|
LONDON ERRATICS
— batting
|
4s |
6s |
|
Rivington |
caught |
0 |
|
|
|
Rennell |
RETIRED HURT |
2 |
|
|
|
Cross |
bowled |
21 |
4 |
|
|
Berrigan |
caught |
44 |
3 |
1 |
|
Long |
caught |
16 |
1 |
|
|
Green T |
NOT OUT |
22 |
3 |
|
|
Rustecki |
bowled |
12 |
2 |
|
| * |
Dunabin |
|
|
|
|
|
Green J |
|
|
|
|
| 129 for 5 |
in 25.5 overs |
|
Fall of wickets:
1–2, 2–25, 3–86, 4–96, 5–129 |
|
| Our special correspondent writes: |
| The Erratics’ game against the Canbashers at Dunsfold last year
had been a damp affair, with play resuming after a long intermission (against the advice of some hardened
Erratics) in conditions just playable enough to produce a result (the wrong one). |
| We should have known.... Team selection this year had been fraught as
usual in mid-August:
Tristan Ward had lost his glasses, Bill Bush was required to purvey spin for some football
league or other (football? on 13 August?), others had still feebler excuses. Team numbers staggered up to
nine thanks to two stars of Tonbridge School, Dom Rustecki and Tom Cross, recruited via Tremayne
Rennell’s daughter. Other promised ringers failed to materialise. Jonathan Green was prevailed on to
play despite a back problem precluding his bending down — which in many teams would rule out most
fielding positions. |
| The forecast was bad, and the weather as we approached was gloomy.
The Erratics’ image wasn’t enhanced by the captain’s late arrival (in a car boldly labelled
Nationwide Crash Repairs, a tribute to his driving the previous week), having been stuck on the M25 then
done an inadvertent tour of the industrial estates of Godalming. By the time he arrived, James Rivington
had seized the helm, won the toss, agreed to a 35-over game, (prudently) chosen to bat, and nominated
himself to open with Tremayne. |
| The Canbashers’ opening bowlers were accurate, one of them at a
lively pace, and fears of an Erratics disaster in prospect were heightened when in the second over James
nicked one to the keeper. This however brought Tom to the crease: in the space of 17 balls he demonstrated
a higher class of batting altogether, driving and pulling for a brisk 21, before missing an inswinger and
being slightly unluckily bowled off his pad. |
| Meanwhile Tremayne had been resisting patiently, but, turning for a
tight second run, pulled a hamstring and required first Brian Berrigan then, on Tom’s dismissal, Mike
Long as runner. This didn’t produce the usual chaos of multiple calls and three batsmen at one end;
but — after Brian had taken singles off the final balls of three consecutive overs, leaving Tremayne
cold, damp and redundant at square leg — with the score on 39 he decided it would be more exciting to
retire hurt. |
| Brian and Mike then put together a substantial partnership, looking
untroubled especially against the Canbashers’ second-string bowlers, and broken only when Mike —
in face of an appeal for lbw from the bowler which Chris Dunabin had just rejected (surely not! — Ed)
— on the grounds that the ball was going over the top, announced that he had in fact touched the ball,
though neither bowler nor umpire had heard or seen a snick, and was therefore out caught at the wicket.
Who said that the spirit of Sir Henry Newbolt was dead? |
| Brian was looking good [a nice six over extra cover — Ed],
despite also suffering a hamstring injury which he hid well, but didn’t last much longer, caught at
silly mid-on; then Tim Green and Dom Rustecki put on a brisk 30-odd, and the Erratics seemed on course for
a defensible total (even with six fit fielders) when Dom missed a straight one. |
| The rain had grown heavier over the previous half
hour and, as Chris set off for the crease, he met Tim, the umpires and fielders
running in the opposite direction. James, damp from umpiring and mindful of occasions when Chris had
displayed unwarranted optimism in face of the deluge, announced firmly that he wouldn’t re-emerge
until the rain had stopped completely. |
| There followed the usual soggy huddle under the pavilion eaves while
the urn warmed up. Tea was taken, and drew more applause than the cricket (thanks to Tesco — yes
Chris has read Not on the Label and shops at local artisan bakers whenever possible, but where
else can one hoover up 22 assorted sandwiches on a Sunday morning?). The soggy huddle then resumed, until
at 5.15, after much looking to east and west to see which way the rain was coming from (downwards was the
answer), and checking that the Sun Inn was indeed open all day, stumps were drawn. In the pub, we watched
Jason Gillespie padding up to Ashley Giles in golden evening sunshine in, of all places, Manchester. |
| Try again next year — but check the long-range forecast before
doing the fixture list? [CD] |
|