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Sunday 31st May 2009 Entitled: By The Way Goughie Have I Told You or Simon Wharton This One Goes Out To You Big Boy This next bit buggers up my title because I have to touch on last weeks game. Arrived at Llantwit Major at 10 past 1, approx 30 mins earlier than I expected, won the toss elected to bat, went from 46 for 5 to 72 for 8 and eventually finished all out for 158. Matty Ross hit a splendid 69. ably supported by Rigger Trapnell who scored 29. Goes without saying that Goughie finished not out again. After a rather splendid tea we bowled and fielded rather well, we had them on the ropes at 59 for 4 but they frustratingly recovered to take their score to 117 before Faly started to weave his magic, cue the first reference in the title above. Faly's aka Cassius Clay's almost devastating spell of 4 for 21 reduced the hosts to 145 for 8 but alas his supporting cast could not join the party, again Goughie did I mention....... Their leading batsman Julie Gruff was dropped twice on his way to an unbeaten 57 to steer Llantwit home. Note Faly's second ball duck electing to leave a perceived wide delivery outside his off stump which swung late to remove aforementioned off stump was soon forgotten. Frivolity aside if we had got Julie out we'd have stuffed them despite most of our side batting like plebs. Nevertheless positives from the negatives etc. Rossi just bat correct BUT positive each week and you will be "How good was I". by the way we actually want you to succeed numpty. Damn getting a bit soft, Wharton wouldn't approve. To summarise after a fabulous singing chair from the Snipesmeister followed up by B'sGT worth renditions in the shower of Chesney, Littlest Hobo and a definite camp Lola from the Chis, we agreed that instad of a rollover a la previous seasons we at least had made a fist of this and it should serve us well for the rest of the season. Magners & Strongbow is realyy kicking in so getting harder and longer (fnarrr) to go back and correct typing and spelling mistakes so may not bother at some point. Today's game. Caly won the toss and after threatening gestures from Snipes elected to bat. Another strenuous warmup instigated by Wes resulted in the 3 man team of Pooles, AB and Caly caning the asses of the 4 man team of Snipes, Rossi, Rigger and Bayloo 4-1 in CricketNetball. Don't mess with us innit. John "Home Game" Davies and Giz opened the batting, JD off like a train before being bowled by a ball that cut and kept a trifle low. Enter Caly into the fray and he and Giz went about the bowling in much the same vein before Caly on 28 walked aronud a straigth one after previously hitting 4's off consecutive deliveries,the score on 83 in the 15th over. When will he learn that positive is the way forward, even more than chips. Giz followed soon after for 25, Pooley went for 9, Wes got a start - 26, he Pooley and Caly basically missing straight ones when a big score is on offer. Anthony Brad meanwhile was scratching and nurdling unconvincingly, Matty Ross went for 2 doing the opposite of what he did last week, and then enter Si "Babe" Bayliss into the fray. At this stage Skipper Caly is umpiring and thinking please Si just see us through the overs, we were 140 for 6 in the 34th. He hit hi first ball high over mid on for 4 and got dropped a ball later off a spiralling miscued drive to long off. Skipper Caly thought it not in the spirit of the game to walk from his position as umpire at square leg and head butt Mr Bayliss though every fibre of his being wanted to. In retrospect it turned out be a good call by Caly as Babe Baylo batted out the remaining overs effortlessy. Doesn't it feel good Si? At t'other end ATCC's Mr Extremely Angry was going about his business with his usual lack of complications eventually finsihing 54 not out. Top knock AB. ATCC eventually finishing on 220 for 6. For the foodies among you, I have just had a tunnock's tea cake with a cup of coffee, decaff, and am now finishing off a bag of salt & vinegar chipsticks with Volvic "Touch of Orange & Peach". I think I had something else with the tunnock's but I can't remeber. Back to crickeeet. Top tea from the head chef Monsieur Doel - it's never too hot for buttered boiled tatoes. Stop and think what he does for us guys, he won't want the accolades but it doesn't hurt to remind everybody. Not forgetting come the holiday season he'll probably have to bowl 10 overs in between courses!!! Caly gave Matty Ross the downhill slope much to the disgust of senior frontman Snipes. And Rossi repaid Caly's faith with an erratic display. By the way Rossi next week I'm throwing you the ball again so get over it and get the wheels back on, you aren't shite it just happened that you played shite this week. The previous two weeks you weren't - SIMPLE'S. Meanwhile up the slope Snipes was threatenng to unleash the gods of his bowling prowess, a sharp catch behind by Bi-Polar Bevan followed with the off stump of their Nr 3 tumbling like a amphetamine fuelled chinese gymnast. Here we go Caly thought as in the meantime Evergreen Gough had steadied the ship, downhill I may add, from the other end. Alas it weren't to be as the protaganist of the second half of the title, Mr Wharton, swaggered and sashayed to the crease, a steeley eyed determination etched below that furrowed brow, a gritty yorkshireman who was determined that none shall pass. Let me tell you all now he is not a nice man, he is a bully and he nearly took the game away from us. Rigger undone him with a straight one and that was one of three key moments in their innings. ( I am now pausing fro chipsticks which may invlovle wipng fingers befroe retyping) Stefan Edberg came to the crease and looked for the most part as if he just stumbled into a game of cricket, the best efforts of Goughie, Rigger and then Caly were repelled. Caly quite indignant that Edberg did not realise who was the leading wicket taker at this point. Then the turning points, Rigger had Edberg caught by AB (a harder chance than it looked). Mark Baxter visibly shaken to the core realising (we now know) that there was little support left. Caly then caught Baxter (opening bat on 69 easing his side to victory) at shortish mid wicket high above his head, backing his instincts to get in close and cut off the angles (I do think Goughie that I am the leading catcher also). Meanwhile an astute bowling change by Caly which may have been brought up in a random, casual conversation, well in fact I think Goughie actually just said do you want squash JD and then Caly thought why not give him a bowl after he's been rehydrated and Caly had just been carted for 6 by Edberg ???????? immediately after a harsh wide for 5. To cut long story short,we dropped their last5 or so wickets for 20 runs to win by 22 runs. At one stage we looked like we were 40 runs short, which in all honesty we were given the start we had. Caly taking the last wicket with a fast ducking away swinger that their nr 11 could only parry to point. Goughie did I mention......... Waht an emotional rollercoaster. Well done Rigger, 5 good balls, AB & Babe B, splendid. All round good noise in field but it needs to be there when the wikcets aren't falling. AB shout of the day after their first wicket " They didn't like that" You just can't compare. I feel so extraordinary something's gotten hold of me I get this feeling i'm in motion a certain sense of liberty I'm dreaming of the wheels back on boys Wednesday 20th May 2009 Precis Of League Start - Game 1 No emotional outburst tonight just a rational (?) look back at our opening two league fixtures. First up a home tie against a Penarth III XI that was definitely a mixture of youth & experience. Lost the toss and unsurprisingly they put us in on a damp, green wicket. Faly had been mulling over whether to bat first all year regardless of conditions but the decision was made for him. Seemed a good toss to win when Gizzy went early but John Davies and Faly shared a stand of 107 for the second wicket to swing the momentum our way. After a sticky and unconvincing start (as per ALL of last season) Faly finally decided to just hit the bloody thing and the run rate quickly transformed from barely 2 an over after 10 or so overs to a comfortable 4 an over. Faly eventually holed out for 64 to the cow corner boundary trying to banish some demons a la Dave Morris. All the while Davies quietly went about building his innings and ran out of puff on 84. A solid gritty knock that too often we haven't had or built around when provided. He departed in the 42nd over with the score on 207. Meanwhile Wes had came and gone for 1, stumped attempting a delicate paddle, Chis hit a brisk and lusty 21, Pooley and Bayliss batted out the remaining overs and balls without much fuss and we finished on 211 for 5. Crusty rolls, buttered boiled potatoes for tea. Mr Doel tres bon. Bowling wise a solid display from all, we managed to chip away without a great deal of fortune and eventually got them with a run out from the gazelle like Faly (or should that be Gazette like) in the final over. A nice start to the campaign with a fair dash of confidence boosting and ego massaging, much needed given our recent record. Faly had no time to bask in the fleeting glory before jetting off in the turbo diesel citroen estate of his (and now Wes's) favourite electrician to the not so sunny climes of kiln park Tenby. Had a couple of Foster's in the car on the way down though, please note I wasn't driving. Little Tourist Note: Folly Farm well worth a day out and got to see a Giraffe's todger at full tilt. Down to Newport III's the following week, actually on time (ish), won the toss and despite my mulls on batting first, promptly put them in on the best track we've played on in two years. A little bit of logic behind the decision, a bit of confidence in our ability to bat and thus chase whatever was set, and also a chance to assess what kind of side they had. Rossi opened the bowling and produced his best spell at this level (how good was he Pooley, tell me how good was he) and together with Wes at t'other end bowled with no fortune. They were 60odd for 1 after 20 overs the only wicket a rather fortunate run out. Trappy and Goughy bowled the next 20 between them, Goughy upsetting the gods early doors but eventually found reward with two wickets, Trappy the pick of the day's bowlers and could have had more than the two he got. S Bayliss and Faly shared the remaining overs, Bayliss picked up 2, Faly none. Bayliss unable to apply the ruthless killer fast ball needed against a young lad of 12. They finished on 179 for 9 frustratingly denying us the last bonus point. Pooley picked up the gloves in the absence of Bevan and didn't do too much wrong. Look at the book Trappy. Faly enjoyed a hat-trick of catches (failing to menton the dropped one the previous week) Their opener was the pick of their bats finally being snared by Trappy for 64 but it as pleasing that on a good wicket and fast outfield our bowlers kept their discipline and to limit the score to 179 proved decisive. A sumptuous buffet was enjoyed before we prepared for the second half. Gizzy once again taking up the mantle of opener along with Chis. Wrong call by Faly, he should have opened himself, don't know why he didn't apart from the fact that he's a prat. Subsequently Chis endured a miserable time before departing for 1. Cue the Gizzy show ably supported by none other than Anthony Bradley. Sublime knock by Gizzy, he's a numpty for not getting his ton falling short on 86. At one stage we were 54 for 1 and Gizzy had 46 of them. The measure of the man is he said sorry for getting out and not seeing the game off till the end. Bradders got 54 with one of the angriest innings ever witnessed. The most noteworthy point to mention is the fact that he was stuck on one for what seemed an eternity, finding the fielder every time, but he stayed patient and got rewarded. Despite the best efforts of Faly and Wes to cock it up we got home with 4 balls to spare, Si Bayliss releasing the ever increasing tension with a bullish six over midwicket. A win by 4 wickets and 25 points in the bag. 51 points from our first two matches but more importantly confidence is building. Typically rained off last week and we will have to start all over again this week weather permitting. Need to get on a big (winning) roll. off to have a glass of Port....to help me sleep of course. Yes I Do Feel Better Dream The Dream Older log >> |