Heavy overnight rain in Northop threatened Irregulars’ second game of the new season but eventually clear skies and a drying wind enabled an on-time start. The question however of what was “on-time” became dubious as the agree start of 1300 had slipped to 1415 by the day before the game. Still, it gave Pete Jones an extra hour in the pub before the game so every cloud…….
To the consternation of the more “experienced” Irregulars, the new regime appears to have introduced a warm-up consisting of more than a few gentle flexes of the calves and pelvic thrusts. A fiendish mixture of orienteering and coconut shy greeted me on my exit from the clubhouse with puzzled teammates apparently being instructed to move from cone to cone while propelling the ball in random directions. Messrs Langham, Jones and Hamilton took the decision to
have a light net instead of risking their athlete’s muscles.
Irregulars took first use of the wicket and Graham and Pete L strode out to the wicket purposefully. Graham strode back slightly sheepishly having had it pointed out to him that he had forgotten his pads. Seriously!
Take 2 and off went the openers to face the expected pacey Asiansattack. We weren’t disappointed. Openers Nag and Chetan had slightly more pace than direction in the first over and Pete L went LBW in the second over to a Bartlem-esque decision from Wayne. Kenny Totty joined Graham and set about using the pace of the ball to get the board ticking. The pair added 38 before Graham snicked one to the decent leggie Barkat.
Dev was in at 4 but almost as soon as he had arrived, Kenny went slightly lamely to a miscue to mid-off for 24 attractive runs. Dan came and went again without troubling the scorer, seemingly proving his claim that he hadn’t had a net all winter! Dev and Wayne batting together always has people paying attention, especially owners of cars in the car park. Wayne though didn’t come off this time and Dave Hobbs went soon after giving a passable impression of a statue holding a stick in front of him!
Barkat was now in the middle of an excellent spell where he turned the ball significantly and varied his pace well, giving him 4 for 27 of 7 overs. Dev and Ushan nudged and nurdled well for 9
overs adding 42 before Dev finally succumbed for 26 having missed virtually the first straight one he had been dealt. Ushan continued for a couple more overs showing that a straight bat and
timing away the bad balls is always the way to do it. Finally though, he too fell to the spinner
Barkat.
Time for the crowd to put their pints down as we had the enticing prospect of Phil Hamilton and Pete Jones at the wicket together. The Irregulars’ Bash Brothers do not do defence and Cow Corner prepared itself. However, the fun didn’t last long as Phil followed a lusty blow for 4 with another which was well caught in the deep.
Mansour came out to join Pete who possibly confused by instructions to play out the overs, inexplicably went against type, played a textbook late cut, and dashed off for single like a young thing. Problem was it went straight to backward point who threw down the stumps with Mansour not in the frame. 134 wasn’t a bad return against a useful varied attack, and the 37 extras contributed by the Asians (including 22 wides) were welcome if a bit over-generous. You couldn’t help feel though that it might be at least 30 runs short given what we knew of the Asians batting.
Tea-time, always the highlight of the Sunday home games, was extended to breaking point but the Irregulars were eventually dragged back out to start the defence of their total.
Mansour and Kenny opened and both started with dangerous maidens full of lift and movement as the pitch suddenly started to look a bit spiteful. A couple of very close LBW shouts were turned down, but both bowlers then took wickets in their second overs. Mansour got Krishna and Kenny got Pavan, both LBW with shouts which the most one-eyed ump couldn’t refuse. Mansour then got Dev (the Asian version!) in his third over and tails were most definitely up. And that’s pretty much where the excitement ended!
Nag and Chetan (the opening bowlers!) teamed up at 5 for 3 and proceeded to take the score to within single figures of the win. Both played excellently, defending the lifting ball well and punishing anything off line or length. Chetan went through to 57 before retiring and Nag remained undefeated at the end with 46. Wayne bowled 3 good over for 8 before having to retire to put some ice on his groin. He claimed he had a strain but he just seemed to be having too good a time with that ice for us to believe him.
Special mention to Dave Hobbs who bowled his 7 overs straight through in the middle of the innings. With his bouncy approach to the wicket “Skippy” kept 2 in form batsmen tied down getting through his overs at a cost of just 25. 12 of these came from 3 boundaries, leaving just 13 singles taken from 39 deliveries. Just reward arrived with his last delivery when he bowled Arun. A great performance under the circumstances.
Defeat arrived in the 21st over by 6 wickets which I guess most neutral observers would call a bit of a spanking. However, it felt like we were in the game until quite late on when excellent batting took it away from us. Many positives to take. Several commented on the Irregulars’
fielding which was both sharp and committed. I expect there were many skinned knees and elbows being nursed. The bowling attack will I’m sure trouble many sides this year and there is good depth if everyone is available.
Man of the Match was close for me. Dev, Kenny and Ushan for their batting and Louise for the tea. However, I give it to Skippy Hobbs for his bravery and persistence under heavy fire.
Champagne Moment : again, a difficult one. Honourable mentions : Wayne with ice where no
ice should ever be forced to go; Graham’s slower ball which was just about picked and dumped over the pavilion; Neil’s 2 over 12th man appearance – until we decided that Ben Aveyard’s mobility and stronger arm made him a better choice. For me though, it has to be Graham deciding to bat against the quickest attack we will face all year without his pads. I sort of wish I’d let him get to the middle before telling him!!
Northop Irregulars CC Official Website 