Match report vs Frampton-on-Seven
21 Sept 08@The Green, Frampton (Skipper John, report
Shakey)
The 2008 season finished just after 6pm in the uncommonly
pleasant and clear surroundings which we have missed far too
much this season. The sun shone all day, tea was good and
plentiful, there were batting heroics and collapses, a solid
bowling effort, some pleasureable quick singles on display
and a few moments of pure hilarity. Life as a Casual can be
good.
Jam thought he had a good batting team at his disposal and
the Frampton XI looked a lttle on the young and keen side
so it was agreed that we would bat first and to even things
up we would reverse the batting order! Sometimes on a Sunday
its hard to to get volunteers to open but today it was easy
- our normal 10 and 11 strode to the wicket.
The wicket looked interesting - it always does. Some were
destined to creep, more often than not they would fly but
at least the boundaries were short and we played the normal
4 and 6 rules so the batsman had a chance and who better to
face the first ball than.......er......hmm...what!.......it
was Dave!!!
After five uneventful deliveries, where it was rumoured he
did involuntarily move his feet once, Dave smote the last
ball of the over to off for 6 to loud cheers of surprise and
mirth from the burgeoning crowd. It was his first 6 for the
club with the next one now due in 2020 at this rate or when
Halleys Comet next visits [Ed - there was also a caught behind
appeal on the second delivery, fortunately the umpire (pushing
for his own century) didn't hear it and DB was as normal with
a bat hand, clueless. There was also debate on if the 6 made
it to road boundary, but the same umpire gave it...couldn't
see either...but still - an excellent achievement by DB!]
Otherwise the first few overs were quite uneventful with
Dave failing to call, Dan failing to run and the Frampton
attack largely bowling straight. Dave's departure for 11 (caught)
in the 6th over brought winky to the wicket but he didn't
last long, caught smartly at cover (obviously short cover
given the size of the wicket) for an undeserved duck. Was
this the beginning of the cazh wobble at 30-2 off 8?
It looked as if Paul has decided to play positively and he
looked far more comfortable for it, using his feet to get
down the wicket and and hitting three 4s and a 6 in what turned
out to be our best partnership of the match before he was
caught going for one too many. 70-4 turned to 80-5 when Tesh
was bowled by a good 'un.
Our very own pinch hitter, one Daniel Lewis fresh from licking
the tables at the Romilly the night before, has been steadily
going about his business and was the backbone of the entire
innings. Model defensives, a swish and a grin, a thump and
nonchalant insouciance at the efforts of his batting partner
were the hallmarks of Dan's productive and vital knock. His
innings of 63 contained five 6s and five singles with a few
drops along the way. But when he was finally out caught at
117-5 it was clear Dan was pleasured though a little disappointed
to miss out on his highest score.
Goughy and Shandy moved the scoreboard along as Cayless and
Evans applied some meaningful pressure. But our momentum ebbed
away as Goughy went for a harsh lbw (15), Shandy was bowled
for 19 and Muff and Manny failed to hang around. At 150-9
Jam joined Shakes at the wicket in an effort to use up the
last few overs but we could only muster 165 all out with Jam
unbeaten on 9 [Ed -this aprtnership was to decide the top
scoring Batsman of the season-Jam 13 up at the start and also
finishing that way].
Tea was good, varied and plentiful (thank you Mrs Cayless)
and the cazh now had to turn in a better bowling display after
a pretty disheartening collapse.
Muff and Shakes opend up and bowled pretty tidily. Straight
was always going to be good on this wicket and it had to be
if our new keeper Shandy wasn't going to do himself an injury
chasing wides. Shakes got the breakthrough, getting his hands
under the ball off a straight drive before proceeding to land
on top of the ball and his hands to complete an improbable
caught and bowled. The ball luckily escaped serious damage.
Shakes also picked up the hitter batting at number 3 with
a rank doughball which Tesh caught well at long leg. After
10 overs Frampton were 21-2 with Muff very unlucky to be wicketless
in his spell of 5 overs.
Manish came on and bowled the opener with a quicker ball
in his first over but then Cayless and T O'Dell staged a fightback.
Cayless was the more positive of the two and played some very
pleasant drives. Tesh, Goughy and jam bowled without any luck
as the Frampton score moved past 100 although they were still
short of the rate.
The crucial wicket was taken by winky who Jam had decided
to bring on perhaps to make sure things didn't get too interesting.
Manish took a good high catch at mid-on to get rid of Cayless
for 58 and Evans was soon after lbw to Mr Hood to leave the
Frampton innings in a spot of bother.
Winky was taken off after 2 overs and the tail was then dispatched
by Paul (2-4) and Dave (2-17) off four catches with a smart
accurate throw from Goughy also getting a run out. But perhaps
the highlight of the day was the sight of one of the Frampton
youngsters, keen to copy his hero Pietersen, trying an ugly
switch hit off Paul. He missed the ball by a proverbial mile
and it proceeded to slam harmlessly but loudly into his helmet
to the obvious enjoyment of the fielding side and the spectators
in the pavillion and the pub beer garden. Even Pablo grinned.
Frampton closed on 130 all out in the last over so that the
Casuals ended the seaon won 14 lost 14. A most pleasant and
enjoyable day out.
back
|