3rd August v Bidborough
What a game of cricket… a last over thriller, all 3 results possible and a true team performance. And for once, I’m not talking about any of the Hundred games, but a 1st XI Speldhurst game, finally.
Having pleaded, begged and (in some cases) blackmailed players, we took on Bidborough with our strongest team of the season, including overseas pro M Jeffreys for his one and only appearance. Losing the toss we were put into bat on a deck that looked a little soft and with clouds around, definitely felt good to bowl on.
Hinton and Muddy opened up, slow but steady, with the pitch proving tricky, slow and with considerable variable bounce, one of which hit Muddy square in the chest, putting his pacemaker into overdrive. Sadly this was short-lived, falling to another lofted cover drive that didnt get over the outfield, bringing in the Hapster, back from his hiatus and eager to get stuck in.
Mr Hinton struggled for rhythm, but just as he got going then fell for 16, bringing myself in to join Happy. After a brief adjustment period, we started to increase the run rate, bringing it up to 4 an over, then towards 5 as Happy brought up his maiden 1st team 50 with a fantastic knock. Unfortunately I fell a boundary short of mine, abiding by standard garden cricket rules of 6 and out, bringing Creef and Dunmall to the crease.
Both tried to keep the acceleration going, Olly with a few lusty blows and good running, Dunners with one glorious baseball bat on the up over sing-off. Both fell trying to push us to 200, as did Ejas. Jo Price and MJ batted very well and ran brilliantly, putting on a vital 23 run partnership quickly to get us to 197 off our 40, a very competitive total on a tricky deck and conditions.
MJ opened up from the Michael Jeffrey’s end, and as though he’d never left, took a wicket 2nd ball casting Archie Wells for a silver duck, an unfortunate day for him. Their other opener took his opportunities whenever we bowled loose balls, but after one too many shots fell to a good catch from Creef off MJ again, leaving them 33-2. Their no 3 and 4 rebuilt well, looking hesitant at first, but after managing to survive, kept steady progress. Interesting their no 4 had one of the most bizarre innings I have ever seen, starting off with 2, 1, 4 as scoring shots, then proceeded to score 34 straight singles before finally getting out late in the game.
They put on 94 runs for the 3rd wicket, looking to have turned the tide for Bidborough, though the run rate was now at 6 and over and never dropped below that. Dunmall struck in his final over, then immediately got Dan Page first ball, caught behind and let out a roar akin to a certain Game of Thrones character…
Another partnership quickly built, their no 6 coming in with one shot and one outcome on his mind, proceeding to hit a number of boundaries through and over cow corner, keeping the run rate steady between 6 and 7 an over for the last 10 overs. However, some great bowling from Dunmall, Price, McAllister and Jeffrey’s meant we always felt we were slightly ahead.
Some superb death bowling from MJ and Jo Price, picking up the key wicket of their no 3 for a well-played 69, meant Bidborough needed 8 off the last over, and Barkhan to bowl it. First ball: dot, hidden outside off. Second ball, wicket, stumped in peculiar fashion as their bat fell over swinging wildly then never tried to get back in before wandering further up the pitch…
9 runs, 4 balls to bowl. 3rd ball: single. 8 needed off 3: 4th ball, dot. 8 needed off 2: 5th ball, leg bye. 7 needed off 1! Final ball: clothed to the offside, and in the end a run out, meaning Speldhurst win by the barest of margins! (6 runs)
A superb team performance, where everyone contributed, especially in the field. Let that be a lesson to all that no one makes us go on a 10 game losing streak…
Honestly, the emotions were joy, exhilaration, and mostly relief at not being the captain (yet) who had to preside over a season with 0 wins. If any of you are available for the next month, it makes such a difference to the team, please do make yourselves available!
Thanks all and an awesome, awesome game of cricket.
10th and 17th August v Farningham and Four Elms
Apologies for the lack of report last week, so have doubled up this week. The two games were very similar and I won’t go into much detail on them because it isn’t terribly positive from a Speldhurst perspective.
The highs of the Bidborough game have been brought swiftly down to earth by back to back defeats in fairly emphatic fashion. We have only managed to take 2 wickets combined, and scored less than 300 runs in both games combined too, although it is worth noting we played 2 teams fighting for the title, one of which contained an ex Indian international and several of his compatriots, one of which seems also far too good for this league, scoring a brutal 100 not out off 60 balls.
However there have been some highlights. Muddy scoring an excellent 50 away at Farningham, with little support aside from a strong opening stand with Happy. Amir and Rob McCallister bowling well and picking up a wicket each in the respective games, Rob particularly unlucky not to pick up 4 more with several drops off his bowling. And it also needs to be said, that whilst this season hasn’t gone as planned, the attitude we play with has been almost exclusively superb, not easy given the circumstances.
Final stretch to go, and be great if we could sneak another win over the last 3 weeks of the season.
Speldhurst Cricket Club 