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'Pink Balls and a Game
of Two Halves'
By Mick
Masters
Graveney 190 - 9 (from 40 split overs)
Newdigate 192 - 6 (with 5.3 overs remaining)
Newdigate Win by 4 wickets
Graveney duly assembled
eleven men for the annual memorial game for the sadly missed Kenny Doyle
with the help of two debutants Dave French and Dave Allen. An email had
arrived stating the start was slightly later and that we would be
playing the new experimental ECB 'split overs' format. Simply speaking
this means one team bats for 20 overs, the other team then bats for 20
overs, the first team resumes from where they left off for their
remaining 20 overs and likewise the second side. The full blown official
version involves power plays but thankfully we didn't have to deal with
that complication. For reasons that escape me we also played with two
pink balls that postie Mad Moody had bought at a bargain price, the
sales assistant probably never having sold such a strange article
before.
Winning the toss and proudly exposing
his bright pink balls, skipper Moody won the toss electing to bat (this
is starting to sound like a Carry On script!). Nick Goodburn and Mark
Rance were soon well established at the crease and went on to set the
highest first wicket partnership this season so far of 71 when Nick fell
for 21. Howard determined to 'get after the bowling' came and went for
two. Bear Jeffels then joined Mark who was compiling an impressive
innings against his own club. A Newdigate supporter was heard to state,
'Oh he's scoring runs for a change, shame it's for the opposition'. Bear
and Mark remained together at the end of Graveney's first twenty and
there was a quick turn around as batsmen converted themselves to
fielders. Due next but one in, I wasn't sure whether I had to keep my
pads on for the second half but decided not.
In the field Graveney had a good first
half restricting the run scoring with some determined stops. Bear was
getting some extraordinary variable bounce out of the wicket bowling a
slow motion version of bodyline when not not trying to take the batsmen
out at the ankles. At tea or after Newdigate's first half to be precise,
Graveney were some 30 odd runs ahead. As usual there was a very generous
tea to be enjoyed and Graveney had been joined by supporters Neal Taylor
and Rob Davies.
Resuming at the crease Mark and Bear
progressed the score until Bear waltzing down the wicket neglected to
hit the ball, being bowled for 21. O'D did a Howard, making two. Mick
who was eager to enjoy some time at the crease as this may be the only
game I can play this season due to Saturday working was warned by Mark
that the bowler was jagging the ball in. He jagged the first ball in
taking out Mick's middle stump who took some solace in the fact that he
could continue his still smouldering ciggie back at the pavilion. Apart
from Mark who went on to score an impressive century and the 21
contributions of Nick and Bear, no batsmen made double figures. Bigger
Tim Eveleigh at least kept Mark company for a while when they put on 31
for the seventh wicket.
So Newdigate resumed needing just over
100 runs from their second stint of twenty overs. Despite good spells
from our debutant Daves's and an accurate cameo from John Webster they
relentlessly approached Graveney's 190 with too many overs to play and
wickets in hand. Unusually there were two excellent stumpings, one each
for keepers Dave Moody (substituted at half time) and Mark Rance.
Skipper Moody had swapped the gloves for an occasional bowl and did take
a wicket in a slightly expensive three over spell. Mick put down a dolly
catch and then made two exceptional attempts to redeem himself getting
to two full blooded cover drives. Despite getting two thumbs on the
first it still sailed to the boundary. The second stopped a certain four
when the middled shot thwacked into the fleshy part of Mick's left hand,
unfortunately not sticking.
So Newdigate went on to pass Graveney's
total with 5 overs to spare and levelled this series of games three to
three.
To be fair, I think the new format
works. At tea we knew we were slightly ahead and fielding for 20 overs
in two stretches is certainly less tiring than 40 in one stretch. On the
down side the two batsmen in at the end of the first twenty overs have
to start again
Howard was still convinced at the end
that we had won the first game and Newdigate the second.
Man of the match:
Not
awarded in this fixture.
Champagne moment:
Not
awarded in this fixture.
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