Scorecard

Belstone v Erratics Cricket Club Erratics on Wed 31 May 2023 at 6.00pm
Erratics Cricket Club Lost by 6 Runs

Match report John Curtis reports...

The evening light which bathed the little miracle which is the Belstone village cricket ground was still softening as we drove between the de rigeuer lichen-spattered granite gate posts to leave the lovely scene of a fine 20 over Erratics defeat.
The margin of that defeat was in fact initially thought to be 6 runs but, on review, (the kind which happens in the immediate aftermath of a game, in a changing room evidently intended for an away side in some sport which involves up to 6 players), the outcome was revised to an indeterminate draw with a subtle suggestion of a possible Victory.
Whimsy or Historical Revisionism?
An innocent scorecard/scoreboard divergence or a post-truth outrage?
It is to you, good reader, to judge.
Thankfully we are all on surer ground when it comes to details of the matchplay, your diligent reporter having taken copious contemporaneous notes – with an authoritatively blue permanent marker pen.

Captain Krups having elected to bowl, Hailwood M immediately found a difficult length claiming a wicket with the second ball of the innings. Over the next few overs Belstone rallied with some clean aggressive hitting which was threatening to over-determine the outcome until a moment of genuine athleticism (I had to look it up) as Lindsay R raced to intercept a powerful on drive redrawing, in an instant, the promise of the match as he launched himself to save the certain boundary which the batsman would have been quite reasonably expecting to be adding four runs to his tally, as per the usual tariff.
The Belstone batsmen pressed on but were met with some disciplined (dictionary check again) bowling and fielding with Grant L swinging his way to not one but two hat trick chances and a well earned fourfer. Cook S. then checked the Belstonian momentum again with a grand flash of a direct-hit run out from deep midwicket and then proceeded to recover from a shaky start with ball in hand to reassert control with some thoughtful bowling.

The reply commenced with an exploratory couple of overs after which the required rate stood at around 9 per over, The rate remained around 9 for the next 16 overs that is until the 19th over, when it slipped to 12, and then, in the 20th, as is the tendency in such excessively Mathematical situations, it spiraled off, going completely Buzz Lightyear (to Infinity and Beyond). In what was a right tussle of a second innings, all a to and fro, a thrust and parry, there were fine 30-plus-and-outs from Krups, MVP Lee and Cook S, , but in the end an excess of quality found us out as we batted too well through the order to collapse to the tail in order to recall the retirees for a last thrash as our opponents had managed to do.
The evidence was almost conclusive - we were just too good to win.

Now there are two pubs in Sticklepath, the Devonshire Arms and the Taw River Inn.
The majority of the team, along with the opposition, their friends, families and dog, oddly decided to attend the Taw River Inn, she, of the complimentary banquet, venison sausages and quince sorbets, whilst your esteemed reporter and his stringer opted for the simple authenticity of the Devonshire Arms, just opposite the stocks and 50 metres down Sticklewise from the bright lights and fine dining.
I can therefore only presume that a rigorous post-match analysis found, in light of the light and the controversies various, that a reversal of that initial knee-jerk assessment of the match as an Erratics defeat was indeed found to be warranted, and that an acclamation of justified victory was made
But of course, as I say, I wasn’t there.
I look forward to reading the report.

Belstone Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 1w 3b 1lb 
for 9 wickets
6
164 (20.0 overs)		     
R Drake ct  L Grant 30
K Burns b  M Hailwood 0
L Horn run out  (Tiwari) 51
T Mallett run out  (S Cook) 2
D Fogerty Not Out  37
M Dennis ct  S Cook 6
M Walters ct  C Cook 3
C Mallett b  L Grant 10
T Bother Not Out  5
L Friend lbw  L Grant 0
H Bushin b  L Grant 8

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Mark Hailwood3.0031131.0010.33
Anuj Tiwari3.002400.008.00
Fraser Chave4.002600.006.50
Sam Cook4.0026126.006.50
Chris Cook3.0035135.0011.67
Lee Grant3.001744.255.67

Erratics Cricket Club Erratics Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
12w  
for 5 wickets
12
158		        
Richard Lindsay ct  H Bushin 0 4 0 1
Matt Crawford b  H Bushin 9 11 1 81.82
Lee Grant Retired Not Out  31 24 5 1 129.17 1
Chris Ferro ct  M Walters 3 9 33.33
Sam Cook Retired Not Out  30 19 4 157.89 1
Jayakrupakar Nallala Retired Not Out  33 15 2 3 220.0 1
Chris Cook b  C mallett 0 5 0
Anuj Tiwari Not Out  24 21 1 114.29 1
Fraser Chave ct  D Fogerty 8 6 1 133.33
Mark Hailwood Not Out  3 5 60.0
John Curtis  

Belstone Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
H Bushin4.021728.504.25
T Boother3.002200.007.33
M Walters3.0032132.0010.67
R Drake2.001800.009.00
D Fogarty4.0028128.007.00
C Mallett4.0036136.009.00