London Erratics Cricket Club

Founded 1974 for recreation and refreshment

Sunday 9 September 2007
London Erratics v South Wraxall
at South Wraxall

Time for the pub

SOUTH WRAXALL — batting
1	c Neal	b Head	28
2		b Towers	6
3		b Towers	7
4		b Berrigan	11
5	not out		63
6	c Stephenson	b Head	7
7	c Evans	b Stephenson	16
8	not out		5
9
10
11
185 for 6 dec
Fall of wickets: 1–8, 2–41, 3–62, 4–90, 5–116, 6–161

LONDON ERRATICS — bowling
	Stephenson	8	0	48	1
	Towers	8	3	17	2
	Berrigan	10	3	22	1
	Head	7	0	45	2
	Heller	0.3	0	6	0
	Rivington	2.3	0	21	0

At some point during a late-night prowl round the sordid clubs of Bristol in the aftermath of the Horningsham game, match manager James Rivington rashly promised to give Matthew Neal the opportunity to captain the Erratics for the first time the following day. This was probably wise given how frail James still felt as the Erratics arrived on this fine September day. South Wraxall won the toss, and elected to bat.

Michael Stephenson and Alex Towers (making a welcome first appearance of the season) were soon warming the gloves of Matthew, who had bravely added keeping to his list of duties. The local skipper loves to hit the ball hard, but he could do nothing with a gem from Alex. Now faced with two left-handers, Michael lacked the zest he had displayed the day before; but in the 10th over, Alex produced another corker to remove one of the southpaws.

The introduction of Brian put a squeeze on the scoring. When Jim Head came on at the other end in the 18th over, the resilient opener had an excited flail which merely popped the ball up for the gentlest of catches behind. Brian's economy was rewarded when the No. 4 sliced the ball vertically ten feet in the air, then watched it land and trickle onto the stumps.

But at the other end, South Wraxall's white-haired old hand was starting to hit out at Jim, and the hundred was reached in the 26th over. Jim took a second wicket in his final over, but the score was climbing.

Skipper Matthew, who had manouevred the field with not too much grumbling from his senior charges, tried a double change: Michael S to come back, but first Richard Heller. For the second time in the weekend, Richard's painful shoulder prevented him from completing an over, and James summoned up enough energy to take his place — to the liking of the agricultural No. 7. Michael S again proved that he shouldn't be brought back at the end, though a looping shot to Michael Evans at point gave him a wicket.

LONDON ERRATICS — batting				4s	6s
	Head	caught	11	1
	Bush	bowled	19	2
	Rivington	NOT OUT	35	2
	Berrigan	run out	12	1
*†	Neal	bowled	1
	Evans	bowled	0
	Dunabin	caught	16
	Davie	NOT OUT	7	1
	Stephenson
	Towers
	Heller
111 for 6
Fall of wickets: 1(Bush)–30, 2(Head)–33, 3(Berrigan)–52, 4(Neal)–53, 5(Evans)–54, 6(Dunabin)–88

Needing to leave early to go to a pop concert, Bill Bush overcame his normal bashfulness and opened the batting. As is often the way with these enforced changes, Bill blossomed in the role, combining his willingness to have a hit with effective defence. Finally in the 12th over, some time beyond his intended departure point, he had a swing too far against the wily old Wraxall pro — but he had clearly relished the opportunity.

Draw-specialist James was sent in perhaps a little early, though there was still serious batting to be done — alas, Jim's attempted reverse sweep was not out of the textbook. Brian settled quickly, and we began to see his trademark skip down the wicket to the spinner. It was therefore inevitable that, as Brian was getting into the groove for the first time this season, James should run him out. Skipper Matthew was diddled by the old one. And in the first of the final 20 overs, Michael E was bowled by a booming inswinger from a promising teenager: 54 for 5.

With South Wraxall bowling tightly to attacking fields, the next 10 overs (five of them maidens) yielded just 10 runs. The home team started moaning about being bored, but their frustrated mood was as much caused by their failure to grasp any of the chances that popped up from Chris Dunabin's bat. Finally, with much grumbling, they brought on their loopy bowlers, and at this point James advised his partner to end the tedium. Runs flowed again, until Chris was joyfully pouched at slip. James and Simon Davie enjoyed a swing or two at the end, as the hundred was comfortably passed. The locals weren't particularly impressed, and couldn't wait to get to the pub.

Match drawn

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