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.