Scorecard

North Molton v Erratics Cricket Club Erratics on Thu 28 Jun 2018 at 6.00pm
Erratics Cricket Club Won by 7 wickets

Match report Ben Youngman reports...

This year’s North Devon Tour added North Molton to the start of its fixture list. Even in presumably one its driest states, the ground was a picturesque setting for kicking off the tour. It would, however, be a depleted start, with only eight Erratics reaching North Molton. An Annie Twitter campaign, however, bolstered our side with Russ Young, an amputee county cricketer, who served as wicketkeeper for the day.

Skipper Fraser Chave either won or lost the toss, resulting in us basking in the sun-drenched field. Nick Walding, Mark Hailwood and Fraser Chave kept runs to a minimum and shared six wickets, while George Cockburn’s bowling, which Russ judged to have `more swing than Tiger Woods’ earned him the nickname `Tiger’, which I hope sticks. Particular praise goes to North Molton’s young opener Norton, who fell one over shy of carrying his bat. 92 would be the target for victory for the Erratics.

Jonathan Kirby and Chris Ferro led the run chase at a decent rate. Both fairly soon returned to the pavilion: JK caught, and Chris retired having passed 30. George and Mark H added to the total, until Fraser brought up the winning runs with a six to take his score to 25.

Back in the pavilion, a group of five-a-side footballers were watching the England game on one-hour delay. Meanwhile our resident sport correspondent and score broadcaster, Annie, knew the result, and should be commended for the restraint showed by not divulging it.

This first game against North Molton was unilaterally agreed to be a great addition to the North Devon Tour, for an enjoyable game of cricket, and, in Exmoor terms, for being just around the corner from the bunkhouse.

The following morning, skipper Fraser continued to lead - this time on the paths of Exmoor. He navigated a party, which sadly lacked the recovering Duncan Chave, from the bunkhouse just north of Molland to Tarr Steps, and back, apart from Nick on the return journey, who was keen to get his game face on. The walk brought in varied terrain, splendid views, various keen-to-bite flying creatures, and the quintessentially Exmoor Tarr Farm Inn. However, nothing beats a pleasing gate latch.

Roughly halfway along the route to Tarr Steps, Jonathan and I independently stopped to reflect on the simplicity and effectiveness of a gate latch. The latch had a hook-like action, but much superior appearance. The latch appeared to be constructed from galvanised steel and was probably just short of 8 inches in length. Its effectiveness stemmed from its weight, which gave it an aura of substance when using it to open or shut the gate. Both of which could be experienced in quick succession, and with bonus selflessness, by anyone choosing to open the gate, hold it open for others, and then close it behind.

The latch fastened the gate by resting on a horizontal bar on the gate. While the latch resembled a hook, its hooking end was triangular, near equilateral, with each edge of roughly two inches. The cross-section of the metal used to form this shape was also much squarer than it was round, which gave a stable resting position of the latch. One could imagine forming such a latch by taking an unconventional and obviously ineffective desert spoon with a triangular but empty head and bending it at its neck just beyond a right angle, but not to the excess of 110 degrees.

This gate was metal with tubular horizontals of diameter just shy of one inch. One would then lift the latch to open the gate. A gentle push or pull of the gate towards the latch’s fixing would relieve tension, bringing an improved and more pleasing operation. Closing the latch, reversing the aformentioned tension-relieving steps, brought the added bonus of a metal on metal `clunk’.

We’d encounter many similar latches during the remainder of the walk to Tarr Steps, but none quite so perfect.

North Molton Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 8 wickets
0
91 (91.0 overs)		     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Mark Hailwood4.011025.002.50
Ben Youngman4.0025125.006.25
George Cockburn4.003000.007.50
Nick Walding4.0111111.002.75
Fraser Chave4.011434.673.50

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 2 wickets
0
95		        
Jonathan Kirby Caught  16 3
Chris Ferro Retired Not Out  33 6 1 1
George Cockburn Bowled  5 1
Fraser Chave Not Out  25 3 1
Mark Hailwood Not Out  8 1
Nick Walding  
Ben Youngman  
Duncan Chave  
A.N. Other  
N.O. One  
N.O. One  

North Molton Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.