Match
reports
Z
Cricket
lovers at Harpenden’s St George’s School were
treated to a tremendous spectacle on Sunday… and in
addition the outstanding performance from the fit sixth-former
who spent all afternoon nailing her boyfriend by the boundary,
there was another victory for the Cavaliers to bring down
the curtain on a successful 2004 season.
This
time the vanquished were a somewhat understrength Gayton
CC, based in a small island off the coast of Northamptonshire,
in The North. Here, against the odds, in spite of no running
water, not having the vote, and a complete lack of mosquito
repellent, some-time Cavalier stars Sean O’Brien and
Andrew Lord have assembled a fine cricketing outfit. However,
with the harvest imminent, a number of the Gayton’s
key players were absent and despite the best efforts of
their Cavalier guests, the visitors to Bogeyville crumbled
to a comprehensive defeat that did little justice to the
usual standard of their game.
The
purple-and-blacks batted first, and in a bold move, Cavs
skipper Jim Handford opened himself accompanied by last
week’s number 11 Fraser Tant. This proved to be a
tactical masterstroke as the two put on a chanceless 74
in a dozen or so overs before Tant, having at last banished
the Dip Buffet demons of 2001, tried one lofty blow too
many and was bowled by O’Brien for 55. Joined by Ben
Rankin, Handford took control, and despite losing BCR and
Aaron Terry soon after, eased to another 50 in what’s
been a typically fine batting season for the skipper. He
eventually holed out for 60, but Nick Brindley, Ellis Thorpe
and Simon Foster kept the score ticking over and saw the
Cavs to an eminently defendable 203/6 off their 40 overs.
Following
a magnificent and simply vast smorgasbord at tea courtesy
of E Thorpe Catering Inc., The Gayton reply began strongly
with the man normally charged with opening the Cavs bowling
instead opening the batting for the opposition – Timothee
Foster. Timmy F and Lordy’s partnership was well in
to the 30s before Brindo skittled Lordy, and the wheels
began to fall off. Thus began a great spell of bowling and
the Cavaliers’ very own Big Friendly Giant soon ripped
though the Gayton middle order, leaving them reeling on
65 for 5. When O’Brien became the Cavs’ 6th
wicket, bowled by Simon Foster for a duck (“SO’B,
do you want the sightscreen moved?”, “We’ll
find out if my stumps get splattered next ball”. They
duly did) a Cavalier victory and reclamation of the Target
Furniture Urn of Reverence seemed a nailed-on certainty.
However,
the Cavs were most surprised to see their all-time leading
run-scorer Jamie Wise, who had only only arrived at the
ground at 6pm with his fiancé Suzie, march out to
the crease in a t-shirt and borrowed kit (no change there
then). He duly proceeded to dish out the treatment he’s
given many Cavs’ opponents over the years, hammering
the Cavs’ attack to all parts bringing the visitors
firmly back in to contention. But, as the lure of a roast
back at George and Shirley’s became too tempting for
the big man, The Great Gaymondo was run out by an unbelievable
direct hit from BCR on the boundary attempting a fourth
run, just sixteen short of what would, in so many ways,
have been a Gay Ton.
Despite
the best efforts of Gayton stalward Ledge, and a short cameo
from the Cav’s dnb’s Matt Richell and Tim Firmin,
the visitors were soon all out for the rather unusual 172
for eleven, and the Cavaliers had ended their season with
a four successive victory.
Said
skipper Handford, “It’s a good result at the
end of a good season. It would have been nicer to beat a
full-strength Gayton, but you can only beat whatever the
opposition put out. Great and long-overdue to see Tanty
get some runs, it’s always nice to get some myself,
but Brindo’s four-for-little really won us the match.
And as for Jay Wise… I’m glad he plays for us
more often than against!”
Man
of the Match: Brindo – great spell on a carpark of
a pitch
Champagne Moment: BCR’s run out, a sensational end
to a sensational innings. Also mentioned in despatches:
Gareth Lloyd, fielding for Gayton, commenting on a fine
stop by SO’B: “Bee-oo-di-ful, you’re our
Collingwood, specialist cover point fielder.” SO’B
was at backward square leg at the time.
Orange Cap of Shame: Jay Wise, for nearly beating his own
team. Lucky escapes: Goat for not downing his birthday mucky
the evening before; Sean and Mitch for ducks, albeit for
Gayton.
