St Mary Bourne, 27 July 2024

 

St Mary Bourne went down last year for some misdemeanour that cost them -50 points. Like both the Easts, Anton and Tytherley, though for different reasons, they have no business in this league.

DCC was always a bowling side. Difficult to get a bowl, there were so many. Not these days. We desperately need bowling.

I got carted round the park, which is always fun. The enduring image of this game was Smithers being fed into a hedge by two guys, stretched out straight, arms and legs extended like a pole, to retrieve another six from a non turning length leg break.

Boy do we need bowlers. St Mary Bourne made 229. Robert bowled beautifully for 4-14. He and Smithers (two excellent bowlers) combined for 5-29 off 16. If we had 2 more of them, conceivably St Mary Bourne are all out for 58 and our rather sad chase of 61 sees us win by 3 runs. Fanciful, I know.

But we need bowlers – that isn’t. Know any?

Full PlayCricket scorecard here

Oakmount, 13 July 2024

 

Last few weeks cricket has been hard to love. But I had a big whine last week so this week maybe I’ll just do a match report.

Oakmount were pretty much level with us in the league before this game. We seem pretty similar sides on paper. I’d say we probably are in reality, and on another day we’d have a good even game with them. This was not that day.

We batted first and poorly, most of us getting out in disappointing ways, largely, though not entirely, through lack of patience and application. They had two good openers, but after that very ordinary fare, but by that time the damage was largely done.

The partnership of the day was the final one. Supported by Vic, Ryan showed some flair, wielding the new ‘Wombat’ with freedom, to take the innings to its conclusion, caught on the boundary off the last ball attempting to get us to 3 figures.

Defending 96 is rarely easy, and their big swinging 3 and 4 had license to go nuts, which they duly did. We got an early wicket, but the second wicket had already made 60, and they took some punishing overs off us which put the result beyond doubt in short order.

I don’t wanna jinx it but next game we travel to Redlynch who have yet to win, so perhaps we’ll catch a break there. We could do with one.

Written by Si

Full PlayCricket scorecard here

Sparsholt III, 6 July 2024

I love cricket. I mean I really love it. It’s a big part of my happiness. It centres me, washes away the bullshit. I need it. In the winter I miss it. In the spring I look forward to it. It defines my summer.

But every now and then, it tests my faith in it.

This was a testing game. 

It takes a lot for me to not enjoy a game of cricket. Mostly, there’s something joyful. Even last week, when we were soundly thrashed by a vastly superior side, we fielded fiercely, Court and Ryan took stunning catches, Rob and Howard bowled brilliantly. Outclassed, we gave a decent account of ourselves.

This week was awful.

Because of football, we started at 11. Many games were off. It rained heavily all Friday, and Joel had covered the wicket. Without covers, this game was not happening. When they rolled off, the strip looked green. Clouds and drizzle scudded by. A bowling day, surely? Surely.

Anyone who’s ever played at Damerham knows it is characteristically low and slow, even in great weather. What are the chances of it being a road having been covered for a day and a half of heavy rain? I mean, almost none, right? Well it gave the best impression of a road Damerham could possibly manage. Hard, flat, lifeless. (No shade on Joel – quite the opposite; what a fantastic effort from him. Extraordinary wicket, under any circumstances.) 

It was crazy windy. So windy that you couldn’t hear anyone more than 10 yards downwind. Bowling into wind like that is nasty. Setting a field when you can’t hear anyone is shouting at yourself.

I can’t quite put my finger on what made it such a hateful day. The Wind? The early start? The drizzle? The betrayal of the Damerham Dog? The team with eight youngsters in which 90% (no, 86%, let’s be accurate) of the runs came from the three adults? The Hampshire over 60s captain with the unbeaten ton? The fact that I personally bowled like I had someone else’s arm sewn on? By someone who can’t sew?

They’ve all happened before. Any of them alone I’d just shrug off.

Somehow they combined to contrive the least enjoyable Saturday for many a summer. Hated it. Next week will be better. Can’t fail to be.

Written by Si

Full PlayCricket scorecard here