London Erratics Cricket Club

Founded 1974 for recreation and refreshment

Saturday 2 September 2006
London Erratics v Bank of England
at Roehampton

Down and out
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BANK OF ENGLAND — batting
1 PA c Eltringham b Berrigan 32
2   b Berrigan 34
3 TR b Berrigan 0
4   c Stephenson b Heller 59
5   c Ward b Towers 20
6 ME b Heller 6
7   not out 2
8   b Towers 0
9   lbw b Heller 2
10  
181 for 8 dec
Fall of wickets: 1(Andrews)–67, 2(Rennell)–72, 3–99, 4–155, 5(Evans)–169, 6–178, 7–178, 8–181

LONDON ERRATICS — bowling
Towers 9 0 41 2
Stephenson 8 0 15 0
Eltringham 5 1 21 0
Heller 8.4 1 29 3
Berrigan 9 1 29 3
Ward 6 0 31 0
Peter Andrews had attracted the interest of twelve other Erratics in this match. With the Bank struggling to fill its three teams (the Firsts had just been relegated, so players were sulking), Peter had agreed to switch to his home side, taking Tremayne Rennell with him as keeper; James Rivington would captain instead. And on the day, to make it ten-a-side, James gave Michael Evans the treat of playing against the Erratics. With the Bank side also containing two very occasional Erratics, Richards Langley and Down, it seemed to be rather a family affair. The Erratics won the toss and elected to field.
Lowering clouds and low-flying planes scudded across the sky, each oppressive in their own way. Bank openers Andrews and Langley dug in against pacemen Alex Towers and Michael Stephenson. Despite his whining about running into the gusty wind, Michael was very unlucky that several leading-edge miscues did not go to hand (Peter subsequently claimed that he was wearing the wrong glasses).
Matthew Eltringham and Richard Heller entered the fray. It didn’t work for Matthew, and the opening bats were now playing a few shots; but even so, the scoring rate was not brisk. Time for Brian ‘I haven’t bowled since July’ Berrigan — and Peter sliced his first ball to Matthew trotting backwards at point. Then Brian quickly exposed Tremayne’s frailties.
This brought in the Bank’s Under-15 captain. At first the Erratics seemed to contain this slim youth’s potential — and the veteran Langley finally succumbed to Brian. But now a stand developed, with the young bat picking off any loose deliveries with greater power than any of his more senior team mates. Skipper James pressed Nasir Khawaja to take over the wicket-keeping gloves, so that he could deploy the deadly weapon of Tristan Ward’s. Alas, Tristan couldn’t find his normal lethal rhythm, and short balls were carted square.
The 150 was up, and the Erratics needed a breakthrough to prevent run mayhem in the final overs. Alex returned, and immediately found the edge: Nasir could only parry, but Tristan flung himself forward at slip to scoop up the ball. Richard also came back and embarrassed Michael E, but the youngster was still there and dangerous — aided by some appalling positional sense on the part of certain Erratics fielders. The lad finally fell, having amassed 10 fours in his half century. The Bank tail failed to wag, and when Down was trapped by Richard the declaration was made.
LONDON ERRATICS — batting 4s  6s 
* Rivington bowled 10 1   
† Ward bowled 7 1   
† Khawaja NOT OUT  51 5   
Berrigan caught 29 5   
Green J bowled 0    
Stephenson caught 29 6   
Eltringham run out 16 1  1 
Dunabin bowled 2    
Towers c & b 1    
Heller bowled 0    
166 all out
Fall of wickets:  1(Rivington)–16, 2(Ward)–30, 3(Berrigan)–80, 4(GreenJ)–84, 5(Stephenson)–124, 6(Eltringham)–160, 7(Dunabin)–164, 8(Towers)–165, 9(Heller)–166
James and Tristan started briskly, but both suffered lapses in concentration against off-spinner Down. The partnership between Nasir and Brian (Þ) was always going to be the backbone of the innings. They settled nicely into a partnership, Brian pushing the score along with some nice boundaries (though, according to one historical source, Peter’s tactical nous managed to ration Brian’s share of the strike by blocking his leg-side shots).
The rising hopes of the Erratics were jolted when Brian chipped the wiley Langley to mid-on. But skipper James was anxious to see the momentum maintained. Jonathan Green paid the price early. But Michael S relished the challenge, and the Bank field was quickly retreating before a battery of carefully crafted slogs. Michael seemed on course to bring victory single-handedly, but another big hit in the 25th over wasn’t quite big enough and Down clutched it at long-on.
Matthew joined Nasir to carry on the good work (a nice six), and the target seemed increasingly gettable, at less than 5 an over. Then a defining moment of flukish skill as Matthew was run out by a direct hit from that man Down — all the way from long-on. The Erratics were still chasing, but now the game was starting to slide, and Chris Dunabin fell to Down the bowler. Alex strode out for a heave, but the Bank youngster (who turned out to be their fastest bowler) got him caught and bowled. Now, only now, did the skipper urge caution, restraint, grit, determination to Richard, to hang on with semi-centurion Nasir for two and a bit overs... Too late.
Erratics lost by 15 runs
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