As the League season drew to a close, our penultimate match was at home to Hartley. We had beaten them away but we knew they were a strong team. They were in the top 4 and keen on promotion.
Several of our number were dropped to the 2s, but we still had a strong side out. The pitch looked great, we had even had a bit of rain in the week.
Earlier in the morning, the Skipper had heard that the M20 was closed in both directions. He had spoken to the opposition and put out a message on the group chat. Joe Millen, timekeeping is not his forte, posted a message just before kick off saying that he was running late because apparently the M20 was closed. He arrived well into the game.
Fortunately, the skipper has turned into quite an accomplished tosser and chose to bat. (It landed tails. Of course)
Tim Lush and Nigel Baker opened the batting. They could hardly buy a run earlier in the season but are in a rich vein of form. It continued today.
The Hartley attack wasn’t full of pace but was pretty accurate.
Mind you, one of our batters was not full of pace either. Nigel had been feeeling a tight calf. And it got worse and worse. Well, when I say “it”. Initially it was the top of the right calf. Gastrocnemius, for the medically inclined. Then, somehow, the bottom of the left calf (“plantaris”). The machinations of the umpire did not help much but he hobbled on. Singles were taken, but slowly. 2s were out of the question, so he decided to start hitting the ball very hard. The fielding was not the finest we had faced and on several occasions we got boundaries that perhaps we shouldn’t have.
Lush senior was playing second fiddle but it seeemed to work well.
At one point their keeper was convinced he had stumped Nigel but Baker was literally unmoved, as was Ben standing at square leg. The keeper was distinctly unhappy.
A swift 50 from Baker was reached. He had no plans to retire hurt and limped on.
Fifteen fours and 3 sixes contributed to a swift century. His second in the last few weeks. A delivery later and Tim reached his 50. Tim was promptly bowled playing round a good ball from their young left hander. As he had taken a full toss on his thumb early in the innings that was now black and very swollen, it was a brave knock. The pair had out on 164 at a good rate. Angus Kenny strode in at No 3. He had brought the entire family to support him, after a very liquid lunch at The Dirty Habit, and they weren’t disappointed.
Nigel was still hobbling and at one point a fielder threw wildly to try and run him out. He shouted, twice, that he had done it because the batsman was literally walking his way to a century. He looked a bit sheepish when his team mates pointed out he already had reached a ton.
Nigel was out stumped for 107. Robbie Fowle was in at 4. Your match reporter loves the way he plays cricket and he didn’t disappoint. The pair ran well and scored with some well judged shots. They were to put on 99 unbeaten. A six flicked through midwicket by Angus was the highlight. He scored 50 from just 43 deliveries. Fowle scored 42 at a run a ball.
278 for 2 from our 40 overs. Impressive stuff. And we still had a lot of batting unused.
During tea, the lovely Gaynor Baker had been summonsed. Known by the team for her cake baking skills, professionally she is actually Maidstone Sports Massage. She worked her magic on Nigel and he came out moving well.
We knew the opposition had some very good batsmen and the match was far from won. Damps opened from the top and generously he allowed Peter Trott to bowl up the hill. The batsman put away anything that was off line or length. Peter took some initial punishment but he doesn’t hide away. His inswing is prodigious. He did for their excitable keeper who chipped one up to Robbie Fowle at midwicket. Then he bowled the number 3.
The Hartley skipper was in at 4. He’s a lovely bloke but a very dangerous batsman. Mid on was dropped back a bit, and he fell into our trap. It still took a fantastic catch from the tardy Joe Millen to get rid of him though. A leap at full stretch, with two hands above his head, was impressive but holding onto the ball when he landed on his coccyx was the best bit.
Unusually Nigel had put down a chance at midwicket.
Trott junior finished 7-0-38-3
Damps couldn’t get a wicket for once and finished 8-0-39-0. A great spell, well except for his last over.
Fowle replaced Peter up the slope and was on good form. A low caught and bowled despatched the number 3 and he then promptly bowled the number 4 for a duck. He was to bowl through 8 overs before dashing off to a mystery date night. 8-1-40-2. He would have had another wicket when Skinner took a very clear stumping but the opposition umpire refused to give it, clearly because of the decision in our innings.
Fortunately Jez Trott was on standby for Fowle and came on as emergency substitute.
Charitha replaced Damps and started a little rustily but soon got his line and length. 4-0-26-0.
Horrocks was next on, to take the pace off the ball. The opposition had two good mates batting, they were born on the same day to two close families, so have known each other literally all their lives. They were still attacking anything loose and keeping the score ticking over.
Ben Lush was brought on up the slope and you wondered why he had not been introduced earlier. I personally blame the skipper. Two wickets in his first over. The first was courtesy of a decent stumping by your match reporter standing back, with a throw down of the stumps. That broke the crucial partnership of 77. The very next ball was unplayable. Swinging in to middle stump, it hit the seam and took the top of middle and off. Ben finished 3-0-5-2
Horrocks was taken off after 5 tidy overs, conceding only 29 runs.
Joe Millen was asked to bowl. It surely couldn’t be too much of a risk taking off Steve could it? After Joe started with three appalling deliveries that went for 6,6 and 4 the captain was considering tendering his resignation, until he remembered he has already resigned. Fortunately Millen’s 4th ball was straight and fast and clean bowled the opener. He was gone for a brave and excellent 91. Joe decided that perhaps this was the best way to bowl and soon got another. He was to finish the innings off with an edge behind, safely taken by Skinner. 1.4-0-16-3.
Hartley were all out for 204. An excellent win, with 20 points in the bag. It transpired that other results went our way and promotion is now in our hands.
A few cold drinks were taken. All very civilised, except for certain acts of animal cruelty that were performed out on the field by our supporters (Editor’s note. Please don’t call the RSPCA, it was soft toys that were being abused).