Written by Mark Middleton
Wed 9 May 2018
Another season began, the Strokers fresh from overwintering on pastures afar met at Pavilion Drive, which is possibly the 2nd prettiest ground we play on, to take on the Badgers, always an unknown force, due to their penchant for new masters, scholars and for the first time ever a girl.
Our Skipper Mr Kisiel tossed and the Badgers went out to bat , Tom Reading took the ball and kept their openers nailed down. Simon Andrews at the other end with some fine spin slowed the run rate and the first Wicket went to Mr A, a catch at square leg. Luckily this was the only catch of the innings as our catching prowess left us somewhat lacking with a wonderful Champagne moment between Tom R and Mr Robert Jones a fine fellow from Wellingborough School, both missing it whilst shouting “mine”. From my usual vantage point this was definitely a massive balls up and the award goes to Mr R.
Simon took another wicket, an LBW we don’t get many of those and before he left Tom bowled a fantastic wicket, middle stump 33 for 3.
In came Bill Raby and Mark Worthington, Welly bowled 2 quick overs but didn’t trouble the batsman, an LBW from Bill on his second delivery he put down to stiffness, I assume in his pants because he sprayed the rest of his 4 overs. By now the Badgers had got their heads down and the next 2 batsmen both retired at 35. 99 for 4.
For the Badgers out strode a new Stroker, Mr Johnny Hammond-Chambers. Joe Hill on usual energetic form launched it down at him but what a batsman, he played beautiful shots and looked to be starting to control the game. We needed a secret weapon , someone who hasn’t played the game for at least 25 years, “ the Strokers way”. Up stepped a fine fellow, the OW Rob Jones. Tim didn’t know what to call him , Rob, Jonah or Jonesy , so settled for Joanna. Familiarity always wins .Joanna came in like a fine Aberdeen Angus bull ,steaming in off 2 steps and bowled Johnny Double-Barrelled smashing his stumps to pieces causing Toddy to comment that he had been confused by the pace. From my usual vantage point right behind our fine keeper Fraser I couldn’t help but agree , 130 for 5.
By now we were being bamboozled by some fine stroke playing from a bit off fluff and our bowlers didn’t trouble the score book again the Badgers finished. 144 for 5.
Tim called for a quick change, looked round the changing room for a dependable opening bat and settled on another OW, the winner of last years batsman of the year award, yours truly. Out we strode two gladiators striding across the Elysian fields to take the battle to the purveyors of knowledge to our small children, the swallows swooped low overhead, the birds sang in the trees, small children playing and laughing nearby drifted in on the gentle warming breeze, the chime of an ice cream van in the distance, reminded us, all was well with world and how privileged we were to be playing this wonderful game in such a beautiful surrounding. And then we started playing.
4 balls later I returned to the stinking hutch that Oundle call a pavilion 2 for 1. Gimpdom calling.
Toddy decided that the only way to play was to smack it, scoring 2 6s to finish, Tim played some beautiful shots both retired 35 not out.
Joanna a fine OW who once scored a century at Nevill Holt school failed to find his previous form – 66 for 2.
Welly, Bill R and Tom R all failed to excel with the bat, 84 for 5, scoring 6 between them, 2 of them being skittled out by the skirt.
Now I have to confess, Joe Hill walked out next, he had been using a very clever app on an Ipad , he handed me the device and said it was intuitive to use , was it bollocks. Tim an IT genius grabbed the scorebook and left me trying to sort the launch codes for NASA, so the scores are maybe a bit hazy from now on.
Joe played some fantastic cuts and pulls scoring 6 fours and as he found the rhythm he gradually narrowed the score having to retire at 30.
Simon scored 2, not out, and Fraser was stumped on the last ball of the innings but not before he had hit a wonderful 4. 128 off 20 overs we lost by 16 runs.
The Badgers then invited us back to the common room, for a couple of beers and BBQ where our other estranged skipper turned up to eat the food, drink the free beer and bore Mr Johny Double-Barrelled about Landrovers . Tim thanked the Badgers for the game but didn’t select a man of the match. So it is left to me, fantastic bowling by Simon Andrews and 2 fine Knocks by Tim and Toddy who are all mentioned in dispatches, obviously Jonesy a fine OW who turned up after 5 years of nagging by Mr P and myself, but in my opinion Man Of The match goes to Joe Hill, tight bowling and a lovely knock to nearly keep us in the game.
Strokers cricket is as always, fun, inclusive, generally a bit rubbish and it is never taken seriously but the original motto of “we value the good bloke over the good player “ has never rung more true than before this match, as we enter our 8th year of playing we should always remember this and if in doubt take the piss out of those who don’t turn up ,,,,,,, the Dog was 1 ½ hours late .
Stroke On,