7th June CANCELLED
14th June v Plaxtol
t’s easy to say this game had a bit of everything—drama, good cricket, bad cricket, injuries, controversy, laughter, anger, and even some decent weather. Sadly, I can’t go into all of it here—but let’s try to cover the best bits.
After a heavy downpour the night before, we were fortunate to win the toss and chose to bowl first on a spongey wicket.
Eamo opened the bowling and struck early, removing their skipper thanks to a sharp catch in the slips from WWE’s very own Undertaker (aka Muddy). He bowled brilliantly throughout, finishing with 2 wickets in a solid 9-over spell. At the other end, Happy was slightly wayward at the start, bowling downhill but unlucky not to pick up a wicket.
Ali came on to replace Eamo and struggled a bit with his line initially, but he was unlucky not to claim more than the 3 wickets he did manage—great persistence shown. Adam followed with his seam-up deliveries and bowled some absolute gems, nipping the ball off the pitch and making life miserable for the batsmen.
Muddy came on as the fifth bowler and was outstanding—bowling one spot, five out of six balls per over. The batsmen had no idea how to deal with him. Arguably the best spell I’ve seen from him in a long time, and it earned him 2 wickets in his 6 overs to help wrap up the innings.
In the field, a few names stood out: Joel, ever reliable; Tristan with his keeper-style saves close in; Eamo’s direct-hit run-out; and JFlem, who took 3 catches—two of them absolute stunners. Their innings closed on 178, with two of their batters making fifties.
We felt it was a very chaseable total. However, to say our reply got off to a bad start would be an understatement.
After 15 overs, we were 30 for 4—and Muddy had gone off injured (cramp, Mark Richardson-style—look it up on YouTube). Happy, Ali, and I all fell driving to fielders, and Tristan was run out after some miscommunication.
JFlem and Nash came in and did a great job steadying the ship, seeing off the openers and putting on a useful stand. Unfortunately, JFlem nicked off, bringing Joe Oakenfold to the crease.
Nash had just started biffing the ball to all parts, and Joe joined the party after a few quiet overs. The pair put on a crucial 64-run partnership before Nash was given LBW (a touch harsh?) for 39.
Joe, however, carried on with confidence and aggression, bringing up his first 50 for the club in style—a brilliant 53 off 43 balls, with 8 fours and 2 sixes. Sadly, the umpire—perhaps tired of watching him bat too—gave him LBW as well. We were now 144 for 7.
Things slowed down and the game hung in the balance. Eames came in, but couldn’t add to the score. Muddy returned but was also unable to shift the score much further. Then came Joel—and up stepped Ben Roberts.
Joel played his role perfectly—held up an end and added a couple of crucial runs. With 27 needed off the penultimate over, Ben went ballistic—taking their opening bowler for 21 runs with some monstrous hitting. That left just 7 required off the final over.
First ball—a dot. Then a two. Then… bowled.
A truly valiant effort, especially from the tail. Credit to the 2s lads stepping up—they showed they can absolutely hold their own at this level.
My 3rd time skippering the 1s, 3rd time lost in the last over… I’m cursed.
Ollie Crees.
Scorecard: https://speldhurst.play-cricket.com/website/results/6698047
21st June v Kemsing
This wasn’t the finest day of cricket in the illustrious Speldhurst CC history. On a hot day and with currently just 4 players at the ground I was very nervous going out for the toss but fortunately tails never fails and we elected to bat.
Fortunately the remainder of our ten players arrived and Happy and I started the innings. I was adjudged LBW second ball to one I never felt in danger of after being hit and shortly after Luke decided to take a second run then decides not to but then decides to again and got run out. Happy and Muddy set about putting a partnership together with Happy running between the wickets, muddy idling and both taking advantage of the short boundary. Muddy missed a classic Andy Eames ‘high yorker’ and Adam Nash came to the crease to put on a very good partnership with Happy. After Happy reached 50 he looped a simple chance to mid on (a scorching diving one handed catch) and Ben Roberts joined Adam. Unfortunately wickets fell regularly from there and when Adam fell to another high Yorker for 36 our race was essentially run and we were finally all out for 144.
With conditions cooling in our favour there was still hope but when the same umpire who gave me out second ball turned down an appeal that was much closer (I’m not at all bitter) in my first over it felt like we could see the way things were going. Bowlers and fielders tried valiantly, so much so Happy may have broken a rib and cut his finger and Ben Roberts was willing to literally put his shins on the line. As a real mark of how things went Muddy also offered to move out from fielding in the slips.
The day was summed up when I dropped a chance on the boundary that I personally felt I should have taken and threw a mini hat throwing tantrum. Not very captain like and deservedly fined.
We ended up losing by ten wickets in under 20 overs which Muddy insists is the first time he has known Speldhurst to lose by ten wickets…not sure if he was just trying to rub it in.
The up side, we still had some laughs, the oppo were nice despite their umpire clearly deciding he hated me, we were given free (very hot) chips at the pub after and had more beers in the GnD – so not all bad. Still more fun than Div 1!
Pat Green
Scorecard: https://speldhurst.play-cricket.com/website/results/6698051
29th June v Locksbottom
The sun has been shining recently, both on and off the pitch and this Saturday was no different. Winning the toss on a toasty sunny day, I was delighted to bat first, especially with the late arrivals of Pat and Siraj.
Creef and Happy got us off to a flyer, the opening few overs going at 8 and over and barely dipping to above 6.5 by the time I joined the Olly in the 7th over, Happy missing a full straight inducker from their one very good opening bowler. That brought yours truly to the crease and with Olly we kept the run rate going, before Olly fell in the same manner, bringing Mr Wood to the crease to form the Orpington collective. We put on 70 for the 3rd wicket, bringing the score to 150 odd before he fell to a quintuple-juggled catch at cover off their quicker malinga-esque 5th bowler. This brought Pat to join me, adjusting to his new role at 5, but with his usual aggressive v-hitting with some glorious straight drives. Sadly as we tried to up the run rate further, he also fell to his usual uber-agressive v-hitting, getting caught with a nice catch by their mid-off bring our resident geriatric to the crease.
Muddys glorious scoop/paddle shot leaving everyone at the ground flummoxed, along with a few typical guides to third man followed, before he fell plumb lbw trying to repeat the scoop one too many times. This steady, not drastic, loss of wickets threatened to derail a superb start and great batting pitch, but I was joined by another Plunkett, this time Will, making his first appearance for the 1s this year. After a few nervous balls, a beautifully struck 4 to midwicket settled the nerves and the run rate starting increasing again. Their skipper, to the disbelief of everyone there, chose to bowl their off spinner in the last 4 overs to a very short downhill leg side, and as I struggled to contain the drool (and sweat) pouring out my helmet, I took advantage of this, clubbing 21 off the penultimate over before a boundary off the first ball of the last over took me to my ton. A couple more boundaries flowed, and myself and Will Plunkett took us up to a very respectable and daunting 285-5, Will finishing on a very good 21 from just 14 balls, and yours truly exhausted on 119 n.o.
After a leisurely tea break, we took the field realising we only had 9 players, and after a quick search sent Happy to knock on the Plunkett’s door to drag them away from their 9 course banquet to finish the game of cricket they had started. After some chiding and Will having to nip back to the pavillion to grab his shoes, we were up to our full contingent and managed a quick breakthrough when Eamo struck early on, tempting their dangerous opener into a skier that was well held by Ali Wood. After a couple of wayward overs, Siraj was replaced by Pat, bowling a beautiful line and length and was rewaded by two edges behind, caught by yours truly: one a nice diving catch to my right, one that smacked me on the thumb and then fortunately lodged itself in my roomy midriff.
Wickets continued to flow at a steady rate, with Ali wood replacing Eamo and bowling a superb spell, picking up 4 wickets in the perfect combination: one bowled, one lbw, one caught and one stumped. Ably supported by young Tom plunkett, no doubt fueled by the large assortment of foods he had wolfed down in his 2 hour tea break, who picked up two wickets and continues to baffle Division 2 batters, still at such a young age. With the game as good as over, Amir who had bowled beautifully, picked up the final wicket with a lovely delivery, bowling their final batsmen and wrapping up a victory of 157 runs.
A superb team effort where every single person meaningfully contributed and great to get back to winning ways.
Scorecard: https://speldhurst.play-cricket.com/website/results/6698055
Speldhurst Cricket Club 