Scorecard

Stokeinteignhead v Erratics Cricket Club Erratics on Sun 31 May 2015 at 2.00pm
Erratics Cricket Club Won by 9 wickets

Match report "You numpty." It was with these words that Chris Ferro scolded me when I announced to the team (huddling in the pavilion) that I had won the toss and chosen to field first. Even Gareth Oughton was inclined to agree, disproving the theory that the quicks always prefer to bowl first because (1) they have a shiny, hard, new ball to use and (2) they can pig out at tea without fear of physical activity being required of them immediately afterwards. Rain had been coming down for most of the morning. The wind had dried most of it out, but it was still cold and damp. The only person who was happy to field first was me, it seemed, and that was mostly for reasons that may only be properly understood by those who've shouldered the burden and embraced the joy of captaincy - how do I get everyone involved, how do we create a friendly but competitive game, and (lastly) how do we win?!

We'll come to the game itself presently. First, however, I'm going to answer a question that was put to me by one of the team: "how exactly do we get a win, loss or draw out of this game?" Generally speaking, if one person asks a question, several others are either wondering about it, or blissfully unaware. I will therefore explain, briefly, and only in broad brushstrokes:

20 or 40 over games are straightforward. Whichever team scores the most runs is the winner. The result is tied if the scores are level at the end.

Hiding in here is the reason the Erratics generally prefer a timed game, rather than one limited by overs. In a 40 over game, if the first team scores loads and the second team loses wickets and gets well behind the required run-rate, the outcome becomes inevitable even if the second team doesn't get bowled out. The overs have to be played out, even though it's become pointless in terms of determining the result. This happened at Clyst St George earlier in the season, but we abandoned the game (acknowledging defeat) because it was altogether dark, wet and miserable!

In a timed game, the team batting second will win if they score more runs than the first team, but the first team can only win if they take all the second team's wickets. So it was at Stoke-in-Teignhead that we would win if we scored more than 217 runs in the time allowed us, but Stoke would only win if they bowled us out.

From a captain's perspective, the tactics were therefore obvious: start by going for the runs (you have to try to win!), and if it goes pear-shaped, make sure you've got batsman who can block and deny the opposition victory - as Teign Valley had done against us a week before. This shaped the batting order, and everyone could see it made sense.

My decision to field first had, at times, not seemed wise. Mike Lang, armed with his Mongoose, battered us for a personal score of 134 before being run out near the end. Catches had gone down, decisions hadn't been given - all the usual frustrations for a fielding side that's being hammered around a beautiful but very large ground. Having agreed a maximum of 9 overs per bowler, things became tricky for the captain as people reached their legal or physical maximum, with the result that Krupakar had to take his pads off to bowl a couple of overs at the end.

But if Mike Lang and friends could make 217, then we could make the same plus one. That was the theory. It was made a challenge because we would have fewer overs to face - in a timed game, the side batting second generally gets an hour after tea, and then 20 overs. This translated to us having a possible 36 overs compared with Stoke's 42.5 Put another way, it meant a required run-rate of 6 an over.

Duncan and Krupakar put on 142 for the first wicket. Critically, this was at the required run-rate. The numbers speak for themselves. Totally un-Erratic, and a delight to watch.

Martin Wright joined Krupakar and the cry of "looking for 2" was heard shortly afterwards as the ball popped in and out of the hands of mid-off. But the pace didn't drop and "chancy" became "imperious" as both Martin and Krupakar made everything look easy, completing the chase with 3 overs to spare.

In the end, there were some, like me, who didn't bat and didn't bowl. Thanks therefore go to the fielding efforts of Messrs Phillips, Thistlethwaite and Ferro - with a special mention for the laser-like run-out achieved by Chris, aiming at a single stump from some distance.

We were joined in the Wild Goose by Stoke-in-Teignhead, concluding an afternoon of friendly, competitive cricket with a friendly pint or two.

Now... what would have happened if we had batted first? Would we have fared so well...?

Jonathan Kirby

[From Mark Hailwood: I am sorry to have to point out that, contrary to some speculation, Duncan and Krupakar's 142-run partnership for the 1st wicket is not, alas, an Erratics record. Back in 1938 Owen and Matthews put on 169* for the 1st wicket against Devonshire Regimental Depot. In the 'modern era', if you will, there has also been an opening stand of 159, between Mark Burdis and Nick Bishop, against Ilsington, in 1984. The highest partnership on record for any wicket (up to 1994 at least - the records for 1994-2014 still need to be collated) is 188*, between Chris Cook and Richard Hitchcock, against the old enemy Lustleigh, in 1989 (for the 3rd wicket). So, still room for improvement chaps...]

[[From Chris Ferro: I raise your 188*...
http://www.erratics.org.uk/2010_Match_Reports/101010_Tedburn.htm
Although maybe that doesn't count (as Nick Birbeck would claim) because
it was on an artificial pitch.]]

Stokeinteignhead Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 8w 1lb 
for 5 wickets
13
217 (42.5 overs)		     
Mike Lang Run out  134
J. Burton ct  Oughton 8
H. Longrigg Run out  26
W Salmon b  Power 2
Roger Putman Retired Not Out  20
J Godley Not Out  3
Chris Saunders b  Krupakar 11
S Chacko  
C Prestt  
E Trower  
J Clinkett  

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Dominic Prosser8.003800.004.75
Gareth Oughton9.0126126.002.89
Fraser Chave9.014400.004.89
Phil Power9.0053153.005.89
Duncan Chave6.003900.006.50
Jayakrupakar Nallala1.5016116.008.73

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 3w 6b 3lb 
for 1 wickets
14
219		        
Jayakrupakar Nallala Not Out  87
Duncan Chave b  Saunders 75
Martin Wright Not Out  43
Chris Ferro  
Fraser Chave  
Jonathan Kirby  
Mark Phillips  
Phil Power  
Dominic Prosser  
Daniel Thistlethwaite  
Gareth Oughton  

Stokeinteignhead Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
E Trower6.304400.006.77
J Clinkett6.003100.005.17
C Prestt7.004700.006.71
C Saunders8.0046146.005.75
S Chacko4.002700.006.75
J Burton2.001500.007.50