Match
reports
The cavaliers’ annual battle of Bamville was not
played amidst the picturesque surroundings of Bamville wood
but rather Rotho Park and a view of Ken Brown’s back
jardain. Always a close fixture produced another good game
with some fine performances from individuals on both sides.
The game nearly didn’t happen due to four teams arriving
all vying to play on the hallowed strip of the lower pitch.
Club captain Tant stepped up to the plate and ensured that
the two teams “only playing bloody 3rd division league
cricket” were sent packing to make way for a far more
important Cavalier’s friendly.
Batting first, Todd led the charge from ball one mixing
solid defence with crisp boundary hitting often going the
aerial route. After 10overs the Cavaliers had raced to nearly
60 with the only one loss – Ellis out for 15 on account
of “not being ready”. Paul Wise and Bainsey
continued to rattle on passing 100 well before the drinks
break at 20 overs before Wisey (20) was given out LBW by
some very friendly umpiring courtesy of Nigel Timms. In
stepped Brindo, properly in nick at the moment, who never
looked troubled as he played classic drives and square leg
flicks before being on 30 before you knew it. Bainsey, meanwhile,
sensed another century but let his concentration slip on
76 mis-timing a pull. However, his work was done as another
great knock had seen the Cavaliers fly along and get the
innings moving straight from the off. Lager Lloyd –
who hadn’t stopped talking for 2hrs on the sideline
moved in next and allowed his bat to do the talking. Solid
defence and hockey style slogs moved him to 16 and looking
good, the only failure being his calling likened to Jim
Trott from The Vicar of Dibley (yes…no….yes….no,
no, no, no, no).
A rattle of wickets went down. Brindo (33) charging and
being stumped, Lloydie (16) bowled and Frase playing his
customary do-or-die innings lasting 3 balls (4-2-out). To
see out the last 7overs were BCR and Bestie aka chalk and
cheese. BCR’s classic forward defensives looked lovely
but Bestie’s lusty blows were keeping the scoreboard
ticking over. A great knock of 24 from Best saw the Cavs
reach a total of 215 – BCR Tavare finishing on 7no.
Tea was special. Lloyd and Elbow produced a great spread
with masterchef Thorpe particularly impressing with his
egg mayo (cleverly without any mayo – you work it
out?!). Rounding that off was a punnet of strawberries picked
and distributed by the Cavaliers youth policy – Samson
Firmin (remember the name…..)
Bamville are a good cricket outfit and their opening 3-4
batsmen certainly showed their worth from the outset. Clean
boundary hitting saw them keeping up with the run-rate early
on, although a run-out (Thorpe and Miguel combo) did remove
one of their openers early-doors. Tant and Foster jnr opened
the bowling and – although controlled – took
some punishment. On came Prince Wisey who added some aggression
whilst taking the pace of the ball, which eventually created
changes and reaped the rewards. Brindo was the man of the
moment, however, bowling a fiery 6 over spell that ultimately
ripped the heart out of the Bamville attach. BCR prompted
the Cavs skipper to “get angry” which certainly
worked as the pumped up BFG sent their best batsman’s
off stump cart-wheeling before a fantastic catch by Miguel
Timms sorted out another danger man. 6-0-21-3 was a great
effort from the captain. Elbow and BCR also bowled well
– although discussion between the two as to who would
make the best anchorman in a 4x100 race did get into El’s
head as he got the yips towards the end. (For the record,
Ben “Devonish” Rankin would beat Ellis “Linford”
Thorpe over 100m)
As the Cavs relaxed and became sloppy in the field a Bamville
win was somehow still on the cards. Fear not, when you have
a tailend master in your team. Tant – as usual - managed
to talk his way back into the attack to have a go at the
tail but Chesney produced in spectacular fashion taking
the first ever Cavaliers hat-trick. Two clean bowled and
a plumb LBW were a credit to the chirpy club captain and
was a fitting way to end the proceedings. Bamville all out
for 187.
