Action Cricket Chronicles - fit the 7th and 8th

A double header. And as much as you may be groaning under the weight of this post, and the awful writing therein, imagine how much we were groaning under the double bill. The legs were jelly before we started. But at least we had generous quantities of Red Bull. It gives you wings …

The first game was a non-league game, against opponents in a higher league than us. Purely for grading purposes.

Ruaan, as is usual, won the toss and elected to field. Fred took up the bowling attack, and, steaming, sent down an over of fury – the first ball missing the stumps by a coat of varnish. However, as is usual – the faster the delivery, the sweeter the hit, and a straight four off the second last ball of the over spoiled his figures slightly. Ettiene, took up the reins and sent down a corker – setting up the bat nicely, before beating his defenses and bowling him neck and crop. Ruaan had less luck, and only a run out off the final ball restricted the scoring slightly; before JC, literally spitting flames, cleaned the bat up with the first ball of the over – a fast Yorker on middle stump.

The second pairing had demon Hicks bowling – and my medium pace was treated with the disdain it deserves off the third ball with a straight 4. However – the fourth produced a sitter, which dropped neatly through JC, bounced to me on my follow through, which I gathered awkwardly, fell over and demolished the stumps – batsman well short of his ground. Phew … When the next delivery was brilliantly caught by Ruaan at short square leg, the over had regained some semblance of order. Danie managed to draw the batsman out during his over and Colin gathered neatly to effect a simple stumping chance; while Kevin had a dream of an over, inducing two chances – one of which JC took brilliantly with his knees – erasing his earlier dropped sitter …

The third batter pair faired just as poorly, with poor running effecting 3 run outs, an excellently tight over from Colin conceding three runs and a runout, and a catch off Kevin’s first ball of his last over effectively keeping our opponents to 75 with just the last pair to go. Unfortunately, the last pair put on 47, 21 of which came off JC’s last over.

That meant we had a mammoth 123 to chase, and when the third ball took the shoulder of Fred’s bat, and leapt nastily into his eye – we were in trouble. Fred had to leave the field as he could barely see out of the eye, and a small blood clot had formed in the one corner. He’s at a specialist eye doc today just to be safe. Darren was substituted in for Fred, and immediately run out. The third over was the kicker. Catch off the first, then a hat-trick, three card trick – bowled off the third, run out off the fourth; and caught off the fifth. The final over rescued the innings slightly; producing 10, and steering the makeshift partnership to 16.

Ettiene and I came together, putting on 34 (the second highest stand) and for a change – I only lost my wicket once. Okay – so I scored just 8, but still … Ettiene was as usual, striking quickly and effectively to get 26.

The third partnership between Colin and Danie produced little fireworks, but some sensible cricket to put on a very credible 22. However, that left our final pairing of Ruaan and JC a mammoth 51 for victory. They tried, but ultimately ended their partnership on 21, and the innings on 93 – 30 runs short.

The second game was immediately afterwards; and despite panting like Jimmy Abbot after getting out of bed, Ruaan; JC and Kevin were all taking part a second time. This game was the business – a league game, and worth points. Ruaan once more won the toss, and this time – mainly because his breath was short – he chose to bat first.

Colin and Kevin opened, and produced sensible cricket, pushing the singles, pinging the nearby nets, and running smoothly to end unbeaten on 36. Yes – not a single wicket went down in the first four overs.

Darren and Jeff broke that trend, but only off the final over – racking up a formidable 46 before conceding that solitary wicket, and setting us up nicely at 84 after 8. The third pairing of robo-batter Wayne, and Ross the myopic, added a steady trickle of runs that not even 5 wickets could disrupt; and put us comfortably on just shy of 100 after 12.

The final pairing of Ruaan and JC started the slog, and after a huge over of 18, almost made the half century partnership; and steered the team to a brilliant 147!

With that target to chase the pressure would always be on the other side; and it showed. Colin got a run out off his third ball, and Darren produced an over that was tighter than a duck’s arse, conceding just 2 with a run out for a final analysis of -1/1. Jeff didn’t disappoint, with a sensible calm over, and Wayne chipped in with a wicket off his second last ball. 18 on the board, and 4 overs gone already. The second pairing made a better fist of it, but only managed 27 runs off the brilliant lines and lengths Jeff, Wayne Kevin and Ross bowled. After that, with still 102 to get off the remaining 8 overs, it was too much for the embattled enemy to bear. JC made mincemeat of the opponents, cleaning his up second ball; and inducing a suicidal run off his next delivery; while the remaining three bowlers kept the runs non-existant, and the wickets tumbling slowly. A mere 7 for the partnership, and the match wrapped up, a nearly impossible 96 needed by the final pair.

Darren made certain of victory pushing the batsman back so far he jumped on his stumps first ball, and gaining a brilliant runout off his second last; while Colin was air tight in the second, and half-way through produced a dolly of a catch. Ruaan sprayed it around a bit, with a no ball and two wides before JC finished the game, inducing a catch with the first ball of the final over; and, despite overstepping twice, conceding almost nothing. The other side finished on a measly 64, and the staggering margin of 83 runs for the VICTORY! It took some time, but the roll has started. Yesterday, the game, tomorrow, the league; and finally – the world!