Penn match report

Draw – timed game 20 overs after 18:30
Penn Street 180 for 7
SCC 171 for 7

Comrades!

Subjectivity works like a champagne soaked visor, the delicate fumes of which drift down a comrade’s schnoz and paint a draw into a glorious result. Not falsely either, for we look at our history and improvement in skills and are rightly glorious in Saturday’s result.

Penn street CC were as ever welcoming, warm and offering a superb pitch and environs. True, still moist from recent rains but quite resilient to the spikes and although throwing up the odd pitched ball, was eminently worthy of a great game. The weather held up. Thick and sticky warm air with cloud and then spurts of hot sun, enough for a red neck tan and a thirst for coo lager. We were a team of 12 and I decided to institute a new convention; If  a twelth man/woman comes along to offer support, they will receive a bottle of wine from the Premier himself (At present, moi) Consequently, Vladimir Boringski was suurprised and delighted to be our first ever recipient of the 12th man award!

We waddled into fielding first and after the applause died quietly away, the bowling commence by my good self and brother, Yuri and Chimpmunkski. Facing were Smith and Sutherland. My style at the moment is to narrowly avoid wickets but keep the scores low. Managed that, but if I had appealed there was an LBW but i seem to lose site of the ball as it reaches the bat, need to improve. Chipmunkski was hard at his nib nib nibbing. Smith had got 4 fours and some steady defence but some skillful field work between Chipmunkski and Brandonovski ran him out. His opening partnership at 35. Briggs came onto the field, I think with a view to take a mortgage on the crease.

It then took a similar amount of overs, now up to 20, for the next wicket. My initial spell over, Samovar replaced me. Chipmunkski stood down too, his 8 overs going for 34 runs so just over 4 per over which is a good improvement and the winter nets clearly show. Good work.

Samovar was bowling, as ever, like a glass shard down a lubricated drain pipe. Robski had padded out his gloves with cold herring and was barely feeling the pain of the impact. Samovar was warming up. But attention! New comrade, John Hirst (nickname tbc). His style is rather elegant with a cheery wrist flick at the release, good length and line and enough to fox the Sutherland’s bat. A swoosh, a wallop and Cobramovich had the ball in his educated hands and Sutherland was out for 30. But a good knock and patiently taken. Samovar was limbered up. Herriot joined Briggs into bat.

The pace and line was hard to keep up with as I stood Mid-On; A flashing arm, A dab of edge, Marx-B reacting, a cheer – a great slip catch! Great bowl, great catch and Herriott was in and out for none. A very valuable wicket indeed.

By now Penn were on 84 off 23 overs and there was a feel of tension in the air. Our spirited Chirruping in the field helps. So who was next, Exton. His knock proved valuable to Penn and was certainly a bit costly, containing two 6s and three 4s off Hirst and Soldya. But our captain Marx decided to have an over and promptly bowled Exton. This felt like a great wicket to take as he had been getting into his stride. The captain’s logic is unique and he promptly stopped bowling… Cmr cms Marx, do please bowl more!

Egan now in to face Cobramovich. Three foxing lofted wonders hissed out from the palm of a cobra and then kerplunk, bowled clean for 1. The effect on the field we wonderful and Penn was now at 130 for 5 off 31 overs. Could we actually contain the runs. Last year was over 250 so this looked encouraging.

Soldya and Cobramovich were partnering up the bowling the field was set for catching. But who was still patting and knocking his way along? Briggs. Walked on the pitch at 14:42 and was still there at 16:30. Very solid and calm. However, Cobramovich plopped a tempter to his bat and with a staggering lurch and eyes like and eagle, captain Marx reached forward and held fast the ball. Twice in a short time he took a valuable wicket. Top leading by example, I say.

A brilliant way to end a good match in the field followed as Slade was runout by an amazing throw from Samovar off Soldya. I would say that the throw was straight and covered fifty yards low and fast. Splash went the bails and great work Samovar.

So our fielding session ended and was truly illustrious. Great throwing from Samovar, Brandonovski, Sewelski and Hirst. fantastic catches from Marx, Cobramovich and run out from ChipMunkski. Bowling and fielding nifty ness from Soldya and Jontin and if course, amazing, palm bruising stops from Robski…. You may now remove the herring.

A delicious tea later and at 17:22 we were in bat. Brandonovski and Hirst opened. The former was still keen from his BAFTA success but the gods of willow were against him and after four dots, Goodchild offered him an offside shorter delivery that was caught by Hammond for 0. Queue some air wafting and an exit. Jontin in.

I was umpiring and keen to learn on the field as much as I could at Strikers end. However I wasn’t keen to develop my finger pointing but Hirst was stumped by Exton by a good three feet and I had no choice but to lift my digit. Sorry comrade. Samovar to the crease.

Looking at Jontin’s entry, there are twelve dots before his first boundary 4. I was looking at his expression for those dots and I would describe it as simpering internal fury. BUT… The tide began to turn and the dots reduce and the runs increase. Samovar, who said he was not focused, still placed a useful 15 in a quarter of an hour before succumbing bowled to McAndrews.

Captain Marx was now out in the field. He had been chatting to the oppo scorer, The Magnificent Cally, who said I had had an LBW but hadn’t appealed. Just what you need to hear! But all forgiven as what followed from Marx and Jontin was a partnership of 90 lasting over two hours. Finally Goodchild bowled Jontin for 77 but his knock placed us in a really good place and a chance to win or a least force a draw. Eleven 4s in total and a great couple of hours of batting.

Cobramovich and Sewelski soon perished to Goodchild too but by now it was ten to eight and Soldya and the lower orders were required to cling on to the chance of a draw, a win possible but unlikely. On the last ball I was in and took a single but we were safely drawn by then. Both teams exhibited exemplary sporting appreciation and all chatted raucously about the great day in the pub.

There were many great acts of sporting prowess and finesse in the match by us all. We can all be proud. I must commend Jontin with all respect for his great knock, a performance which lifted the total to a point where even victory was possible. But comrade of the match for me was our captain Marx who took fantastic catches, a wicket and then batted a fab 43 to support Jontin in his stand. Lead by example!

Comrades, congratulations on a great game, a great day and a good step in the future of the SCC.

Do Svidaniya!!

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