Far From The MCC
~ Est. in 1998 ~
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Saturday 3rd
September 2005 |
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Result: Lost by 35 Runs |
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Venue: Cholsey |
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35 overs |
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Rood en Wit XI |
148 - 8 |
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A. Mann 3 - 13,
J. Hoskins 2 - 27 |
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FFTMCC |
113 ao |
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J. Harris 29,
D. Edwards 27 |
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Famous Dutch people:
Van Gogh, Van der Valk, Marco Van Basten, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Denise Van
Outen, Van Morrison, 1984 Diesel Bedford Van, Van Quished, Van Ity, Van
Helsing, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Van Halen……. yeah, you get the picture. Finally,
after days of negotiations with various groundsmen, universities and
colleges, Cholsey came up trumps – they offered the use of
N. Hebbes takes guard on His work in securing
a ground for the fixture was exemplary, but Mr. Hoskins’ once famed ability
for tossing was again in absence as the Dutch won the toss under hot blue
skies and chose to bat first. This may or may not have saved the skipper a
difficult choice, for although the No-Mad are historically a better team when
batting first, the vagaries of the Cholsey pitch would always suggest “seeing
how the opposition get on first.” After a
robust opening few overs in which J. Harris (3-0-24-1) had been carted to
various surrounding hedgerows, he suckered Dutch opener Loeb who had danced
down the track, and rattled his woodwork to leave the tourists on 24-1. This
quickly became 39-4 as Australian import, A. Mann (6-0-13-3), enjoyed some
fine end of season form to rip out the Rood en Wit top order. I. Howarth
(5-0-22-1) then enjoyed the rarity of a slip-catch off his own bowling,
whilst the skipper (7-2-27-2) bowled with control and intelligence in
flighting his assortment of pies into cracks and divots outside the batsmen’s
off stump. There was even time for No-Mad stalwart, M. Bullock (3-0-3-1), to
exercise his leg-spin and screw one delivery though the batsman’s pads to
leave the Dutch tottering on 79-7. So good so far.
“Watch out for incoming mortar fire!” When is a friendly not a friendly? And when is an occasion more important than a result? In any game, the participants would be
likelier the happier if they prevailed by taking gold, but sometimes it seems
less important when new friends are made and the integrity of the sport is
upheld. Saturday seemed to be a case in point, and realising the nature of
the match, J. Hoskins removed his strike bowlers and allowed the Dutch some
time to pose a score of respectability. Whether or not Rood en Wit would have
finalised a decent total against a more potent attack is open to debate, but
after feasting on J. Hotson’s asparagus salad (2-0-28-0), our Dutch friends
gained some momentum towards the end of their knock and posted 148-8, their
skipper S. Capel slogging 41 not out.
More cheese than you can throw an Tea. And what a fine spread it was. Gardener, D.
Edwards, had procured a wonderful buffet in advance of the match by stopping
in on his local bakery, but the question his team mates really wanted
answering was why he hadn’t just sent his missus down Tesco’s and got her to
make the bloody lot? I mean he is married – one of the perks surely? In reply, the No-Mad got off to a
tortuous and depressing start. Rood en Wit strike bowler, R. Prenen
(5-3-8-1), all 8’ 6” of him, bowling with hostility and venom, and after
seeing a short-ball flash past his nostrils, No-Mad opener N. Hebbes was
powerless to act as similar ball shot along the deck and had him bowled for a
duck. A. Mann, watching the horrors from the other end, was similarly
struggling with the pitch, and after farting around for 17 balls, left the
crease plumb lbw for nought -
Rood en Wit strike
bowler, R. Prenen – he’s a big honky!
D. Edwards (27) and J. Harris (29) then gritted
their teeth as they steadied the ship by realising a partnership of 65, mixing
solid defence with the occasional boundary. Unfortunately, tight Dutch
bowling restricted their freedom, and as it did so the required run rate
topped 8 an over. In attempting to free the shackles, the No-Mad lost both
their batsmen, before T. Smith (8) and M. Bullock (3) also went as the overs
dwindled by. I. Howarth then ran himself out for 9 chasing a crazy second to
a javelin-thrower in the deep, the skipper smacked a lusty 7 before being
bowled for the 67th time this season, and J. Hotson, bristling
with authority, was stumped for a nondescript 2. This all left M.
Westmoreland, who had deputised behind the stumps earlier in the day, to
chance his arm with an entertaining 17 before he too ran himself out. 113 all
out off 33.2 overs, and A. Morley (0*) was left to rue another missed
opportunity to club the No-Mad to victory off the final 10 balls of the
innings. (For the record, S. Capel completed a memorable game for himself and
Rood en Wit as he finished with sparkling figures of 7-0-28-5). * * *
The Dutch would
present a fine “drinking” adversary. So, the Dutch were victorious. But to see their unbridled joy at
their first ever tour victory was warming. They then celebrated by draining
any barrel of ale they could lay their hands on, and awarding the No-Mad
two-dozen speeches and a vanload of clogs. Such was the camaraderie enjoyed
on this day, the No-Mad entertained thoughts of a tour to Any reason to see Denise Van Outen! ‘Spam’ |
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No
Fines on this day |
MOTM: no votes cast
Champagne Moment: no votes cast
Buffet Award: J. Hotson’s
tuna baguettes