Report from Thirds correspondent, Dan Beckell
It was a day to remember for 17 year old Herbie Hamilton as he returned superb figures of 6-1-20-5 as Oakley 3’s strolled to victory against Herriard 2’s at Newfound.
After winning the toss, skipper Dan asked Herriard to bat first in the hope that the early season rust hadn’t quite worn off for their batsmen and this proved to be the case. 13 year old Harry ‘H’ ‘Topknott’ Tucknott took the first over and immediately settled into a good line and length with the sort of control which has earned him his place in the men’s team.
After a good first over the stage was set for ‘Love Bug’ Hamilton who almost immediately took an edge from the opening bat which George ‘Twin Peaks’ Rutt gathered cleanly and with the minimum of fuss. A couple of balls later he cleaned up the other opening batsman with a full delivery which moved away slightly before clattering into the middle stump.
Could this go on? You bet it could. After another miserly over from H, Herbie got back to work and bowled the number 3 batsman with an almost identical delivery, this time the off stump taking the punishment. A couple of lusty blows from the number 4 batsman couldn’t contain him and the off stump was again pinged back following another excellent delivery on a good length.
Could 4 become 5 (as The Spice Girls almost said)? You bet’cha. Another parsimonious over from H turned the screw even further and the pressure was evidently telling on the Herriard skipper who, after a couple of swishes to try and do something to get the scoreboard moving, failed to connect with another Exorcet-accurate delivery heading towards the stumps.
Furniture rearranged for a fourth time, it was definitely Def Con One for Herriard, the top 5 blown away by some seriously good bowling. Though Harry went unrewarded for his 4 overs, bowling in good partnerships is key. The most pleasing thing for the steadily ageing skipper? Two Colts players bowling with pace and accuracy against men in a league match and earning their rewards.
Restrictions on the number of overs each could bowl brought on Taner ‘Macca’ McEwan (another of our former Colts) who, despite a rusty first over, brought things back brilliantly to return figures of 6-1-20-1 and increase the pressure on Herriard. Young Savindu (another Colt) bowled in tandem with Taner and after a loose over or two again dragged things back nicely and deserving his wicket. Figures of 4-0-21-1 were a little expensive but by this time Herriard were penned back and would clearly struggle to make three figures. When setting up the third team it was to be able to offer our steadily improving Colts an opportunity to play men’s cricket – and what a great sight to see them doing so well.
However, the team is also made up of curmudgeonly old buggers. Step forward Avi ‘Waddle’ and Ravi ‘Hoddle’ to perform their regular Saturday offering of Diamond Lights. Never one to willingly avoid confrontation, good old Avi returned to what he knows best by winding everyone up and chirping his way through his overs.
Showing that Covid, lockdown, Trump, and the proposed breakaway football league hasn’t dampened his ability to start a fight in an empty room, Avi drew a clear edge off Herriard’s (admittedly very good) young batsman. Gathered neatly as always by George, Oakley began celebrating. However, the batsman stayed precisely where he was and the umpire “didn’t hear a thing”. Avi took the decision with all the good grace as you would expect. Skipper Dan, perhaps his own refusal to walk after doing precisely the same in a pre-season friendly still fresh in his mind, contented himself with muttering “it sounded like a f-ing gun going off”, when passing the batsman.
However, if Waddle don’t get ya’ Hoddle will and up stepped the King of Spin, Ravi K to breach the defences once more. Ending a good spell with figures of 4-0-9-2 Ravi wrapped things up nicely allowing The Love Bug himself to lead the team off.
Chasing 97
Chasing a mere 97 to win, could Oakley go about winning the game in style, unleashing textbook drives, switch-hits, ramps, and all that 20-20 bollocks? Nah, of course not.
However, in this ever-evolving game there is always a place for turgid, percentage cricket. Whilst the youngsters provied the pyrotechnics, the old farts did what they do best (and perhaps, did what they can only do) which was grafting their ways to victory. Whilst Kris ‘Topknott Senior’ ran himself out for 7 (the turning circle of the QE2), skipper Dan poked and prodded his way to 29 before departing.
The unlikely event of a wobble was rubbed out simply by the sight of Phil ‘Chippy’ Carpenter striding to the crease. There are three things you can rely on in life; taxes, death, and Phil. And so it proved with Phil producing an almost cliched-innings of 21 not out over 10 painstaking years (sorry, overs). There was enough time for Savindu to dash a rather lovely 20 with some enjoyable hitting (note; almost the same score as Phil and in a quarter of the time…..).
The 3’s ran out comfortable winners for the loss of 3 wickets in 21 overs.
As the afternoon drew to a close, and we headed down to Oakley Park for a deserved beer or 4 in the sunshine, Avi, never one to knowingly just “leave it” and walk away, could still be heard remonstrating with the young batsman, the umpire, their skipper, and their scorer. Thankfully the parents of the young batsmen had, by now, left muttering thinly-veiled threats about Avi calling a series of no-balls against their son.
It’s good to be back.