Scorecard

Chagford v Erratics Cricket Club Erratics on Wed 16 Aug 2023 at 6.00pm
Erratics Cricket Club Won by 52 runs

Match report The trousers

The undoubted highlight for the watching crew of Erratics supporters was the ‘trousers incident’. A Chagford player fielding on the boundary had no kit and sent out instructions for someone to contact his wife to bring it along. When his kit bag arrived he had great trouble putting on his white trousers. Bit of a schoolboy error in not taking his boots off first. The trousers just wouldn’t go over them. He toppled this way and that with his trousers at half mast.

The shirt

The same fielder had already had another kit problem when Mark Searle claimed he didn’t realise he was a fielder. So Chris Cook, already retired, lent his Unicorn badged white shirt to restore order. As it happened, Tim Brooks, making his debut for the Erratics, had also come without kit. So when he went out to bat he became the third player to wear the Cook shirt. Is this a record?

Tim had arrived wearing a Netherlands cricket shirt. He has some claim to this as he is an expert on European cricket below Test level – territory he covers in his book ‘Cricket on the continent’. He has also written on the wider international stage in ‘A corner of every foreign field – cricket’s journey from English game to global sport’.

Tim has good University of Exeter connections – he studied history (1996-9) and currently lectures on food policy there.

The match

It is always a joy to play at Chagford with the stunning backdrop of Meldon Hill overlooking the ground. As Anuj Tiwari commented “this is beautiful”. But Erratics openers Mark Searle and Chris Cook were not to be distracted. This was an opening partnership of some Erratics heritage – a combined total of 81 years since their debuts (Cook in 1982 and Searle in 1983). Chris retired on 31 (including seven 4s) and Mark finally succumbed for 21 coming in with the comment “it was time to go”. Andrew Forester made a patient and important 27 as we built the score beyond a hundred. But things still looked a little light when Matt Crawford came to the wicket at 116-7 in the 17th over. Matt transformed the innings with a belligerent 26 not out which included two 6s and two 4s in the final over. 150 felt far more competitive.

Chagford, after losing an early wicket, looked well set before the second one fell at 47. They never really recovered thereafter. There is a bit of a trend, of late, of slow bowling taking wickets. And when I say slow, I mean extremely slow. Mark Phillip’s 4-20 at Stokeinteignhead, earlier in the month, set the gold standard. Chagford may never have faced such slow looped bowling as your author delivered. A couple were cleaned up on around their fourth effort to play a shot. No, it still hasn’t reached the other end. Oh dear, bowled! Phil Power, Matt Crawford and Fraser Chave all also took wickets but they are positively quick in comparison.

Chagford reached 98 all out before we retired to their impressive pavilion to be entertained with pizzas and much chat on the delights of playing at one of Devon’s finest grounds.

Martin Weiler

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
3nb 12w 2lb 
for 8 wickets
17
150
        
Mark Searle b J Stanbury 21 30 3 70.0
Chris Cook Retired Not Out  31 15 7 206.67
Andrew Forrester b T Stanbury 27 36 3 75.00
Fraser Chave ct S Connelly 5 5 1 100
Martin Weiler ct S Connelly 0 1 0
Paul Molins b J Stanbury 0 1 0
Richard Lindsay b J Stanbury 8 9 1 88.89 3
Anuj Tiwari ct T Stanbury 9 5 2 180.0
A.N. Other b T Stanbury 1 4 25.00
Matt Crawford Not Out  26 14 3 2 185.71 1
Phil Power Not Out  2 1 200

Chagford Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
J Hughes2.00700.003.50
T Stanbury3.002939.679.67
P Sinclair3.003400.0011.33
P Stanbury3.001300.004.33
M Smith3.002200.007.33
S Connelly3.001527.505.00
J Stanbury3.002839.339.33

Chagford Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 13w  
for 10 wickets
14
98 (1.7 overs)
     
R Miller b P Power 9
J Hughes ct M Weiler 20
J Stanbury lbw P Power 15
O Maskrey b M Weiler 0
T Stone run out (M Crawford) 1
P Sinclair b M Weiler 5
S Connoly ct M Crawford 4
P Stanbury Not Out  15
M Smith b M Crawford 3
T Stanbury ct F Chave 12
L Gericke b F Chave 0

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
A.N. Other2.00500.002.50
Phil Power4.0023211.505.75
Martin Weiler4.0030310.007.50
Matt Crawford3.001427.004.67
Fraser Chave3.501427.003.65
Anuj Tiwari2.011200.006.00