik was going to be replaced by the whirlwind that succeeded him, we would have invited him to have another half a dozen innings but by then he had taken his bat and roared out of the car park! His replacement, together with the other opener, displayed such a liking to the Concorde bowling that in very short order the match was over with these two pulverising whatever was served up to them with the honourable exception of Matt Stockbridge who they treated with a modicum of respect and who emerged from the general battering having conceded only 4.6 runs per over, a positive triumph in an innings were the eventual run rate overall was almost 8 per over.

Some fearful stick was taken by all other bowlers brave enough to put their hands up as these two batsmen put on in excess of 200 with one retiring on 113 and the other being not out on 85 when the match ended after only 29 overs and with 13 of the final 20 still available. The post match drinks huddle was somewhat subdued but brightened visibly as opposition Captain Ray emerged from the clubhouse clutching jugs of lager as some sort of consolation prize for coming a distant second and which were gratefully received.