Tuesday, 20 August 1996
Dodgers .v. Superstars
20 over game
Chiswick
MATCH STATISTICS
Dodgers won the toss and elected to bat
DODGERS: 136 - 7 (Priest 87 no, Harry 28, Taylor 3-27, Benn 0-11)
SUPERSTARS: 138 - 5 (Meyler 44, Gigg 30, Whitrod 23 no, McBarron 1-17, Atkinson 1-17)
SUPERSTARS WON BY 5 WICKETS
DODGERS MEN OF THE MATCH - PETER HARRY AND NEIL PRIEST
Both sides struggled to get a full team and we ended up playing ten a side - wonderful when you're batting, not quite so much fun when you're bowling! A thousand thanks to Sian Brown for playing at such short notice; a thousand curses on fat boy Clarkson for dropping out at the last minute after hurting his back falling down the stairs pissed.
After winning the toss and deciding to bat we got off to a flying start, although the ever unlucky Phil McBarron was out yet again to a very good catch. Priest (87no) and Peter Harry (28) then added 77 for the second wicket before Superstars decided that although Peter Harry had a couple of good wellies (any sheep reading this don’t panic - I mean he was hitting the ball hard) he had had enough chances (Tom Wilson finally realising the only things his side were going to catch were a cold and McBarron and bowling him). The rest of the batting is worth glossing over as our lower order batsmen showed a tremendous ability to miss straight ones and the only real highlights of the last few overs were the innings of Iain Murray (0) and John Adey (Golden 0). John claims to have been "going for it from the first ball" . Hmmmm.......
Even after this England style collapse we managed to give the bowlers a very good 136 to defend. Unfortunately it wasn't quite enough. Phil McBarron and Atkinson (as usual) bowled well but it was Peter Harry who broke an opening stand of 80 by bowling Gigg off his pads. As so often happens after a big partnership when one batsman is out the other quickly follows and sure enough Meyler was run out five minutes later from a direct hit from Sian Brown. The batsmen were heard to accuse each other of calling "Come on”. I think it is now safe to confess that the call came from yours truly lurking in the gloom at cover and was meant for Sian!
In the face of some strong batting from Meyler and Gigg our fielding errors began to multiply as it got darker and darker. By the last few overs it was almost impossible to see the ball while fielding and Sian was heard to say that she wanted a miner’s helmet - well, I suppose Peter is Welsh......
We were also at least one bowler light as three truly awful overs by me at the end showed all to clearly. However, any earlier errors were wiped off the slate when I beat the ever dangerous Mike Taylor in the flight and had him caught by Peter Harry at cover......
In the end we lost, but we ran them a lot closer than either we or they expected. Another 15 runs or another bowler and it could all have been so very different. It's a funny game, but it's a bloody good one (honest, it is Phil!).
NEIL PRIEST
Dodgers .v. Superstars
20 over game
Chiswick
MATCH STATISTICS
Dodgers won the toss and elected to bat
DODGERS: 136 - 7 (Priest 87 no, Harry 28, Taylor 3-27, Benn 0-11)
SUPERSTARS: 138 - 5 (Meyler 44, Gigg 30, Whitrod 23 no, McBarron 1-17, Atkinson 1-17)
SUPERSTARS WON BY 5 WICKETS
DODGERS MEN OF THE MATCH - PETER HARRY AND NEIL PRIEST
Both sides struggled to get a full team and we ended up playing ten a side - wonderful when you're batting, not quite so much fun when you're bowling! A thousand thanks to Sian Brown for playing at such short notice; a thousand curses on fat boy Clarkson for dropping out at the last minute after hurting his back falling down the stairs pissed.
After winning the toss and deciding to bat we got off to a flying start, although the ever unlucky Phil McBarron was out yet again to a very good catch. Priest (87no) and Peter Harry (28) then added 77 for the second wicket before Superstars decided that although Peter Harry had a couple of good wellies (any sheep reading this don’t panic - I mean he was hitting the ball hard) he had had enough chances (Tom Wilson finally realising the only things his side were going to catch were a cold and McBarron and bowling him). The rest of the batting is worth glossing over as our lower order batsmen showed a tremendous ability to miss straight ones and the only real highlights of the last few overs were the innings of Iain Murray (0) and John Adey (Golden 0). John claims to have been "going for it from the first ball" . Hmmmm.......
Even after this England style collapse we managed to give the bowlers a very good 136 to defend. Unfortunately it wasn't quite enough. Phil McBarron and Atkinson (as usual) bowled well but it was Peter Harry who broke an opening stand of 80 by bowling Gigg off his pads. As so often happens after a big partnership when one batsman is out the other quickly follows and sure enough Meyler was run out five minutes later from a direct hit from Sian Brown. The batsmen were heard to accuse each other of calling "Come on”. I think it is now safe to confess that the call came from yours truly lurking in the gloom at cover and was meant for Sian!
In the face of some strong batting from Meyler and Gigg our fielding errors began to multiply as it got darker and darker. By the last few overs it was almost impossible to see the ball while fielding and Sian was heard to say that she wanted a miner’s helmet - well, I suppose Peter is Welsh......
We were also at least one bowler light as three truly awful overs by me at the end showed all to clearly. However, any earlier errors were wiped off the slate when I beat the ever dangerous Mike Taylor in the flight and had him caught by Peter Harry at cover......
In the end we lost, but we ran them a lot closer than either we or they expected. Another 15 runs or another bowler and it could all have been so very different. It's a funny game, but it's a bloody good one (honest, it is Phil!).
NEIL PRIEST
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