Scorecard

Harberton v Erratics Cricket Club Erratics on Sun 10 Aug 2014 at 2.00pm
Erratics Cricket Club Lost by seven wickets

Match report
Unlike Ide, and Killerton, where building work continues on the new pavilions, Harberton completed theirs last year and it is a fine structure with capacious changing facilities, a nicely tiled floor, and a separate scorers’ box which gives one the feel of a commentator’s studio. [With no ground for it to serve, the Erratics cannot even dream of the development of a new pavilion.] Harberton’s was clearly designed to withstand ‘former hurricane’ conditions, as it stood up to all that ex-hurricane Bertha could throw at it. The threat of Bertha had loomed over this match for a week, but at midday the sun was shining on Harberton and the match was confirmed as ‘on’.

While several Erratics warmed up in the excellent net facility, captain Andrew Forrester returned from the square to inform us that we had been put in to bat in what was scheduled to be a 40 over match. With Andrew and Mark Hailwood at the crease, Harberton went into a long huddle before the first ball was bowled … indeed, they discovered that nobody had a ball and players were sent back to the pavilion to find one. Only later did the rest of the team learn that the huddle was about clarifying the rules for the match: Harberton, discovering that they had 12 men, proposed that we play 12-a-side, with them lending us an additional fielder! As they were our hosts we agreed to this unusual variation … perhaps 12-a-side would suit the Erratics better than 11-a-side and 6-a-side? And perhaps not!

Griffiths opened with five consecutive maidens. At the other end, Owers’ five overs were far more expensive, with only three maidens and conceding a whole four runs before bowling Mark in the tenth over. The bowling was good, the pitch exhibited a variable bounce, and Bertha was battering the players and occasionally the ball, but even so, 4 for 1 off 10 overs didn’t look too promising. After all, total of 16 would be hard to defend over 40 overs.

Krupakar Nallala replaced Mark and his sweet 6 in the 14th over doubled our total at that stage. At the end of the 15th over the score had caught up with the overs and we could start thinking positively in terms of a total of 40. Krupakar apart, the batting folded: 18 for 4 (17 overs); 25 for 5 (20 overs … on target for a total of 50 but with five top order batsmen back in the pavilion); 39 for 6 (24 overs). Martin Weiler, Danny Williamson and Dan Thistlethwaite had all gone cheaply. Harberton had started making bowling changes that may have been designed to give us a chance, like introducing the younger McClement to the attack, but after a couple of wides, he then proceeded to capture two wickets. Ben Youngman walked when he felt a nick to the keeper which, in the high wind, nobody else seemed to hear. At 49 for 7, when Krupakar fell (bowled for 23), the match was already lost. Greg MacQueen with 9 and Phil Power with 14 (including another towering 6) put up some resistance but the innings closed when Jeff Haynes lofted one over the bowler, between mid-on and mid-off: it looked an easy catch but Jeff ran anyway, just in case they put it down. As it turned out, both fielders left it to each other and the ball fell to the ground, but Simon Willmot, watching the fielders, and unable to hear Jeff’s call in the wind, set off far too late to stand any chance of making his ground. It was a sad end to the innings, leaving the Erratics all out for 71 with four unused overs. Could 12 fielders really have made that much difference?

A fresh and hearty tea took our minds off the task ahead. After almost constant sunshine, Bertha’s high winds were now blowing a few big grey clouds in our direction, but even they didn’t look game-threatening. Phil Power opened the Erratics’ attack and McClement (senior) sent his first delivery through Mark to the boundary rope. The third ball also made the boundary, between fielders – even though we too had 12 of them with Harberton’s Ollie making up our numbers. Three balls gone and Harberton were already over a tenth of the way to their target!

Andrew did his best to keep the game alive by switching around the bowlers. Phil recovered from his first over to bowl Langton in his second, and carried on to return excellent figures of 1 for 15 off 8 overs, making him easily the pick of the bowlers. With McClement batting effortlessly the bowlers at the other end could not keep the scoring down: Greg gave away 15 in 3 overs, Jeff trapped Gray leg before wicket, but at a cost of 16 off his 2 overs. Ben, however, brought on initially as an end-changer, was unlucky not to get a wicket and conceded only 16 off a tidy 5 over spell. The rain eventually did arrive and the umpires took us off the field to admire the rainbow and allow the squall to pass, which it did even before we had all reached the pavilion! Simon picked up a wicket at the beginning of the 20th over (67 for 3), when Heath lofted a simple catch to Greg which, to everybody except the batsman, looked like a bump ball. Harberton completed the formalities on the fifth ball of the same over, reaching 72 for 3. McClement carried his bat with 43, including two 6s and four 4s.

We all made it to the Church House Inn rather earlier than planned, but the recommended Church House Chuckle and the chip butties were already waiting for us. Harberton were as hospitable as always and could feel happy with their afternoon’s work.

Apologies for the absence of anecdotes from this report but, to be honest, I just wanted to get the facts recorded, and then move on. And I’m not convinced that 12-a-side is a good format for the Erratics.

[Jeff Haynes]

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
71		        
Andrew Forrester Bowled  2
Mark Hailwood Caught  3
Jayakrupakar Nallala Bowled  23
Ben Youngman Caught  1
Martin Weiler Bowled  2
Danny Williamson Bowled  0
Daniel Thistlethwaite Caught  2
Greg MacQueen Caught  9
Phil Power Caught  14
Simon Willmot Run out  0
Jeff Haynes Not Out  0

Harberton Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Harberton Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 3 wickets
0
72 (19.5 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Phil Power8.0315115.001.88
Greg MacQueen3.001500.005.00
Jeff Haynes2.0016116.008.00
Ben Youngman5.011600.003.20
Simon Willmot1.50818.004.36