Dodgers v BOCS

DODGERS v BOCS
20 OVERS MATCH
REGENTS PARK
25 JULY 2000

Result: Dodgers won by 43 runs
Dodgers Man of the Match: Terry Hawton

Preamble

Another towering six crashes over the boundary edge to close the Dodgers innings. The striker acknowledges the rapturous applause of his teamates which greets his hundred, raises his bat modestly and allows himself a weak smile. Our crestfallen opponents the Combined C...s (an elite XI which mixes the finest players from the sides Dodgers play) trudge off wearily. Who would have thought that with Dodgers reeling at 38-8 just a few overs ago that we would manage a score of 160 in our 20 overs.

No time to rest on your laurels big fellow remarks Captain Carr as our hero removes his pads. We need you to open the bowling – this game ain’t in the bag yet!

The C...s opening batsman, a helmeted Barry Gigg, fidgets nervously in his crease as wicketkeeper Matthews takes up his position some 35 yards distant. Our hero thunders in and releases a supersonic delivery – before Gigg can react his legstump is sent cartwheeling and lands next to a sprawling Matthews taking evasive action. Panic fills the C...s ranks with no batsman prepared to take Gigg’s place.

All of a sudden Adey wakes up with a jolt. Alas, it was just a dream!

Report

A memorable match for several reasons.

BOCs surprised seasoned Dodgers well used to their unreliability by turning up on time with as many as 10 players (a loaned Kim the Cat completed their 11). This promising start couldn’t last. Unfortunately, they had also turned up without any stumps! With the prospect of improvised stumps looming large, Matt Leach offered salvation by saying that he could return to his adjacent home to collect a set of stumps he owned. The only slight snag was that he only possessed 4 stumps. It was decided that we could get by moving the three stumps which formed the batting wicket at the end of 10 overs. What Matt had failed to mention was that his stumps were not full size and some incredulous gazes greeted his triumphant return. Consequently the game started 40 minutes late with twiglets as the wicket. Ironically, our early season game against the intriguingly named DTI Stumpless was cancelled. BOC Stumpless, as they should be known from now on, are obviously cousins!

Dodgers batted first on a poor wicket against mediocre bowling and amassed a reasonable 132-6. Bultitude and Carr were the pick of the batsman and both hit some fluent boundaries. Bultitude was unlucky to be well caught off a firm shot. Adey opened the batting and amused the watching masses with his impression of Caribbean "down on one knee" batsmanship. McBarron laboured 11 overs for a stodgy 28 and Westhead, Priest and extras chipped in usefully.

The rest of the night belonged to new boy Terry Hawton who returned sensational figures of 5-6 (the best bowling analysis ever produced by a Dodger) which left BOCs reeling at 20-8! The first two came off successive balls courtesy of decent slip catches by McBarron desparately trying to make up for his abject batting. The hat-trick ball was survived by Liston. Terry was well supported by his opening bowling partner Matt “is that a tiny stump in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me” Leach who chipped in with a wicket. There was also an early run out courtesy of some excellent fielding (Terry again I think). With the pressure off, Carr quite rightly in my opinion, allowed Guy and Sian a full bowl. Sian bowled well and got 2 wickets and Guy was creamed rather less than many of us expected. BOCs were able to obtain a respectable 89 all out courtesy of some good batting by nos 10 and 11, John Underwood and our very own Kim the Cat (unfortunately for Kim his 15no is inadmissible for our averages). Priest will want me to record that he got the last wicket aided by a good catch from John Hilary (I know it wasn’t a difficult chance but any catch we take is a good one).

The evening was rounded off with a good slurp at the Spread Eagle. Terry has been forewarned that future opponents and thus wickets are likely to prove rather more difficult.

MATCH STATS

DODGERS

Bultitude ct Astavia b Underwood 24
Adey ct Jones b Vivian 4
Priest ct Jones b Astavia 10
Westhead c & b Liston 14
McBarron not out 28
Benn ct Matthews b Liston 6
Carr ct Astavia b Paull 20
Hilary not out 7
Extras 21
TOTAL (20 overs) 132 for 6

Dnb: Brown, Hawton, Leach


BOCs Bowling

Underwood 4 overs 1-17
Vivian 4 overs 1-31
Astavia 4 overs 1-18
Liston 4 overs 2-21
Paull 2 overs 1-11
Sunderland 2 overs 0-28


BOCS

Vivian run out 8
Jones b Leach 0
Sunderland ct McBarron b Hawton 3
Astavia b Brown 10
Sandle ct McBarron b Hawton 0
Liston ct Bultitude b Hawton 1
Kentish b Hawton 0
Gooday b Hawton 0
Paull b Brown 0
Underwood ct Hilary b Priest 30
Matthews not out 15
Extras 11
TOTAL (17.2 OVERS) 89 all out,

Dodgers bowling

Leach 3 overs 1-14
Hawton 3 overs 5-6
Brown 4 overs 2-18
Westhead 4 overs 0-35
Hilary 2 overs 0-13
Priest 1.2 overs 1-2


Quote of the week: Guy Westhead "this lager doesn’t taste very nice" as he slugged his 4th large gulp of Matt Leach's pint of Youngs Ordinary.

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