Match reports - Hollybush

by BCR
The Mighty Cavs snatched a tie from the jaws of victory in what was surely one of the most dramatic matches to grace Rotho's lower pitch in recent years. Requiring just three runs from the last over to win a needle match against The Bush, the boys could only manage, erm, two. A quickly scampered single off the final ball ensured honours were shared between these fiercest of rivals. Their record against each other now stands at: won one, lost one, tied one. With the light fading over a picture postcard Rotho Park, the scene was set for a glorious Cavs victory as the final over begun. Dynamic duo Nick 'Brindo' Brindley and Jez 'A.D' Tooperman needed to strike three from six to go down in Cavs folklore. Tight bowling restricted the flow of runs, though, and with two balls left, the Cavs still needed deux to win the match.

Spectators and players found it almost unbearable to watch as the tension mounted. Firmin slipped off for a quick one with 'er indoors behind the Park's largest tree. Jay Wise slipped on Rankin's shorts and Lloyd fumbled with his crown jewels as his first victory as captain threatened to slip from his grasp.

Brindo, though, a man for the big occasion, launched into a bullet shot off the penultimate ball and with the Cavs supporters anticipating the winning runs... the ball was duly caught at mid-off. Cue ridiculours Bush celebrations and a muted Cavs dressing room. Up stepped Jim 'V.D' Burton, whose inclusion in the team was only confirmed an hour before the game started as he 'polished his balcony' (Is that what you're calling it nowadays, Jimbo?). Jezza took strike and with Burton itching for action at the non-strikers end, this was surely the combo to make Cavs' dreams a reality. It wasn't to be though. Just one off the final ball ensured the Cavs' first tied match. After the match a disappointed Lloyd said: "Right, there's no way we're going to the Bush for a pint". Forty-five minutes later the lads' were eyeing up Motty in Redbourn's finest rub. Earlier in the day, the Cavs had showed how much a niggly fixture and blazing hot sunshine brings out the best in their game as they bowled tightly and fielded even more so. Still, the Bush somehow managed to squeeze out 198 runs from their 40 overs with a gutsy display of lower order batting. Their 'creative' scorers work for Arthur Anderson, apparently. After a quality tea, Rankin and Wise took up the challenge. Jay went to a disputed leg before while on one and fresh from a night 'on it' Elbo stepped up to the crease.

Rankin dug in for 22 overs and had managed to reach double figures by the time he was bowled round his legs for 36. El, nervous about being caught leg before by the left armer, overcame his demons and struck a delightful 40-odd before losing his wicket and collapsing on the boundary through exhaustion. Jimmy Hat carried on the fight, as did Snr and Brindo, but it just wasn't to be. A quality game and the season continues next week with another big fixture - Essendon.

And a word from Skip...

Good words Ben Rankin. I notice that we're now talking about it as a tie rather than a victory... have we buckled again to pressure from the 'bush? I still maintain that if two teams finish a limited overs match with the scores level, the team who loses fewer wickets wins. Anyway, good all-round performance with bat, ball and in the field, and in terms of captaincy (well done Lager Lloyd.) As discussed before going out to bat, they key was wickets in hand; we only had about 70 after the first 20 overs but were only one down, so we had the platform we needed. For that, BCR and Ellis must take a lot of credit for keeping their wits when things weren't easy, giving Jimmy Hat and Brindo the freedom to play some shots when they got in. One thing I'll add to BCR's report is that we were much more inclined than the oppo to finger our own man. As snr will tell anyone that listens, "you never finger your own man". If the oppo had been playing the LBW rule, they'd have been about 50 for 7, but we had two questionable LBW's and an iffy caught behind. Admittedly, we all know that the caught behind was only given to bolster what would have been an otherwise barren fines kitty, eh BCR?

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