Scorecard

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics v Stokeinteignhead on Sat 14 Jun 2014 at 2.30pm
Erratics Cricket Club Lost by 4 Wickets

Match report
As England’s first test match Saturday of the summer was being played out at the home of cricket, Anyone arriving for our 2nd meeting of the season with Stokeinteignhead could not help but be struck by the uncanny similarities between Tedburn’s ground and Lords. Okay there is no Media centre or Mound stand, and the Pavilion Probably comes a close second to it’s St John Wood counterpart. But there is one department in which our adopted ‘home’ ground can stand shoulder to shoulder with the world’s greatest cricket venue…The massive slope!…Running down from the pavilion, across the wicket and dropping steeply away. Whist putting out the boundary markers at the base of the slope, i hoped i would be employed fielding on the other side of the wicket.
Mark Phillips was Erractics’ Captain for our friendly match, a ten-a-side game against a very friendly Stokeinteignhead side. Mark won the toss and we were batting.
The skipper then informed us that any balls hit for six into the next field would have to stay there, owing to the fact that it was private land and we did not have the permission to enter. However, taking one look at the large cows that resided in said field, anyone crazy enough to risk life, limb and possible testicles to retrieve a cricket ball, is welcome to keep it.
There was an early scare, as Greg, unaware of the tea duty email, had to make a hasty cake dash.

Martin Wright and Simon Willmot opened the Erratics’ innings. Martin watchfully seeing of the first four balls of a very good opening over, only to lose his off stump to the fifth.
Jonathan Kirby was in at 3 and began to settle nerves by picking up singles, turning one’s into two’s and rotating the strike as often as possible. Some tight, disciplined bowling from the visitors made scoring boundaries difficult and it wasn't until the 5th over that double figures were reached. The score moved along to 29-1, then Jonathan was caught after making a busy 11. This brought Martin Weiler to the crease, and Martin instantly got the score moving along with some sweetly struck fours. Willmot was then bowled off his pads when on 11, and the Erractics were pegged back to 41-3. Mark Phillips was next in, but unfortunately for the skipper it was the briefest of stays, as he was adjudged LBW to give Prestt his 3rd wicket of the match.
Safe in the knowledge he know he now had cakes and biscuits on the tea table, Greg strolled to the middle looking like a man with a job to do. and he, along with Martin pushed on. The fifty coming up in the 11th over. The pair began to get on top of the bowling, and boundaries started to flow more freely. Greg notably stroking two beautiful off drives up the slope to the pavilion. But, just as it seemed the Erratics could think about a competitive total, Martin popped up a leg-side delivery, which was gratefully snapped up by the point fielder. Martin’s frustration was clear to see as he walked off for an excellent 30.
Another very good spell of bowling from the visitor, kept Greg and new to the crease John Curtis busy. Sauders was in fine form. Which was a shame, as he could have been an Erratic for this match, had Stokeinteignhead not claimed him first.
At the 15 over drinks break, the score was 74-5, and Mark’s optimism that we will still be batting at the 30 over refreshments stage, seemed a little over confident. And when John played-on with the score on 84, things looked bleak.
It was now Danny Williamson’s turn to bat. and with the words Martin Wright to “bat like a Yorkshire opener on a wet weekend in Scarborough” ringing in his ears, he duly did just that. He stuck around, showing a solid defensive. Greg continued to play his shots, before being run-out on a miss-field. And at 97, with just two wickets remaining, the possibility of not reaching three figures was a very real one.
But we needn't have worried. Just as Jonathan uttered the words “we bat deep”, out went Suhaib Mohammed, who, with a mix of sweetly timed fours and quick singles, put on a great counterattacking display, lifting us up and over the one-hundred mark. The skipper’s bold prediction, of a 30 over drinks break came to pass, and a decent target to bowl at became a prospect. Sadly, Danny’s Tavare like innings came to an end, when bowled by Pitman for 2.
Debutant Ben Youngman and Suhaib moved the score along to 123, before Ben was another bowled victim, falling to A.Heywood’s forth ball of his only over.
So Erractics All out for 123.

Tea seemed to go down very well with both teams. Each home player providing something is a fantastic idea. Maybe the test playing nations can look into trying this? Cook walking through the Grace gates with a freshly home-made quiche wrapped in cling film? Or Mitchell Johnson arranging his Mango&coconut chicken skewers on a trestle table in the SCG pavilion? Why not???

Play resumed in bright sunshine, and what seemed to be the hottest part of the day. Suhaib and Willmot opened the Erratics bowling. And it wasn't long before Suhaib had his first victim. Changing to go around the wicket to help his line, he bowled Clinkett with a pacey delivery before the opener could trouble the scorers. Hopes were further raised when he teamed up with Jonathan behind the stumps to remove Saunders later in the same over. At this point Stokeinteignhead were 7-2, but in effect 7-3, given the fact of it being a 10-a-side match. Things were indeed looking up!
However, we knew the visitors had a good middle-order. In the first meeting between the two sides in May, they were reduced to 4-3, only to recover to 144, thanks mainly to Rodger Putman. And here was Putman again in a very similar situation. Surly lighting wouldn't strike twice? would it?
Well yes..it would. Putman and remaining opener Russell Made light of both the slope and the Erractics’ bowling. Putting on 70 for the 3rd wicket in just 12th overs, cutting and driving up the hill to the short boundary in front of the pavilion.
Greg then came into the attack with immediate success, removing Putman for 25 with a sharp caught&bowled.
But this was to be Russell’s day. With each boundary he seemed to grow in confidence. The game was rapidly taken away. And despite Greg and Suhaib sharing two more wickets, and a great three over spell from Ben, the danger could not be removed. Eventually carrying his bat for a chanceless 74 not out.

A four wicket loss, but a game played in great spirit and in fine weather.

The pub of choice was the King’s arms in Tedburn St Mary, where a wide range of topics were discussed. Greg was on fine form. Suggesting a name change to Exeter Erotics. Whilst Martin spoke about Vultures no longer feasting on animal carcasses in some parts of the world, owing to the large level of pesticides used. And Jonathan explained the cricketing hoops a prospective son-in-law must jump through.

Match report Simon Willmot

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
123		        
Martin Wright Bowled  0
Simon Willmot Bowled  11
Jonathan Kirby Caught  11
Martin Weiler Caught  30 4
Mark Phillips Lbw  0
Greg MacQueen Run out  15 3
John Curtis Bowled  1
Danny Williamson Bowled  2
Suhaib Mohammed Not Out  16 3
Ben Youngman Bowled  0
A.N. Other1  

Stokeinteignhead Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Prestt5.012337.674.60
Clinkett6.0023123.003.83
Saunders6.031829.003.00
Russell4.01717.001.75
Salmon4.001100.002.75
T. Heywood4.002100.005.25
Putman1.00111.001.00
A. Heywood0.40111.001.50

Stokeinteignhead Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 5 wickets
0
126 (0.0 overs)		     
Clinkett Bowled  0
Russell Not Out  74
Saunders Caught  0
Putman Caught  25
Perk Caught  2
A. Heywood Bowled  0
Salmon Not Out  0
   
   
   
   

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Suhaib Mohammed8.0037312.334.62
Simon Willmot5.002900.005.80
John Curtis3.002200.007.33
Greg MacQueen6.001829.003.00
Danny Williamson1.00100.001.00
Ben Youngman3.001900.006.33