London Erratics Cricket Club

LONDON ERRATICS — bowling

Eltringham

Founded 1974 for recreation and refreshment

Sunday 20 July 2003
London Erratics v Tarbarrow
at Tar Barrow, Cirencester

Erratics are rolled over

Click on (Þ) symbol for photo images

On a windy day, the Erratics arrived with ten men. Tarbarrow won the toss and elected to field.

Because the groundsman had been ill during the previous week, the pitch had not been rolled; the spongy surface was slow but gave the ball unpredictable extra bounce. Unusually, it was not our old foe Grellier who did the damage — his colleague at the other end made the most of the conditions (plus some impressive inswing) to remove the first three batsmen in numerical order.

Grellier’s replacement proved even more potent, starting with four maidens and the wicket of Oliver Bond. Matthew Eltringham joined David Brook (Þ) to put together the best ‘stand’. Matthew swatted a big six to square leg, but top-edged to mid-wicket. Tristan Pascoe scored his first Erratics runs (including a six courtesy of an overthrow), then immediately repeated Matthew’s mistake.

When David was seventh out, any sort of three-figure total looked doubtful. Richard Heller, who had turned up late to act as photographer, nobly donned his whites, and as the wickets fell put his achilles tendon at risk (again!) to give the team an eleventh man. This was just enough to see the score scrape to 100, and then for Bill Bush to hit a monster six amongst the parked cars.

LONDON ERRATICS — batting				4s	6s
*	Rivington	bowled	12	2
	Neal	caught	7
†	Khawaja	bowled	9	1
	Bond	bowled	8	1
	Brook	caught	22	1
	Eltringham	caught	17	2	1
	Pascoe	caught	7		1
	Dunabin	caught	0
	Bush	NOT OUT	12		1
	Unger	stumped	3
	Heller	bowled	0
106 all out
Fall of wickets: 1–15, 2–28, 3–39, 4–46, 5–70, 6–83, 7–87, 8–88, 9–97

With tea not yet ready, the sides went straight back out. (To spare Richard in the field, the Erratics were loaned a small boy.) David (Þ) and Matthew E (Þ) opened steadily, but couldn’t make a breakthrough, and when tea was taken Tarbarrow had made it to 20 for 0.

Resumption of play was greeted by a Red Arrows fly past, and this seemed to inspire the Erratics. Oliver was now bowling breezily, and rapped the No. 1 on the wrist. David hit him painfully in exactly the same spot shortly afterwards, and scenting blood skipper James moved in a silly mid-on. The No. 1 had had enough and was bowled next ball (Þ) .

Now the home side began to look tentative, and in the 15th over David produced another couple of corkers to make it 39 for 3. Oliver immediately blasted away the awkward No. 2, and followed up with another victim in his next over. The Erratics hopped around as they pondered the possibility of an unlikely win.

But the next pair of bats (who included Grellier at No. 7) were of a different calibre and started to hit Tarbarrow out of trouble. The 22nd over was particularly crushing as Oliver was hit for 21. With the target looming ever closer, James called on Tristan and Matthew Neal. Matthew was instantly successful, but it was too late, and Grellier won the game with one blow in the next over.

TARBARROW — batting
1		b Brook	19
2		b Bond	16
3	lbw	b Brook	3
4		b Brook	0
5		b Bond	4
6	c Brook	b Neal	27
7	not out		28
8	not out		4
9
10
11
107 for 6

Erratics lost by 4 wickets

2003 Season

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