On Bank Holiday Saturday the 28th of May the sun shone down on the Leyland Arms where the Irregulars and the Mexican Taverner’s met for the surprise 30th birthday party of Ant Doyle.
As the families arrived at the Leyland Arms the rest of the Irregulars gradually arrived (Mansoor got lost again) the sun came out and Llanelidan started to warm up. The outfield was soft as a result of two week’s overnight rain and the wicket had a low bounce. As we were about to do the toss the clouds drifted over the sun and the wind began to make it cold. The sun never came back to give any appreciable warmth throughout the rest of the game.
The Northop Irregulars won the toss and initially elected to bowl when the captain Graham realised that Mansoor was missing so he decided to bat instead. The openers Ushan and Pete Langham got off to a steady start with an partnership of 55 when Pete 30 (from 42) got bowled by Bruce so in came Ali (son of Ushan) who kept the scoreboard ticking along nicely until Ushan 29 (from 45) chipped one straight to Farnsworth, bowled Simber. So the man with 2 shots came in and… Got a duck off three balls, bowled Simber. In came Joe the new local game keeper who was helping us out to make a full team got a duck as well, off three balls, bowled King. The Irregulars were under pressure now at 64-4 when in came Tony our debutant who was convinced that he wouldn’t score anything. So when he hit the ball and got his first run everyone cheered. Ali continued to stand firm at the other end. Soon Tony 2(9) was caught and bowled by the birthday boy. Ali was pushing some more runs now with Mansoor getting quick singles. Ali finished on 36 not out and Mansoor on 5 not out. Some of their best bowling was from the birthday boy Ant with figures 4-0-1-10 and Simber who got figures of 4-0-2-5. The Irregulars finished on 110-5 off 30 overs, top scorers were Ali 36* and Pete Langham 30.
Before the turn around we went back to the Leyland Arms who had provided tea and drinks, lots of sandwiches, garlic bread, pizza and lots and lots of alcohol that may help to explain some of the batting that followed.
When we started the second innings Graham let Josh (other son of Ushan) open the bowling because to the surprise to most of us it was his 10th birthday! He bowled a great over fooling Ant with full pitched balls with only 1 extra coming off his over. Then Mansoor came in for the second over, the last ball of the over kept low and took Bibby’s middle stump for a duck. Dave then replaced Josh and couldn’t find his line until the last ball of his over where he bowled Simber (4) leg stump. Ant and Edwards steadied the ship. Pete Jones came in to the attack replacing Dave took a wicket in his first over, Edwards bowled for 3. Ali replacing Mansoor kept the pressure on at the other end. Then in Pete’s second over a pull to square leg sent the ball straight at Dave, Murray called yes but Doyle said no and Dave pinged it in to Graham who took the bails and the square leg umpire gave him Run Out (2). Ali was the next to strike with a very full pitched ball King came down the wicket to smack it over his head but missed and he was clean bowled for 6. Ushan was next to bowl and in his 3rd over he got the important wicket of Ant, bowled, who had played well for his 16 from 16 overs. Tony the debutant got a chance to bowl his first over for the Irregulars where in his first over he got the wicket of James for a duck. However Tony’s second was a little wilder which included 4 wides. Then we had a keeping change for Graham to Ali and my Dad put
himself on to bowl and he struck in his first over, forcing cannon to play a sweep which he top
edged and Ushan caught it at third man for 6. Graham then let the younger ones bowl. Henry bowled a tidy over just going for six. Then he put Ben his son on who with the run chase now on conceded singles with one boundary (clearing Pete J with a chance) for 9 off his over. Then Graham came back to bowl the penultimate over and bowled dangerous Farnsworth for 11. The last over of the day from Mansoor kept the scoring down with the Mexican Taverners finishing on
86-9 off their 30 overs. Top scorers were left hander Yates on 23* and Ant who held the first half of the innings together with 16. The best bowling figures were Graham with 2-0-2-8 and Ushan 4-3-1-2.
Result the Irregulars won by 24 runs.
The champagne moment (awarded by the writer – Ben Aveyard) was when Tony got his caught and bowled. Graham said he looked really excited because the ball was coming to him, then he look serious because he thought it was going over his head, then delight realising that it was dipping so that he could stick his hands out and take his first wicket. His face showed he’d been through 3 emotions in ½ a second. Man of the match was Ali for his 36 not out which held the middle part of the innings together and for his bowling figures 5-0-1-17 and for keeping wicket.
Northop Irregulars CC Official Website 