Babington’s last fixture of 2011 resulted in a drubbing at the hands of the Free Foresters who fielded perhaps the strongest side we have faced for a number of years. Traditionally an all day affair, at one point it looked a distinct possibility that we would not survive until lunch after electing to bat on a genuine ‘sticky wicket’. Given our batting line-up, finding ourselves struggling at 56 for 5 was a disappointment and only served to heighten the Foresters desire to avenge a comprehensive winning draw last year.
It all started so well with Mark Cadbury and Mark Coxon-Tenty looking composed as they adjusted to the slow pace of the pitch. Indeed, Cocko launched a straight six into the trees and all seemed well with the world and the middle order settled into their deck chairs to watch a gentle pre-lunch batting master class. High hopes were soon dashed when Cocko was caught in any number of minds to a short ball outside off-stump which he proceeded to punch without conviction into the hands of short cover. Groans in the cheap seats, but there was worse to come.
Mike Rowan smacked a couple of fours before pulling too early and Rupert Morgan inexplicably missed a full bunger; Steven Priscott and Mark Cadbury both let their impatience get the better of them and before I knew it, I was at the crease trying to ignore the banter from the Foresters’ players behind the stumps. Some of it funny, but most puerile, I have always found that the best way to silence these guys is to smack the living daylights out of the ball and try and regain a semblance of honour with a flashing blade.
A early six over mid-wicket and a couple of whacks through the V at least proved we could bat a bit, but the loss of Matt Ellis bowled through the gate was the catalyst for more chit-chat. Chris Player attacked from the outset and we at least took lunch with eighty-odd on the board and the prospect of pushing on in the afternoon.
A superb lunch of chicken and all the trimmings was served in the Log Room and I encouraged the Foresters’ to stuff their faces knowing that we had to score quick runs straight after. Chris was the perfect foil for a while and his no-nonsense approach enabled us to at least get the board moving. The spinners were obliging and it was fun to ‘milk’ them for a few overs bringing up a personal fifty in the process.
Once Chris was out, there was no option but to attack and a few half trackers sailed over the boundary supplemented by a few genuine cover drives not seen since the heady days of 1986 according to Cocko. It had to end but I had no idea I was on 99 when attempting to hit another six only to mis-time straight into George Bretton’s buckets at deep mid-off.
Chaos ensued with the Cadbury boys desperate to bat and Mark acting as a runner as we swished our way to 203. From our pre-lunch position this was a reasonable effort but nowhere near enough against the Foresters formidable batting line up. The game was virtually won in ten overs before tea whereby Charlie Stuckley and James Croft rattled off 60 runs in no time. Highly competitive and hugely talented, our bowling was lacklustre and our fielding appalling allowing the openers to take control of the match.
Tea was a spectacular affair with Eton Mess added to the usual mix of scones and sandwiches which only served to further hinder our fielding. We dropped any number of catches and failed the persevering bowlers especially Rupert who bowled with great pace and determination.
With Grant Chandler and Cocko lobbing up their pies we took a few wickets mainly due to the batsman trying to smack the ball out of the ground, rather than any genuine threat.
Croft made a chanceless 77 before giving his wicket away, Stuckley cruised to 46 and Wisset-Warner hit 27 leaving Gibbs (37 no) and Raj Pillai (8 no) to knock off the winning runs in the 35th over. It was the most comprehensive of victories and despite having to take such a hammering squarely on the chin, Babington need to take inspiration from the Free Foresters illustrious history and obvious quality. We have all the ingredients required to re-energise the club in the close season and build on the foundations laid over the past decade or so. If yours truly can still score 99, then anything is possible!
Babington House – 203 All Out
Free Foresters – 204 for 4
Free Foresters Won by Six Wickets
Man of the Match – James Croft for a great all round bowling display.
Champagne Moment - Eton Mess for Tea - what luxury!!!
Monday 22 August 2011
Babington Sixes Tournament - Sunday 28th August
Running Order & Notes For Captains
* Tournament starts at 10am Prompt.
* Players lunch will be served at 1pm.
* Matches will continue through lunch which will be staggered.
* Tea will be taken at 4pm.
* Players Mach Fee = £15 per person inc Lunch & Tea.
* Paying bar available from 10am.
* Burgers will also be available throughout the day for £11.
* Guests can purchase Lunch for £10 per person.
Participating Teams (So Far!!!)
Weale's Warriors
1. Ed Weale (Captain)
2. Norman Botton
3. Jonathon Downey
4. Simon Hubner
5. Tim Simmons
6. Nick Butler
Horler's Heroes
1. David Horler (Captain)
2. Ed Horler
3. Dan Spencer
4. James Callow
5. Tom Alsop
6. Alex Chinnock
Babington A
1. Andrew Pinnell (Captain)
2. Jack Cadbury
3. Harry Cadbury
4. Rory Cadbury
5. James MacKenzie
6. Mike Rowan
Babington B
1. Matt Ellis (Captain)
2. Chester Ellis
3. Steven Priscott
4. Mark Meadows
5. Simon Potter
6. Mike Midgeley
Trolly's Trundlers
1. Andrew Trollope (Captain)
2. Graham Kitley
3. Robbie Robson
4. Phil de Glanville
5. Simon Abendanan
Prizes will be awarded for Player of the Day, Biggest Six of the Day and Player of the Tournament courtesy of Babington House.
* Tournament starts at 10am Prompt.
* Players lunch will be served at 1pm.
* Matches will continue through lunch which will be staggered.
* Tea will be taken at 4pm.
* Players Mach Fee = £15 per person inc Lunch & Tea.
* Paying bar available from 10am.
* Burgers will also be available throughout the day for £11.
* Guests can purchase Lunch for £10 per person.
Participating Teams (So Far!!!)
Weale's Warriors
1. Ed Weale (Captain)
2. Norman Botton
3. Jonathon Downey
4. Simon Hubner
5. Tim Simmons
6. Nick Butler
Horler's Heroes
1. David Horler (Captain)
2. Ed Horler
3. Dan Spencer
4. James Callow
5. Tom Alsop
6. Alex Chinnock
Babington A
1. Andrew Pinnell (Captain)
2. Jack Cadbury
3. Harry Cadbury
4. Rory Cadbury
5. James MacKenzie
6. Mike Rowan
Babington B
1. Matt Ellis (Captain)
2. Chester Ellis
3. Steven Priscott
4. Mark Meadows
5. Simon Potter
6. Mike Midgeley
Trolly's Trundlers
1. Andrew Trollope (Captain)
2. Graham Kitley
3. Robbie Robson
4. Phil de Glanville
5. Simon Abendanan
Prizes will be awarded for Player of the Day, Biggest Six of the Day and Player of the Tournament courtesy of Babington House.
Tuesday 16 August 2011
BHCC v Milton CC - Match Report
Babington at its best on a glorious summer Sunday as we entertained Milton Cricket Club on a flat, if slightly damp track. Joyously, we won the toss and Steven Priscott needed no second invitation to don the pads and take first strike alongside debutant Nick Gracey. Indeed, the former smote the first ball of the innings airily for four which was indicative of his mindset; sadly, Gracey was knocked over first ball by Reeves bowling with pace down the hill.
Enter, Ben ‘Tolly’ Tollworthy at number 3 and also on a mission it seemed. He and Priscott proceeded to gorge themselves on the bowling which, after Reeves initial burst, was dominated by spin. Priscott heaved mightily at anything pitched up and would no doubt have scored many more had he used a bat without a crack in it; Tollworthy smashed a mighty six to get his innings going and was soon driving with aplomb despite bemoaning the Newberry Krakatoa blade which he claimed had “no middle”.
With these two in full flow the assembled multitudes relaxed in the deck chairs and flicked through the Sunday papers dominated by images of the urban riots. As the sun beat down and the ripening corn swayed in the breeze, it was difficult to equate he two worlds; the nearest thing to a riot on show was when Priscott was sharply warned for running down the wicket by Colin Houseman whose two over’s went for 19!
All was well with the Babington world at least as the hundred came up in the twentieth over and applause echoed across the ground. The equilibrium was only broken when Priscott holed out for an excellent 71 and Tollworthy was stumped for 67, both exceptional knocks.
Mark Coxon-Tenty’s innings only lasted five balls, but contained two fours – one on-drive off his pads oozed pure class – but a walking waft of a shot found a thick edge and he departed much to the disappointment of his watching family. Chester Ellis combined gun-barrel defence with elegant attacking strokes including one absolutely delightful flick off his pads which was reminiscent of Gower in his prime.
It was left to Mike Rowan and Matt Ellis to huff and puff the innings to a close which finished on a challenging score of 190 off 35 overs.
Agreeing to bat for seven overs before tea, Milton were soon in terrible trouble against the combined pie throwers of Andrew Pinnell and Grant Chandler. The latter’s first ball was the worst long-hop ever bowled, but Wilby somehow construed to slap it straight into Pinnell’s mits at mid on.
Raye drove one of Pinnell’s moon balls to Chester Ellis and mid-off, before Lambden and Hubner were deceived by ‘flight and guile’ – or maybe not; “chicken and mushroom” muttered Cocko in the deep!
Our visitors took tea at 19-4 and rumblings about the sandwiches and match fees were audible even over the sound of the rustling trees. Pinnell frowned to himself and remembered the days playing on dreadful municipal pitches with no showers and stale white bread filled with the cheapest ham – Fire in Babylon indeed!!!
A further seven bowlers were deployed after tea in an attempt to open up the game, but when Matt Ellis get’s a wicket you know such an attempt is largely futile. Chester, Trolly and the welcome return of Chris Player illustrated the depth of the Babington bowling attack, but it was Nick Gracey who bagged a brace to offset his Golden’.
The innings fizzled out on 88 with Ellis’s ‘doosra’ trapping Colin Houseman plumb in front after 30 overs. Most of the Milton team chose a hasty exit whilst the rest of us enjoyed the luxury of Babbers on a balmy August evening; shadows stretched across the lawn and the sunlight glistened on the windows of the House as sparkling jugs of ale were purchased with wanton abandon.
Pinnell’s attempt to add a degree of fiscal control to the proceedings was about as effective as Cameron’s austerity measures and the subsequent bar bill told its own story. No matter, days like these are rare indeed and a welcome distraction from the urban mayhem and commercial Armageddon that most of us have to face on Monday mornings!
Babington House – 190 for 5
Milton CC – 94 All Out
Babington Won By 96 Runs
Man of the Match – Shared between Ben Tollworthy & Steven Priscott
Champagne Moment – Chester Ellis’s flick off his toes.
Enter, Ben ‘Tolly’ Tollworthy at number 3 and also on a mission it seemed. He and Priscott proceeded to gorge themselves on the bowling which, after Reeves initial burst, was dominated by spin. Priscott heaved mightily at anything pitched up and would no doubt have scored many more had he used a bat without a crack in it; Tollworthy smashed a mighty six to get his innings going and was soon driving with aplomb despite bemoaning the Newberry Krakatoa blade which he claimed had “no middle”.
With these two in full flow the assembled multitudes relaxed in the deck chairs and flicked through the Sunday papers dominated by images of the urban riots. As the sun beat down and the ripening corn swayed in the breeze, it was difficult to equate he two worlds; the nearest thing to a riot on show was when Priscott was sharply warned for running down the wicket by Colin Houseman whose two over’s went for 19!
All was well with the Babington world at least as the hundred came up in the twentieth over and applause echoed across the ground. The equilibrium was only broken when Priscott holed out for an excellent 71 and Tollworthy was stumped for 67, both exceptional knocks.
Mark Coxon-Tenty’s innings only lasted five balls, but contained two fours – one on-drive off his pads oozed pure class – but a walking waft of a shot found a thick edge and he departed much to the disappointment of his watching family. Chester Ellis combined gun-barrel defence with elegant attacking strokes including one absolutely delightful flick off his pads which was reminiscent of Gower in his prime.
It was left to Mike Rowan and Matt Ellis to huff and puff the innings to a close which finished on a challenging score of 190 off 35 overs.
Agreeing to bat for seven overs before tea, Milton were soon in terrible trouble against the combined pie throwers of Andrew Pinnell and Grant Chandler. The latter’s first ball was the worst long-hop ever bowled, but Wilby somehow construed to slap it straight into Pinnell’s mits at mid on.
Raye drove one of Pinnell’s moon balls to Chester Ellis and mid-off, before Lambden and Hubner were deceived by ‘flight and guile’ – or maybe not; “chicken and mushroom” muttered Cocko in the deep!
Our visitors took tea at 19-4 and rumblings about the sandwiches and match fees were audible even over the sound of the rustling trees. Pinnell frowned to himself and remembered the days playing on dreadful municipal pitches with no showers and stale white bread filled with the cheapest ham – Fire in Babylon indeed!!!
A further seven bowlers were deployed after tea in an attempt to open up the game, but when Matt Ellis get’s a wicket you know such an attempt is largely futile. Chester, Trolly and the welcome return of Chris Player illustrated the depth of the Babington bowling attack, but it was Nick Gracey who bagged a brace to offset his Golden’.
The innings fizzled out on 88 with Ellis’s ‘doosra’ trapping Colin Houseman plumb in front after 30 overs. Most of the Milton team chose a hasty exit whilst the rest of us enjoyed the luxury of Babbers on a balmy August evening; shadows stretched across the lawn and the sunlight glistened on the windows of the House as sparkling jugs of ale were purchased with wanton abandon.
Pinnell’s attempt to add a degree of fiscal control to the proceedings was about as effective as Cameron’s austerity measures and the subsequent bar bill told its own story. No matter, days like these are rare indeed and a welcome distraction from the urban mayhem and commercial Armageddon that most of us have to face on Monday mornings!
Babington House – 190 for 5
Milton CC – 94 All Out
Babington Won By 96 Runs
Man of the Match – Shared between Ben Tollworthy & Steven Priscott
Champagne Moment – Chester Ellis’s flick off his toes.
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