Scorecard

Harberton v Erratics Cricket Club Erratics on Sun 03 Jul 2022 at 2.00pm
Match was Drawn

Match report Pilates, the Enigma, and another bizarre game at Harberton:

The beginning of this report focusses on two extraordinary Erratics, bit silly really all Erratics are extraordinary. Even so, Pilates in this case is represented by Peter Colclough. Peter attributed his renewed fielding prowess to Pilates, or more specifically his being able to get up off the ground after he had stopped the ball whilst fielding. “It’s all in the core” Peter explained to me. Is Pilates good for cricket?

Pilates provides key benefits for both batsmen, bowlers and fielders, which is why many top cricketers use it. This is because the aim of the batsman in cricket is to spend long periods at the crease. This necessitates standing in an unnatural stance that requires forward flexion of the spine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK1un4hZ4Ik

Peter first showed us how his exercise regime was working with a 28 ball stay at the crease. Whilst Peter didn’t bowl, his duet with John "the enigma" Curtis in the field was riveting, comical and delightful. The ball sought them out, often between them, often done in slow motion. Carl Honoré, the author of “In Praise of Slow” is an advocate for the "Slow Movement," Honoré believes we should have more focus on living each moment to the fullest and putting quality before quantity in many aspects of life. John uses this philosophy with his bowling, quality over quantity and we were all present in the moment when he delivered his off breaks. Everyone waited, everyone watched, the batsmen most closely but try and they might they haven’t spotted John’s ‘stock’ slow ball and rushes out to clip it high over mid-wicket and then miss. As Richie Benaud said, 'The slow-motion replay doesn't show how fast that delivery was'. Only the Enigma knows!

Fraser commented how yet again we were taking part in a remarkable match against Harberton. In the corresponding match last year we were at one time 5 -5, we managed 124 from 46 overs, and then dismissed Harberton for 48! This time we were 33-4 after 22 overs, after 45 overs we had reached 123 all out. Again, not enough you might have thought, Harberton used 41 overs to reach 102-8. Try as he might Anuj brought on for the final over, could not get through the obdurate defence to bowl a wicketless maiden, only as we walked off did we learn we only needed one wicket and not two, as Harberton’s no.11 had been taken ill and left.

Richard and Jonty Perkin opened up our innings, Harberton had their bowlers on the correct ends, using the breeze to aid away swing from the far end and inswing from the pavilion end. It wasn’t easy. Richard hit a couple of customary 4’s. Jonty sadly didn’t trouble the scorer (I’d threatened him with having to co-write this report but have now rescinded). Fraser got going but was then caught. Andrew and Pilates Peter occupied the crease for a while, understanding well the philosophy of the “Slow Movement”. I was going well, only to be undone by the leg break bowlers curse, I should have known better, a full toss that I timed beautifully to square leg. Chris and Matt added a few before Anuj teamed up with Ben, Ben was out for a couple, however Anuj whose temperament is anti ‘Slow Movement’ aggressively hit 37 from 34 balls. To give us a total that had looked unlikely and one to be defended?

Ben and Anuj opened up, Ben hasn’t been playing as much as usual this year, but you wouldn’t have known. He was warming up in the nets bowling a little to me and was moving it a lot. I put it down to the state of the net wicket, but he carried this movement with him to the wicket. 11 overs, 4 maidens, 3-24, a controlled Ben Youngman display. Anuj was quick and aggressive, delivering the ball with a ‘Wimbledon’ grunt, Anuj means business. His 9 overs rendering 1 wicket for 14 runs. Fraser increased his wicket haul with another couple here, importantly the wicket of Noah Tobias, who could have taken the game away from us, Noah was caught on the long on boundary, a ball on its way for six, but was beautifully caught by Chris, it looked like a carefully arranged plan between bowler and fielder that came off. Chris closed the game down with his figures, 6 overs, 2 maidens 1-6. Harberton’s corresponding score at 22 overs was 50-4, which is also when the last 20 overs began. John ‘Enigma’ Curtis’s 3 overs might have gone ‘slowly’ for 20, but in between was pure entertainment.

You can pass through a whole gamut of emotions during a day like this one. Enthusiasm. Excitement. Relief. Joy. Laughter. Ably helped by a wonderful cricket tea, with two home-made cakes that should be recorded, a sponge with fruit jam and a layer of cream and a coffee cake. I ate too much. Coupled with a visit to The Church House Inn (which is up for sale!) both teams came for a celebratory drink and simple pub food. Actually, not that simple the Yorkshire puddings were infused with cheese and onion.

I was reflecting how this ‘series’ of games against Harberton was a condensed version of life, it is a test of your endurance and concentration. There are cycles as you bat first, field, bat again and field again You pass multiple moments being in, being out. If you mess up the first time, you generally have the chance to make up for it in the next. But if you score well in the first, people will be gunning for you in the second. You might come out with a draw, but the superior point is to appreciate the journey, to take away the positive moments, learn from the mistakes. Like in life, it is the collection of small moments that give the most meaning to the event. Another wonderful Erratics game of cricket, what a club.


Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 8w 6b 2lb 
for 10 wickets
20
123		        
Richard Lindsay b O Tregelles 10 23 2 43.48 1
Jon Perkin ct Fitzpatrick 0 9 0
Fraser Chave ct Norris 8 24 1 33.33 1
Andrew Forrester b C Tregelles 11 77 1 14.29
Peter Colclough ct Moorman 2 28 7.14
Phil Power ct Tobias 22 30 3 73.33
Chris Cook b Fitzpatrick 7 20 35.00 1
Matt Crawford ct Fitzpatrick 6 11 1 54.55 1
Anuj Tiwari b O Tregelles 37 34 7 108.82
Ben Youngman b Tobias 2 9 22.22
John Curtis Not Out  0 11 0

Harberton Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
O Tregelles7.441226.001.57
J Fitzpatrick11.0037312.333.36
D Norris4.02515.001.25
C Tregelles8.03818.001.00
M Moorman7.0127127.003.86
N Tobais8.0126213.003.25

Harberton Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1w 5b  
for 8 wickets
6
102 (41.0 overs)		     
S Moorman lbw Youngman 14
M Thompson ct Chave B. Cook 22
O Tregelles b Tiwari 2
S Crawley b Youngman 1
M McClement b Youngman 5
M Moorman ct Crawford B. Chave 14
N Tobias ct Cook B. Chave 4
J Fitzpatrick ct Lindsay B. Power 9
C Tregelles Not Out  16
J Fitzpatrick Not Out  8
   

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Ben Youngman11.042438.002.18
Anuj Tiwari9.0314114.001.56
Fraser Chave9.0023211.502.56
Chris Cook6.02616.001.00
Phil Power3.00919.003.00
John Curtis3.002000.006.67