Match
reports
Baines shows Class as Cavaliers
record 50th Win.
What a difference a day makes - for
Simon Ibal-Foster (married the night before) and what a
difference a week makes for the Cavaliers and the English
Summer. Eight days on from the drizzle and murk at the Vet
College, the Cavs were on a sunny, bumpy and irregular wicket
at Rothampstead Park - home to wickets, and difficult batting.
LBC won the toss and confidently
inserted the Cavaliers who offered a mixed side of regulars
and debutants - get yourselves on tour guys ! The Hollybush
were full of good cricketers and delivered by far the best
innings of banter ever to greet a cricketing field. With
umpires enjoying the fun, some great fielding stops and
accurate bowling, the Cavalier wickets fell in two and threes.
In one over, the Bush's club-elder
and alround nice guy struck thrice : a high toss was met
by LBC who thundered it a mile only to be caught on the
long boundary by Coco - the Bush captain. In the very same
over, a triple bouncer bowled J Gregory (squad
no 73) before a copy and paste job finished off Timms,
N - ducks for them both. The superb Baines survived a couple
of dropped chances before running out of lives on 91 having
scored 75% of all the Cavaliers scoring runs - a surefire
record ! Toothy offered second best with a brave 12 though
must have run 30 with Todd taking the strike.
The Cavaliers 133 all out well below
their average score of 169. The early finish even caught
out the tea urn which was a full 12 minutes off optimum
brewing temparture.
After a splended selection of sarnies,
crisps and the traditional mini rolls, the ball was thrown
to a willing Firmin (T) who opened with J Handford. Despite
his usual difficulty with left-handers, TJF bowled both
openers and also claimed the dangerous looking big overseas
hitter with Andy T (no 74) taking a great catch. Jim Handford's
awesome accuracy was matched by LBC - both claiming 2-fors
and suddenly a win was very much on. Good stuff from Ellis,
a mixed bag from J Wise. A brave effort from Todd and promise
from A Thornton left the Hollybush on the brink at 90-odd
for 9.
A stubborn rearguard by the last
pair made for a nervy ending - all the Bush players knew
how to bat. 'Keeper R Timms removed his pads to help the
captain's growing bowling problem and struck, LBW, with
ball three. A great win, then, for the Cavs. Our record
against Hollybush now stands at won 7, lost 3. We have only
played two other sides 10 times - Essendon and the Players
and Jesters. Need more
stats ?
MoM : Todd Baines
Orange Cap : John O'Connor Grounds Ltd
Note : 5
ducks in 3 games means we have 6 Garlic Breads already
on the table for our end of season do !
Ready
for the Tour?
