BHCC v The Wild Swag - May 31st 2009 - Match Report

BHCC (Back Row from Left) Lord Jolliffe, Richard 'Whizzer' Wells, Jason Moore (A player, but not at cricket!), Andrew Pinnell, Steven Priscott, Nick Wigzell & Michael Sherring.
(Front Row) - Matthew Ellis, Chester Ellis, Ollie King & Mark Meadows who is an Actor would you believe!
(Absent - Johnny Burridge & James MacKenzie)

And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the last day of May arrives with flaming sunshine and a powder-blue sky suggesting we might even be in for a Summer heat wave. Long suffering cricketers rejoice across the nation and search eagerly for bottles of sun cream languishing in the bottom of kit bags amidst lost socks and other unspeakable things!

Childhood memories of ’76, IVA Richards, Greenidge and Whispering Death cleaning up England at The Oval abound as the teams wander almost apologetically to the small shed that we lovingly call our pavilion.Our guests are the immensely likeable Wild Swag who bring with them a mixture of accents ranging from the received tones of the public school, to the clipped burr of Afrikaners all interspersed with the vernacular of the urban street fighter. It is amazing how the word ‘f*ck’ sounds so different depending on the tongue, but the meaning is always the same!

For the first time in aeons we lost the toss but Stuart Davis indecisively asked us to bat anyway. Lovely chap that he is, Stuart even gave his £2 coin to my youngest daughter Lizzie who was strangely excited by the whole ritual! I love little moments like this and it set the tone for a fascinating days play.

We opened up with the contrasting pairing of Steven Priscott on his debut and the evergreen classicist that is Mark Meadows; Priscott, burly and muscular struck the first boundary, but both were circumspect against tight bowling from Davis and Kennedy. Meadows, textbook personified, plays as straight as a die and despite more aggression from Priscott, we rather meandered along at four an over.

To be honest, no-one in the ‘cheap seats’ took too much notice as the kids were enjoying a Test Match of their own and the rest were just content to soak up the rays. Oh, all except Sherring that is who, primed for action like an impatient sniper, could barely keep still for a moment awaiting his turn at number three.

The fifty came up in the thirteenth over as Priscott sensed the crowds’ inertia and opened his considerable shoulders to good effect. Daniels and Lamyman took a bit of hammer as Meadows began to drive with increasing fluency and the 'tins' began to rattle along. Priscott accelerated markedly after reaching his fifty and the hundred stand was accompanied by somewhat muted applause.

Finally Priscott was bowled by a beauty of a leg-break from Wilson which pitched leg and clipped off defeating a lunging forward defensive stroke. Enter Sherring and wham bam thank you mam, three fours before going aerial and succumbing to a fine catch by Kennedy off the returning Davis for 12.

With ten over’s to go momentum was needed and Johnny Burridge (9) and Pinnell (17) perished going for quick runs, the latter haplessly run out reinforcing Sinfield’s comparisons with Inzy! Meadows was debatably stumped for an excellent 68 and it just left Matt Ellis to swipe his way to 15 not out losing the wonderful gentleman that is Richard Wells in the process, caught in the deep first ball.

Tea was a curious affair with sandwiches and scones arriving in less than perfect harmony, but no-one could care less let alone Babbers’ content with their score of 223 for six. Pinnell tried to banish any complacency remembering that The Swag gave us a good thumping last year and was anxious to readdress the equilibrium.

James MacKenzie bowled with zest, but his attempt to extract life out of a straw-like pitch proved futile. Instead, he returned to the time-honoured virtues of line and length as mastered by Lord Jolliffe at the other end. Jolliffe, reeling from being whacked over his head for four, promptly bowled Rowley off a thick inside edge and MacKenzie had the elegant and dangerous Wilson caught for 13.

Nick Wigzell took over from the end that bears his name and settled into a nice rhythm that tempted and teased; Rowley could stand it no more and was caught driving too early by MacKenzie at mid-off. Robb was proving the mainstay of the innings and chipped repeatedly through mid-on toying with the fielders in the process. While he was in full flow Swag had an outside chance of victory, but Sherring is no mug with ball and he tied-up the bottom end knocking over Davies and Dawson in the process.

Chester Ellis bowled four tight overs too going for just 23 and inducing a couple of half-chances to boot; Meadows almost pulled off an amazing catch at square mid-wicket that had the cameras flashing, but it was Priscott’s day. Steven would be the first to admit that his initial over was a dogs’ breakfast, but from then on he mopped up the tail taking 4 for 15 off just 2.4 overs.

Champagne Moment of the day belongs to 12 year old Chester Ellis who held onto Lamyman’s flashing square drive at point off a Priscott full bunger. Keen as mustard and a delightful lad, Chester instinctively caught the ball with a nonchalance as if he were “shelling peas” to quote Chas Knowles, my old captain from the Warminster glory years. Mobbed, by one and all, Chester represents the inspirational attitude his generation brings to the game; fearless, passionate and full-on. Love it.

So, the Swag were all out for a credible 185 leaving Babbers’ victorious by 38 runs which perhaps does not tell the whole story. Swag provide both great opposition and charming company on the sun-kissed lawn afterwards and they will be seeking revenge in the Sixes come August.

A special mention to Nicola Player, our very own Wendy Wimbush, who has adopted the scorers role with such panache and commitment. The scorebook is frighteningly accurate and my job as your humble scribe now only takes a fraction of the time as I do not have to decipher the hieroglyphic-like scribbles of previous seasons (Mr. Wigzell’s excepted!).

Thank you Nicola and to one and all for another glorious day.

Results Summary
Babington - 223 for 6
The Wild Swag – 185 All Out
Babington won by 38 runs

Man of the Match: Steven Priscott
Wild Swag MoM: Dave Robb
Champagne Moment: Chester Ellis’ stunning catch at backward point