Cudworthy on and off the field
Steve Reece swings to leg on his way to 37
On the hottest day of the year, the winning of the toss meant that the captain had the easiest decision of the day. Let the other poor sods field in the heat. Accordingly, messrs Redfern & Symondson took the field to open our batting.
Justin started in great style crashing boundaries through the covers off the back foot while Rob meandered quietly as he is wont to do early in his innings. The opening attack was not the most frightening faced this season and on a batsman friendly wicket, it was something of a surprise when Justin attempted to pull a short one and succeeded merely in top edging to slip. His replacement, Doug Michael seemed equally comfortable and was soon hitting powerfully through extra cover and mid off and with Rob joining the party with some great shots, the score mounted fast. One half volley picked off his toes by Rob rocketed into the pavilion on the full with such force that we feared it might collapse. With the score at 139, Doug aimed a huge hit at a particularly slow delivery and was bowled. Rob was now joined by Alex Cudworth and Alex feeling that Rob had been playing too many airy shots from which he had been dropped a couple of times, gave him a serious lecture on the need to get his head down and complete his century. Next ball, Alex played the ball gently to midwicket and took off for the single. Rob, meanwhile, was enjoying a pleasant chat with the umpire and was somewhat shocked to find Alex bearing down on him and although he responded to the call, his running lacked conviction and he was run out by yards for a splendid 70. The score was 148 -3.
I now decided that this was a good time to allow Jerry Stockbridge the opportunity to find some form. Sadly however, having played his second ball into the leg side, he was stunned to hear a loud call for a single from Alex and good pro that he is, he obediently set off for the other end. The keeper showing surprising speed and agility clearly worried Alex who in mid pitch suddenly changed his call to NO. Jerry was now in the unenviable position of finding his torso heading back to the batting end whilst his legs, not yet having received the signal from his brain, continued to seek the safety of the bowlers end. This anatomical impossibility could have only one result and Jerry was duly run out. He returned to the pavilion muttering dark threats,at least one of which was overheard to include mention of his bat handle and Alex's rear end!!
Steve Reece now joined Alex and together they tore into the wilting bowlers with powerful shots all round the wicket thus providing me with a serious problem. The speed of scoring was such that if we batted until 4.30/4.45pm, there was a serious danger that we would have 300. On the other hand an early declaration would mean that the opposition would have 55 overs to score the runs. I decided that honour was more important than the result and so called the batsmen in with the score on 233 -4 with Alex on 55 not out and Steve on 37 not out.
The time was just after 4pm. This of course caused serious consternation with Cudworth I who was preparing the tea but following the usual splendid fare, we were back on the pitch at about 4.40. The innings was opened by a diminutive batsman with a fondness for a half volley around middle and leg. Ian being an obliging sort of chap gave him plenty of these for two overs but then, finding his range, began to bowl well and finally clipped the top of the other openers off stump. His joyous celebration was considered by many to be right on the border of good taste but was held to be passable on the grounds that it has happened very rarely so far this season! Steve Reece who opened the other end was bowling well but without much luck having a good chance off the diminutive batsman (DB) dropped by the hitherto totally reliable Jerry Stockbridge, no doubt still preoccupied in considering the options for revenge on Alex.
The DB had been joined at the crease by a young man with heavily gelled hair and to be fair, they were playing very well and dispatching the bad ball and occasional good one to the boundary. The advent of Mike Stockbridge did nothing to change this and your captain decided therefore to bring the entertainment to a close by bringing on the serious firepower of Alex. Although this had the gratifying effect of forcing the gelled batsman (GB) to play his innings from the region of short leg, he and DB were seeing the ball well and continued along their merry way. The inclusion of myself into the attack did little to quell this until the wise old heads came up with a cunning plan. Having bowled medium pace for a couple of overs, Howard had moved back but on a signal for me he crept up whereupon I delivered a much slower ball outside off stump. GB tripped merrily down the wicket, was deceived by the slowness of the delivery and was stumped by a yard.
Now we began to run through them with Alex starting to get some result
and he deservedly ended with 5/35 after 13.3 overs of sustained hostility
with me picking up 3/53. DB completed a good 50.
The other point of note was Rob Symondsons inability to catch anything.
Having ignored my entreaties to move back and give himself more time,
he first failed to see a nick off me, then dropped one from Alex and
then dropped two more off me. His excuses were many and varied including
'it was all your fault for not signalling the quicker ball' 'it was
Howard's fault because he was obscuring the sunlight so the ball was
coming out of shadow' and 'I was distracted by the brightly coloured
bird in the distance'
The opposition were dismissed for 185 giving us a win by 48 runs.