21st June, Match report - Rabbits

Being the Summer Solstice, it was a ‘long day’ as we trudged off the field having come second. Actually, it was quite an early finish and into the pub as a result.

Brampton won the toss, elected to bat and after what was a healthy start (Alford L 37 and Williams E 47) not many others contributed substantial runs, though Treasure and Saunders made double figures. Stand out bowlers were the two brothers Hancock who were a new addition to The Rabbits. Both left arm over ‘tweakers’. Penney, O also took 3 wickets but at an expensive 7 runs an over.

We retired to the pub for tea, surely an excellent invention to be added to the rulebook, where a lavish example of mid match sustenance was duly provided and consumed in equal measure. So to the field we went with calories now to burn. On a small pitch, defending our 159 was always going to be tough. And so it proved. The bowlers toiled, the batsmen played their shots and on a true wicket that had behaved extremely well, the batting side romped home with 14 overs to spare. The notable performers were Ritesh Dua, returning on 51 not out and again the two Hancock brothers, both of whom scored freely all around the pitch, between them knocking off 67 runs.

BBLCC will need to step up their game on home soil to exact some friendly revenge in August. So off to the pub twice in a day we went, this time for a cold beverage and some after game friendship.

Let’s hope the summer continues in the same manner, with the sun shining and village cricket on display, as it was on the village green at Almeley. A truly delightful setting overlooking Hay Bluff and the Black Mountains and befitting the game we play.

Dales CC v BBLCC

26^th April 2015

On another most un-April-like day, BBLCC won a game in which they were always coming second until Man-of-the-match Rod Layton produced a spell that stunned the home side.

Dales won the toss and inserted BBLCC on a pitch that was unusually hard and relatively true for the time of year. Nevertheless, the new ball moved around a bit and three of the top order contrived to miss straight ones from an opening attack that spanned several generations. But Powell set about hitting anything in his half to all parts, usually aerially to avoid the heavy covering of mown grass on the outfield. One big six landed on the roof of the B&Q store next door. Presumably if there is damage they can do it themselves.

Bob Bower contributed a few beefy hits but it needed some captain’s resolve from Saunders before anybody stayed to support Powell. When Powell edged behind he had amassed 58 from 53 balls. The skipper was stumped in the last over for a well-crafted 27 and the visitors finished on a slightly below par 179.

Dales, with another pairing spanning over 40 years, set off at a canter despite some accurate stuff from Stan Barnett and after 12 overs of the allotted 40 were 74 without loss. The Captain then brought himself on and soon dismissed the veteran Osborne with a brilliant diving catch off his own bowling. But even when Powell removed the young Langland brothers with offcutters Dales didn’t seem to be in much trouble with several experienced cricketers to come and plenty of time.

Even when Humber’s lack of pace was too much for a couple of them Dales still needed just 20 runs off the last nine overs with four wickets in hand. Then came the Rod Layton show. He spun one through Kevin Smith’s gate leaving a tail exposed to his and Barnett’s skill and guile, to the extent that only 5 runs came from the next four overs. Pressure can do funny things and none of the Dales lower order could get the ball off the square and the last over started with them 8 down with 8 to win. Four balls later it was all over and Rod had taken 4 for 8 off 28 balls.

A great fun start to the season.