Warm Up Match - May 28th 2009

As our fifth season gets underway, we began with the now traditional "warm up match" where we dust off our whites and head off to Regent's Park, via the off license of course, with as many of our now legion Ringers as we can muster for a practice session before the season, against real opposition, begins in earnest next week. The standard of play and attendance numbers at these fixtures can be somewhat erratic, but on this occasion, and with the sun shining, we were able to assemble a total of 16 people and an 8 a side game looked on the cards.

The plan would be for each batsman to face 15 balls, and each bowler to bowl around 3 overs each. The Batsmen would remain at the crease until they had faced all 15, being docked 5 runs for each dismissal during that time.

Newly promoted Vice Captain Peter Rogerson was selected to captain one of the teams, while our Captain, best batsman and leader Martin Haigh, or course, captained the other. Rejecting an option of an old fashioned playing field / school yard selection policy (captain A picks someone, captain B picks someone etc) on the basis that this would be "unfair to Goochie", Martin instead nominated the team based on their location on the boundary edge and the teams were decided, although Martin would come to rue this policy before the evening was out.

Martin and newly promoted rookie captain Peter (Team 2) tossed the coin to decide proceedings. Peter called incorrectly, gifting Martin (Team 1) the choice of bowling first. The discovery of a worse tosser than Martin in the team now somewhat cause for concern.

Team 2 headed out to bat, led by bouncer bowling Ringer Jarod Worthy and demoted ex vice captain Willis for company. Both began solidly against the wily turners of Ringer Guy and line and length bowler Rob White. Barry Willis, although the victim of some blatant strike hogging by his various partners, played well and at better than a run a ball, completed his 15 balls for a handsome 19 runs. Compulsive Bouncer Bowler Jarod Worthy, although suffering 1 of only two wickets to fall in Team 2's innings nevertheless scored a handy 13. Newly slimline twirler Rob Bailey contributed a useful 12, and our middle order Bludgeoner, Goochie, another 12, including a fine smashed boundary that shot to the boundary rope as if departing a shotgun.

Bowling wise, Ringer Andy Moss, amazingly, completely failed to bowl a wide in 12 whole balls, while our own Wicket Keeper Andy Bowen, who temporally handed over the gloves to Captain Martin Haigh, demonstrated why he prefers that position when fielding, by sending down a long stream of them, and confirming our determination to keep him behind the stumps in future games. Our now completely injury free tweaker Richard Harris was also spotted bowling on one occasion, and going for very few in the process, although it's likely we'll need to monitor his bowling efforts if we're to keep him injury free for long.

Keen Wicketkeeper and Ringer Dave Ford scored a helpful 6, but was to lose his wicket, leaving him on a less desirable single. Newly promoted Vice Captain Rogerson, relishing his role, hit a quickfire 14, including a fine cut for four of his captain Martin Haigh's bowling, and a skied straight drive of Ringer Tungate that landed inches inside the long off boundary. Ringer John Bell contributed 18, including four fours, proving himself one of our more useful Ringers, although a little worrying in that we'll likely be facing him in anger later in the season. The somewhat uneventful Team 2 innings was brought to a close by further useful contributions from Ex Vice Captain and temporary holder of the Carib Bowling Award Barry Willis, who added a further 12 to our score to give us a very useful 112 runs from our 20 overs, including the loss of only two wickets.

Team 1 began their reply soon after with Ringer Guy and our own Keen Wicket Keeper Andy Bowen opening the batting hoping to chase down their target. Unfortunately, it began to unravel almost immediately. In the first over, opening Bowler Rogerson was able to induce the hapless Wicketkeeper to lob up a catch to ex Vice Captain Willis, and the tumbling of wickets had begun. Wicket Keeper Andy Bowen's agonies were to continue next over, when the aging Carib opening bowler this time had him bowled, while from the other end, compulsive bouncer bowler Jarod Worthy was also able to have him caught. Although Andy was able to struggle to a useful 13, the loss of three wickets saw his overall score reduced to a miserable -2. Ringer Guy, a known useful batsman, however, was able to take his score to 21, and team 1 at least had a start.

Useful Carib nurdler Gordon Berry guided the ball around the square, but he too, was to lose his wicket, reducing a useful 11 to a rather less useful 6. Dan Tungate, the engine room of the Team 1 reply, hit the ball to all parts during his 15 balls, including 3 huge sixes off Barry Willis and newly slimline Rob Bailey. However, his two dismissals reduced his mammoth 34, to a more manageable 24.

Next in was the hapless Ringer Andy Moss, who although only being out once in his first 13 balls, compiling a not too embarrassing 9 runs, must have thought at one point that he was heading towards a positive score. Unfortunately for him, the Carib's aging opening bowler returned to the attack and found some accuracy. After removing the middle stump of line and length bowler Carib White, Andy Moss found himself facing the old timer for his last two balls. Unfortunately, he missed the first delivery, losing his off stump. The second delivery again proved too much for him, and his middle stump was again disturbed, leaving the poor Carib Ringer to trudge off the ground, minus six to his name, and failing to assist his team's progress towards the target to any extent.

Our middle order Bludgeoner and deceptively tricky slow bowler Goochie returned to the attack against friendly rival Carib White, himself struggling to keep his scores away from the negative column. A couple of fours helped, but, once the 6 foot 5 Goochie had found his length he was unstoppable. A particularly straight ball from Goochie broke through the Carib White defences and clattered into his wickets. Carib White was bereft and bent down, head in his hands, with the bat pressed against his forehead in disappointment and dismay. As his head shook, he was perhaps hoping for a consoling arm from his friend, Flintoff / Brett Lee style, but the heavy set Bludgeoner remained at the bowling end, enjoying the moment, and taking the plaudits of his team as another Team 1 player had failed to trouble the + column, his 15 runs completely canceled by his 3 lost wickets, although the mental scares of the humiliation of being completely bested by his Essex rival will likely take months to heal.

To be fair to Team 1, they had scored quicker than Team 2, but had lost many wickets. Their score was bolstered by the efforts of Ringer Guy, Ringer Tungate and the extras column, with few of the rest contributing positive totals. However, the quick scoring of the ringers had left them with a slight mathematical chance of a victory, if last batsman in, our captain and leader Martin Haigh, could pull off one of his customary Captain's innings. As usual, Martin strode to the crease full of confidence, arms swinging in ghosted cover drives and hooks, making us realise that we still had a game on our hands. Martin began as he usually does, picking off the bad balls for ones and twos. A quick calculation of the required runs two overs from the end showed that Martin needed to score 23 runs to win the game. To counter the threat, Rookie Team 2 Captain Carib Rogerson brought himself back on to bowl, with short pitched bowler Jarod Worthy primed to take the final one.

The Rookie Captain's final over, however, was not a success, going for 10 runs and leaving Martin with around 13 to score in his final over to secure victory. Compulsive Bouncer Bowler Jarod began badly, perhaps feeling the pressure, and discarded his usual battery of bouncers to send down on this occasion, several wides, all of which contributed to Martin's chase. A smashed four by our Captain and Best Batsman now seriously began to threaten to overhaul Team 2's score.

The next ball, however, was to seal the fate of the game. An unusually pitched up delivery from the Carib Ringer landed right in our captain's slot. Martin leaned forward, his eyes as wide as a hawk's, swung the bat high above his head, and brought it down, straight, cracking the ball on the half volley, and firing the cricket ball like a bullet towards the Opposition Captain, Rookie Carib and aging opening bowler Rogerson, cowering at short cover and dreading the imminent loss of his first game in charge. However, as the Rookie skipper contemplated the humiliation of defeat, the ball began its ascent into orbit right in front of him, and began to loom large in his face. As Martin struck the ball with such ferocity, thoughts of imminent victory began to flood his senses, surely the resultant four that must surely follow such a powerful stroke would complete the task, and again, Martin would have dragged the team back from the brink to an unlikely victory.

However, as these thoughts flooded Martin's mind, the Rookie opposition skipper prepared to strike as the ball rocketed towards him from some 15 yards away. A foot either side, higher or lower, would have rendered the shot uncatcheable, unstoppable even, but it thudded into his palms, and amazingly, stuck fast. Martin had lost his wicket, and the resultant deduction of five runs, sadly, had put victory out of his grasp and Martin was only able to secure a further run as his team sank to defeat. Although for a few exciting minutes, the game was a "damned close run thing", the loss of wickets had sunk Team 1's run chase, handing a first victory to the Rookie Skipper and Aging Fast Bowler Rogerson and ending a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

As we headed off to the pub, there was a noticeable lack of arguments about the bag carrying, as although the "Red Bag" had made an appearance, its contents were conveyed to the newer smaller bag and the Red Bag was forever consigned to history .. Next week sees us take on the Bank of England All-stars, for another category II game and another hugely enjoyable game is on the cards.

Carib Beer XI Team 1 Win by 20 runs

Scorecard