Scorecard

Yeoford (mini-league) v Erratics Cricket Club Erratics on Thu 05 May 2016 at 6.00pm
Erratics Cricket Club Won by 4 runs

Match report Spring has finally sprung and, whether because of the recent rise in temperatures or because of latent competitive desires, the erratics indicated a never-seen before level of keen by having a full team out in catching practice prior to the inaugural Cheriton Fitzpane mini-league before any member of the opposition managed to find the ground. As a brief aside, I had explained to my passengers on the way to the game that this ground is extremely difficult to find. So difficult, in fact, that on my last visit I got lost and then noticed Jeff Haynes in my rear view mirror. I pulled over to ask his advice and, though unsure himself, he guided us to the ground. Nonetheless the "I'll know it when I see it" plan for finding the ground was not exactly going well yesterday. I'd just done my second U-turn, exclaiming "Where is Jeff when you need him?!", when who should round the corner coming towards us! Jeff explained that we'd probably missed the turning on the road we'd just tried and, within 5 minutes, we were there. Jeff, if you ever fancy recording your voice for a SatNav app, I'd download it and carry you everywhere!

I digress. The erratics were keen, the opposition were late. The rules of the new league were discussed at length: a team bonus point if your innings contained 6 or more 6's and a large tractor-tyre sized net just outside the long on boundary that, if you could hit a 6 into it, would give your side another league bonus point. Could we get enough 6's? Would Matt Cook be better aiming for the tyre with a low flat trajectory or would it need to be dropped in there from a height to avoid the inevitable fields-man who'd be posted there? These were the questions occupying Erratic minds as Mark Hailwood and Jonathan Kirby walked out to bat...

It wasn't your typical tacky early season wicket. It looked dry. However, when on the line of the stumps, the bounce was "low to variable", and that did for both of our openers for ducks in consecutive overs as good length balls kept much lower than expected and hit the stumps. Still, with Matt Cook and Krupakar at the crease, we would get this back on track. Krups set about the business of trying to get in, Matt set about the business of trying to score runs. And it was going well. Until that is, on 10, the temptation of the tyre got the better of him. Not getting all of it, long on took the catch, Fraser walked out, and was soon back in the shed after another kept low. On little more than 15, an errati-collapse, and a short game seemed on the cards. I walked out to bat and my heart sank as Krups said "As long as you play straight you'll be fine". He was dead right, but 2 boundaries later and with thoughts of dominating the bowling attack I went the same was as most of our top order-bowled by one keeping low after playing across the line.

Dan Thistlethwaite was given out caught behind after initially looking assured in defence, then Krupakar and Sankar began the rebuild, slowly getting us past 50 and then 60. Krupakar let loose with 5 overs to go and after the tournament's first 6 and another 2 4's was back in the pavilion retired. Ben Youngman replaced him and then Sankar cut loose, eventually playing across one that kept low and being bowled (see a pattern here?). Jeff, sacrificing his wicket in the team cause went the same way before Ben used the final over to score his first boundary of the season and running a couple of singles with Mark Phillips got the Erratics to a barely defendable yet not unusual T20 total of 92.

Ben Youngman and Mark Hailwood opened the bowling and kept the attack extraordinarily quiet, Mark going for only 11 from his 3 overs and Ben only bowling 2 for 6 runs. Sankar came in and prized out their opener and the dangerous looking wide shouldered 6 machine that came in at number 3, the former edging a steepling catch to Fraser "bucket-hands" Chave and the latter actually being dropped by Jeff Haynes only for him to pick up the drop and run out the batsmen! Sankar bowled his 3 for only 6 runs whilst Fraser at the other end bowled a maiden, claimed a wicket, but had to watch his figures suffer as the well set Yeoford opener scored a couple of boundaries to reach his 30. The Erratics were in this one!

Step up a man who's radar had been on all day, Jeff rattled through his overs for only 12, whilst Matt Cook picked up a wicket and went for only one more. As we come to talk of the death bowling, we need to set the match in context. We're half way through Matt Cook's last over, there are 2 more to come after it (and I have to bowl one of those), they need 18 to win and Matt is clipped off the batman's pads for 4 down at 3rd man. 14 to win. Matt, whose field placings had been excellent all day, covered 3rd man by putting Mark Phillips across and moved me further behind square. Matt's next ball was a dot, but the final flew towards the boundary about 15 metres to my right. In the gloom I could barely see it but, because Matt had moved me I made the dive and we kept them to a single. 13 to win. Matt was in defensive mood and covered the boundaries well so that the penultimate over only went for 4 singles. 9 to win. At this point our opener had 1 over left and, bowling at the Yeoford captain, took his leg stump clean out of the ground! The remaining batsmen could only muster a couple of singles with all erratics stationed on the boundary and, somehow, we defended the total.

In the changing rooms we pondered the reality of being top of the league. Comparisons were made with Leicester, of course, and every heroic sporting underdog story you care to name. I think Mighty Ducks were mentioned at some point. In the pub a quick drink was all the Chaves had time for as the voting booth beckoned. I reassured Fraser, who doesn't turn 18 until just after the EU referendum, that as long as he wanted to vote "remain" I would use my vote to make sure his preference counted, as the sun set on another summer evening in Devon. The erratics are top of the league. Can we defy odds of 5000 to 1 and win the thing? Worth a cheeky £1 I think ;)

Danny Williamson

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 7 wickets
0
92		        
Mark Hailwood Bowled  0
Jonathan Kirby Bowled  0
Matt Cook Caught  10 1
Jayakrupakar Nallala Retired Not Out  32 4 1 1
Fraser Chave Bowled  1 1
Danny Williamson Bowled  9 2
Daniel Thistlethwaite Caught  0
Sankar Mariappan Bowled  17 1
Ben Youngman Not Out  7 1
Jeff Haynes Bowled  0
Mark Phillips Not Out  1

Yeoford (mini-league) Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Yeoford (mini-league) Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 6 wickets
0
87 (20.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Ben Youngman3.00919.003.00
Mark Hailwood3.001100.003.67
Sankar Mariappan3.01623.002.00
Fraser Chave3.0119119.006.33
Jeff Haynes3.001200.004.00
Matt Cook3.0013113.004.33
Danny Williamson2.001300.006.50