London Erratics Cricket Club

Founded 1974 for recreation and refreshment

Sunday 3 August 2003
London Erratics v Black Rose
at Hampstead Heath Extension

Big girls blouses

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Richard Heller did well to recruit eleven bodies (five debutants) for this traditionally unpopular fixture. When was the last time the Erratics fielded three ladies? On a hot day, Black Rose won the toss and elected to bat.

The Erratics made a surprisingly good start in the field. Both Michael Stephenson (Þ) and Matthew Neal caused problems; and Sunil Julka (Þ) , who had volunteered to keep wicket having never done the job before, took two catches — the second excellent one rather spoiled by the batsman disputing the umpire’s decision.

It was then a return to business as usual in this fixture. Richard bowled tidily enough while his tendon held out. But for Michelle Verroken and Jill Minett (recruits from the Hemel Hempstead Ladies XI) this was a brutal introduction to Erratics cricket. The natural aggression of the Black Rose batsmen was aided by the fast outfield and by the tiny boundary that the home side had marked out.

Michael returned for a late burst and denied someone a century. And Neil Hay had a lively spell (Þ) , The declaration (cheating another bat of a hundred) came not a moment too soon. Thank goodness the time spent chasing and looking for the ball had reduced the number of overs Black Rose received to just 29.

BLACK ROSE — batting
1	c Julka	b Neal	14
2	c Julka	b Stephenson	5
3	not out		94
4	lbw	b Stephenson	92
5	not out		25
6
7
8
9
10
11
254 for 3 dec

LONDON ERRATICS — bowling
	Stephenson	11	3	63	2
	Neal	6	0	40	1
	Heller	3	0	18	0
	Verroken	4	0	60	0
	Minett	2	0	26	0
	Hay	3	0	36	0

Survival (or even the possibility of winning) depended on the top order hanging around as well as accumulating. But whereas the Black Rose batsmen had hit the ball clear of the fielders, the Erratics unerringly picked out their men — Alastair Baird to square leg, Matthew into the covers. The loss of a further three wickets in four overs was pretty crippling.

Neil was now joined by James Rivington, and there were the makings of a stand against some quite useful bowling. Neil swung at everything and occasionally connected to good effect; James tried to avoid hitting the ball if at all possible. With their contrasting styles, they had held up the bowlers’ progress until the first over of the final twenty, only for Neil to be bowled heaving at a spinner’s loopy full toss. Michelle survived six valuable overs — her sledging of the fielding side probably more effective than her use of the bat. Alas, Michael fell all too soon to a reaction catch by that Felix Middleton bloke.

Skipper Richard now showed how to keep the ball out. Together he and James took the Erratics to within sniffing distance of safety, and the home team were getting twitchy. But a moment’s lapse in concentration saw James caught at short leg. Vanessa Greene (who had only come along to spectate) survived another couple of overs, but humiliating defeat could not be put off any longer.

LONDON ERRATICS — batting				4s	6s
	Baird	caught	1
	Neal	caught	15	3
	Berrigan	c & b	2
†	Julka	bowled	10	2
	Hay	bowled	29	6
	Minett	bowled	1
	Rivington	caught	32	7
	Verroken	bowled	0
	Stephenson	caught	1
*	Heller	NOT OUT	9	2
	Greene	caught	0
121 all out
Fall of wickets: 1–11, 2–27, 3–33, 4–44, 5–50, 6–92, 7–102, 8–103, 9–121

Erratics lost by 133 runs

2003 Season

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