Sunday 4th June 2017
Friendly
Stoke D’Abernon 101 all out (33.4 overs)
Richmond Nomads 69 all out (26.3 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon won by 32 runs
Another mad day in the life of the Stoke Sunday side but it all worked out in the end!
A sunny day, all the Stokers present and correct, clock ticking towards the point where the opposition should be starting to appear…but no sign of them. A speculative call to them to see how they were getting on was met with a rather surprised voice at the other end suggesting that the fixture was next Sunday. Cue panic with the tea lady now on site too!
So to the list of clubs looking for fixtures. Could anything be done? Was there a side out there with a similar plight to ourselves? Anything local we could scramble across to? As is tradition, most of the clubs on the board had fixed themselves something but not deleted their adverts; but for those who believe in miracles, a call, (the thirteenth in the call-history), at 2.10pm produced one.
Richmond Nomads had travelled to Englefield Green to play the fixture in their card, only to find that EGCC were tossing up against a another opposition; and attempts to try and play a triangular tournament, (as Stoke did many moons ago when a previous fixture secretary booked two oppositions for the same day to come to the Rec), were wholly unsuccessful.
Were they willing to come to Stoke rather than spend an afternoon in the pub? Absolutely! So armed with our post code and a self-appointed person to wait on the Stoke Road to wave the convoy in we were on. The first arrival was just after 2.30pm – some serious speed camera avoidance there if the AA Routeplanner was to be believed – and by 2.50pm the rest of the new opposition were at the Rec.
Pre-toss discussions led Stoke, with a few League players in the XI this week, looking for a bat first. The visiting captain was happy – for the record the coin came down correctly anyway – and Doug Gilbertson faced the first ball of a 35 over contest at 3pm. Credit to the opposition for bowling their overs in two hours.
So to the cricket. Well, with one notable exception the batting effort left a lot to be desired as a moderate bowling attack were gifted a succession of wickets. Alistair McMillan was first to go when he missed a straight one; Malcolm Dickson was stumped, Gilbertson was well caught trying to hit the ball over the in-field; and not even Tim Handel, in his first outing of the season fared any better, a second to be stumped after hitting a nice four. Pictured here…
Rod Thomson looked good for 13 before being caught, Charlie Hill followed next ball. 49 for 6 after 18 overs at drinks was not in the script; and it was tricky for the opposition to indulge in any game management as it was a couple of lobbers who were taking the majority of the wickets anyway.
Now to try and build a score, any score. Thomas Dennis used all his skill to manoeuvre the ball around. He lost Ed Ashwell after a partnership of 20, then Paddy Wilson, (77 for 7); but finally found someone to stay with him in the form of Patrick O’Neill who was making his Sunday XI debut.
It was looking like Stoke might actually bat all their overs. Just as this looked possible, though, the returning opening bowler castled O’Neill in the 33rd over. 89 for 9. With just No.11 for company Dennis took seven off the next over, including a single of the last ball to keep the strike, and took the total to 101 with a glorious four back over the bowler’s head in the next. Sadly two balls later he was bowled behind his legs, but 29 from 73 balls was a tremendous effort on a pitch that offered the bowlers a lot.
So, something to bowl at after a reduced, (in time, not quantity or excellence), tea. The hope was a decent start might create some scoreboard pressure. It was better than anything we could have dreamed of.
Hill, making a tentative comeback after his hamstring strain, rattled off five successive maidens from a shortened run-up; and collected three wickets, two bowled and one leg-before. With moderate assistance from the other new-ball bowler it was 10 for 3 after ten overs.
Having declined the offer of the new nut, opting for a first change role from his preferred Railway End; O’Neill made an immediate impact. Bowling with good pace and keeping to one side of the wicket negating the need for a fine-leg, he castled opener Raby, (15), and Cundy for 3, the latter offering no shot. 28 for 5.
Wilson bowled a nice mix from the other end but a partnership was building and at drinks the visitors were nearly half-way there at 46 for 5. Time to mix the bowling up a bit…
Ashwell replaced O’Neill and struck in his first over castling R.Swain for 11 – he returned figures of 3-1-7-1 in his last game before he goes travelling – and other bowling changes all seemed to work. Singh was still a problem to Stoke, though, as he found the boundary a few times in a knock of 25.
At 66 for 6 O’Neill was tossed the ball again and he took out Singh straight away, finding his edge and Handel doing the rest behind the timbers – thanks to Timmy for volunteering to take the gloves –and next ball Bridgeman was cleaned up. The hat-trick ball was just about negotiated.
Dennis was another to take a wicket on introduction to the attack, breaking Charteris’ off-bail with a serious seed, and at 68 for 9 it was nearly job done. Somehow No.11 survived the rest of the over.
This left O’Neill with the chance of a 5-for on Sunday XI debut; and No.8 Spark was bowled after a ball that hit him somewhere around the thigh-pad area and cannoned onto the stumps. 5.3-1-16-5 were the final figures, and Stoke had won by 32 runs.
So given where both clubs were at 2pm, this can only go down a great success and the opposition also made a decent contribution to the bar afterward now they had less of a trip home. They latterly tweeted this…
We’ll stay in touch and see where we can fit a game in next year; most probably twin it with a Trust League weekend to level off the respective standards a bit.
As for Stoke’s next match, we’ll double and triple check the fixture card and go again. For now, the author of this match report is off for a lie-down!
Scorecard : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/website/results/2889364