Babs' Beat Wylye Valley By 21 runs

Babington House XI V Wylye Valley - Sunday 3rd May
(Back Row L to R) Andy Penn, Andrew Jolliffe, Andrew Pinnell, Ben Tollworthy, Ed Weale, Chris Player (Injured!) & Will Sherring.
(Front Row L to R) Alistair Smellie, Mike Sherring, Matthew Ellis, Mark Cadbury & Jeremy Player.

Match Report
The sun shone and Babington looked a picture as our illustrious eleven took to the field of play for our first game of the season. Wide-eyed with the sheer joy of striding out onto the hallowed turf so lovingly manicured all winter by Clive Hamblin, the team was in good spirits and welcomed the friendly and familiar foe that is Wylye Valley. The micro helicopter standing menacingly on the boundary edge put thoughts of the credit crunch into perspective and prompted gasps of amazement from the juniors and glances of envy from some of the seniors still wrestling with Brown’s Britain Monday to Friday!

Good natured handshakes and back slapping could not disguise the competitive nature of the fixture which has now become the traditional curtain-raiser for each new season. To use football parlance, bragging rights is a much desired prize among the players many of whom share long-standing friendships and commercial relationships off the field.

Unbelievably, Andrew Pinnell won his eleventh consecutive toss and despite a moment of hesitation, chose to bat following a 30 year instinct to get runs on the board. Sure the pitch was tinged with green and the new ball might swing a touch, but Babbers’ batting line-up looked strong on paper at least. The instinct slightly wavered when it became apparent that the line-up in question might not actually be worth the paper it was written on as we were soon precariously placed at 85 for 7 in the twentieth over.

Mark Cadbury failed to heed the advice of his captain in the nets the previous week and cut uppishly to Barney Stratton at point despite a promising start whilst Alistair Smellie was sent back to the hutch by Matt Ellis’s trigger finger just as he got going. Chunter, chunter in the Cadbury quarter!

Mike Sherring, he of broad shoulders and a wide-open stance, looked impressive and his ‘block one, belt one’ philosophy is reminiscent of Marcus Trescothick. Perhaps that is where the similarity ends as even after he on drove too early to the impressive Peter Catarinella, his trudge back to the deckchairs was phlegmatic and his attitude philosophical. No mental breakdown or wavering of his inner belief here. Sherring, you will score many, many runs this year especially when the pitches harden.

Jeremy Player was keeping his end up nicely and there seemed no need to panic, but Will Sherring was castled by Catarinella for a ‘golden quack quack’ and Player suffered a similar fate to David Leng for 15. Ed Weale who it is rumoured had not left the Babington House premises since the end of last season, strode to the wicket with instructions to have a whack. Sadly, his intimate knowledge of the grounds did him no favours and Leng knocked him over for a couple. When Pinnell played a shot hitherto unknown to any coaching manual let alone himself, we were in the mire and there were mutterings about an early tea.

Never fear, Matt Ellis and Ben Tollworthy are not men to bottle it and both batted superbly to give us a fighting chance. Ellis had not spent half the winter on the phone organising the bloody fixtures just to give it away and Tollworthy curbed his attacking instincts in the cause of survival. The score crawled past the hundred courtesy of many singles and a couple of cracking shots from Ellis; one pinged off his toes exquisitely for four quickly followed by a rasping pull that screamed defiance. It was a shame that he was bowled by a beauty from the immaculately attired Nick Bundy for 26, blue blazer and pressed flannels, as he looked in cracking form.

Tollworthy remained unflappable and nurtured the tail superbly to add another priceless thirty-odd runs. The two Andrew’s, Penn and Jolliffe did their bit too and the latter was under extreme pressure from the presence of his five daughters and his wife watching expectantly from the boundary edge.

Brilliant bowler and genuinely diamond bloke that he is, Lord Jolliffe as he is affectionately known, bats so rarely that his text book forward defensive to his first ball prompted girly squeals of delight from his lovely family and loud cheers from the rest. He even managed a single and a two before being run out in the last over. Take a bow Mr. Tollworthy who finished his knock with a couple of blasts to the boundary to end with 33 not out.

Babbers’ took tea on the front lawn somewhat relieved to have mustered 155 all out. Pinnell sensed this was enough, but said nothing to no-one. Wylye Valley seemed confident, but we have been in this situation many times before. The resumption was slightly delayed as the aforementioned helicopter whirred its way skywards leaving a trail of devastation in its wake as newspapers, glasses and cricket kit was blown to all parts.

Tollworthy and Jolliffe set the tone with three consecutive maidens with our Lord rewarded with the vital wicket of Andrew Studholme bowled all over the place by impeccable line and length. Brother Alex was given a working over by Tollworthy who beat the bat repeatedly before bowling a straight one that clattered into the stumps and Wylye were 4 for 2.

Suave and debonair, Charlie Barkshire struck one beautiful drive for four and David Leng was striking the ball cleaner than anyone on the day. Player and Penn replaced Tollworthy and Jolliffe earlier than many expected, but Pinnell had a cunning plan. Player took a little stick and the plan looked Bauldrickesque, but Sherring took up the reins and Penn was bowling beautifully.

First candidate for Champagne Moment duly arrived when Will Sherring held onto a screaming cut from Barkshire at point off a wide long-hop (obviously) deliberately bowled by brother Mike. It was a gem of a catch and one that inspired the whole team. Not to be outdone, Mike then orchestrated the run-out of Paul Clarke and Smellie bowled Bunday with a peach of an inswinger down the hill.

We now entered the crucial phase of the match as David Leng was batting superbly, driving with power and aplomb against tight bowling from Penn and Smellie who kept nagging away. Paddy Forwood was obstruent at the other end and Wylye were scoring steadily if not dramatically. As ever, Babbers’ fielding was superb despite Sherring M’s obsession with hurling the ball at the stumps at any given opportunity!

Tollworthy returned and quickly removed Paddy for a excellent 28, but Leng moved to a lovely half century courtesy of a huge straight six into the trees and a couple of lusty thumps off Penn’s last over. No matter, Penn’s figures of 0-30 off seven over’s do his spell no justice and he ultimately had his revenge holding onto a searing drive at deep long-off to end David Leng’s excellent innings for 56. Julian Matthews, unsure of whom he was actually playing for, huffed and puffed but Smellie blew his house down as Tollworthy clung on to a swirling skier. The same bowler bowled Barney Stratton before Ellis, perhaps fittingly, caught Catarinella off Tollworthy ending Wylye’s innings on 134.

Many excellent performances on both sides and particular praise must go to the Babington bowlers who really did perform wonderfully. Jolliffe - accuracy personified, Tollworthy - pace and bounce, Penn – line and length with a hint of movement, and Smellie, swing and experience. All four were instrumental in our victory, but don’t forget the match-winning partnership of Ellis and Tollworthy which gave us a fighting chance in the first place.

Babington House CC Won by 21 Runs
Man of the Match – David Leng
BHCC MoM – Ben Tollworthy
Champagne Moment – Will Sherring’s catch at point.