Match
reports
With the Cavaliers’ scheduled blue riband fixture
against Harpenden cancelled at late notice, Harpenden travelled
down the M4 for a hastily arranged fixture with Emmsbrook
and Bearwood CC in Wokingham – ideally situated for
Reading-based Tim Foster, were he not spending a rare day
in Harpenden at a family do. Knowing little about the opposition,
the trip was a bit of a gamble, but our hosts proved to
be an amiable bunch, the pitch played very well, teas were
of a high standard (the coronation chicken sandwiches a
particular triumph) and the clubhouse boasted a plasma screen
TV the size of a mobile home. Let’s hope it’s
a game we can firmly pencil into the fixture card for 2008.
Skipper Brindo lost the toss, but was pleasantly surprised
that a well-balanced and confident Cavaliers XI were asked
to bat first. However, confidence turned to shock and then
dismay when, with only 18 on the board, powerhouse top-order
triumvirate Jim Handford, Todd Baines and the captain himself
were back in the hutch, all perishing to injudicious misendeavours
belying their usual indefatigable shot selection. (Sorry,
not sure happened with that flurry of big words there.)
The Cavs needed a big partnership, as what looked on paper
a strong batting line-up was suddenly looking rather perilous.
Step forward The Nugget, vice-captain Lance Boyd-Clark,
and Scrappy Do Ellis Thorpe, who together put on 104 and
each registered chanceless 50s. The highlight of the partnership
was an enormous six from LBC, over the pavilion and landing
on the 3.23 to Paddington – so impressive was it,
it took scorer T Firmin three overs before he remembered
to mark it in the scorebook. (50p more to towards the bruschetta
on the Tour’s Friday night pizzeria).
With a century looking a possibility, Sir Glance-a-lot
miscued a pull to midwicket and was replaced by Fraser Tant,
who had sat patiently for 20 overs padded up repeating the
mantra ‘play yourself in, play yourself in’.
And, somewhat unexpectedly, he did, on one occasion playing
three successive leave-alones, something previously unheard
of for the most Cavalier of Cavaliers. Thorpe played across
a straight one the ball after the single that brought his
well-deserved 50, bringing Sean O’Brien to the crease,
and together with Tant the young prodigy from the shires
nibble and nudged the team towards a defendable total. With
150 on the board, Tant unsheathed and unleashed Wormwood
and moved to 28 with some hefty blows, before holding out
at long off from the third ball of an over that had already
had a 6 and 4 taken off the first two balls. SOB, Rusty
Timms and Nick Francis kept things ticking over, and the
cavs posted 193 from their 40 overs.
The new ball was thrown to OB and Tanty, who produced spells
that were tight as bramble. (Geddit?) OB made the breakthough,
while FT was Hoggy-esque with a lovely demi-cherry in overcast
conditions and was almost unplayable, albeit without claiming
any scalps. However, with just 24 on the board after 12
overs and a run rate approaching 7 an over, a Cavs victory
look imminent. Brindo was spoiled for choice with bowling
options, with Jims Burton and Handford picking up a couple
of wickets, before the skipper and vice-skipper got in the
action to reduce the hosts to 9 down. Tant was brought back
for the final over but couldn’t live up to his moniker
‘Tail-end’ – for more information, please
contact jim.handford@idroppedasitter.com
Despite the last wicket proving illusive, Emmbrook &
Bearwood finished on 129/9 from their 40 overs, continuing
the Cavs’ unbeaten start to the season. “Yeah,
it was great to get the win, but even better just to get
a game in after the disappointing cancellation of the Harpenden
game.” commented the winning captain. “Thanks
to Emmbrook & Bearwood for hosting us – we hope
to see them against next year”
