DODGERS v Superstars
28th April 1999
Dodgers lose by 47 runs
Man of the Match - Kevin Roper
Quote of the week "I've only lost one cricket boot which is better than losing both of them" (G Westhead)
Well a new cricket season is underway. The weather was very good (dry and sunny) which is not typical and Dodgers were easily beaten by Superstars which is.
Lets get the excuses out of the way - it's the first game of the season, we were one fielder short, there was nothing in the pitch for the bowlers, Henry injured himself so could only bowl four overs......... basically we were crap in the field! Gigg and the beloved Conway put on over a hundred for the first wicket before Conway retired injured (unfortunately not seriously). To rub salt into the wound Gigg retired on reaching fifty to give some of their other players batting practice.
After that the scoring rate went down, the luckless Crawford finally made a breakthrough and bowled Lomas, unfortunately yours truly then dropped the impressive looking Ward (a new superstar) off the same bowler much to the disgust of my team mates. However, it didn't matter much as Lynton Sharp wearing his new outfit from that well known sports shop, Next (he had forgotten what day it was, so left his kit at home) had Ward caught by our best fielder - Barry Gigg on as substitute for Henry Hilary who had injured himself diving for a catch (too early in the season for throwing yourself around Hen ) ! After that wonder bowler Adey came back to pick up three wickets by lulling the batsmen into a false sense of security with a succession of rank deliveres ! That nice man Conway came back with a runner right at the end and how we all cheered when he reached his fifty - not. I've not mentioned all the dropped catches or fielding ‘mishaps' there isn't space ! Needless to say anyone could see the difference between the two sides when they fielded.
After tea it was our turn to bat. McBarron (I forgot to mention, our stand in wicketkeeper - come back Kim all is forgiven) hit Taylor for six in the first over before running himself out shortly afterwards. Interviewed by the Umpire, yours truly, immediately afterwards, the non striker, Guy Westhead commented "he has run me out the last two times, it wasn't going to happen again"!
After some more uninspired cricket we found ourselves 49-4 and facing a large defeat - but, captain for day Priest then inspired the troops onto greater things by his Churchillian rhetoric "I don't care so long as we lose by less than a hundred". Suitably wound up, Kevin Roper played the innings of his life and scored a brilliant 64, his first fifty - this should secure his elevation up the batting order for the rest of the season - to number eight ! Andrew Crawford also batted well for a typically hard hit 24. At one stage it looked as though we might win until Gigg realised we were up with the scoring rate and took off joke bowler Whitrod after only two overs. Unfortunately the rest of the tail didn't contribute much, including the wretched Adey who lasted only three balls for nought, although he did manage to have a polite conversation with the blessed Conway who fully recovered from his injury managed to keep wicket, the lad has such an appealing nature, it's hard not to hit him ! A final word goes to Mr ‘Next' Sharp who selflessly run himself out after a mix up so Kevin could continue batting.
Overall, not a bad start compared with previous seasons, but we must improve the fielding.
Match Reporter - John Adey
29/4/99
28th April 1999
Dodgers lose by 47 runs
Man of the Match - Kevin Roper
Quote of the week "I've only lost one cricket boot which is better than losing both of them" (G Westhead)
Well a new cricket season is underway. The weather was very good (dry and sunny) which is not typical and Dodgers were easily beaten by Superstars which is.
Lets get the excuses out of the way - it's the first game of the season, we were one fielder short, there was nothing in the pitch for the bowlers, Henry injured himself so could only bowl four overs......... basically we were crap in the field! Gigg and the beloved Conway put on over a hundred for the first wicket before Conway retired injured (unfortunately not seriously). To rub salt into the wound Gigg retired on reaching fifty to give some of their other players batting practice.
After that the scoring rate went down, the luckless Crawford finally made a breakthrough and bowled Lomas, unfortunately yours truly then dropped the impressive looking Ward (a new superstar) off the same bowler much to the disgust of my team mates. However, it didn't matter much as Lynton Sharp wearing his new outfit from that well known sports shop, Next (he had forgotten what day it was, so left his kit at home) had Ward caught by our best fielder - Barry Gigg on as substitute for Henry Hilary who had injured himself diving for a catch (too early in the season for throwing yourself around Hen ) ! After that wonder bowler Adey came back to pick up three wickets by lulling the batsmen into a false sense of security with a succession of rank deliveres ! That nice man Conway came back with a runner right at the end and how we all cheered when he reached his fifty - not. I've not mentioned all the dropped catches or fielding ‘mishaps' there isn't space ! Needless to say anyone could see the difference between the two sides when they fielded.
After tea it was our turn to bat. McBarron (I forgot to mention, our stand in wicketkeeper - come back Kim all is forgiven) hit Taylor for six in the first over before running himself out shortly afterwards. Interviewed by the Umpire, yours truly, immediately afterwards, the non striker, Guy Westhead commented "he has run me out the last two times, it wasn't going to happen again"!
After some more uninspired cricket we found ourselves 49-4 and facing a large defeat - but, captain for day Priest then inspired the troops onto greater things by his Churchillian rhetoric "I don't care so long as we lose by less than a hundred". Suitably wound up, Kevin Roper played the innings of his life and scored a brilliant 64, his first fifty - this should secure his elevation up the batting order for the rest of the season - to number eight ! Andrew Crawford also batted well for a typically hard hit 24. At one stage it looked as though we might win until Gigg realised we were up with the scoring rate and took off joke bowler Whitrod after only two overs. Unfortunately the rest of the tail didn't contribute much, including the wretched Adey who lasted only three balls for nought, although he did manage to have a polite conversation with the blessed Conway who fully recovered from his injury managed to keep wicket, the lad has such an appealing nature, it's hard not to hit him ! A final word goes to Mr ‘Next' Sharp who selflessly run himself out after a mix up so Kevin could continue batting.
Overall, not a bad start compared with previous seasons, but we must improve the fielding.
Match Reporter - John Adey
29/4/99
Superstars
Gigg retired 51
Conway run out 52
Lomas b Crawford 17
Ward c sub b Sharp 19
Meyler retired 22
Ledger c J Hilary b Adey 14
Whitrod b Sharp 23
Marchant b Adey 0
Taylor not out 0
Wilson c Benn b Adey
Extras (w 10 b 1 lb 3) 14
Total 212
Bowling
H Hilary 4-1-17-0
N Benn 3-0-21-0
L Sharp 7-0-53-3
J Adey 6-1-31-3
A Crawford 7-0-43-1
K Roper 5-0-29-0
J Hilary 3-0-14-0
Dodgers
P McBarron run out 8
G Westhead b Ledger 2
N Priest c Gigg b Wilson 17
N Benn c Marchant b Ledger 22
J Hilary b Ward 7
K Roper b Ward 64
A Crawford b Taylor 24
J Adey b Ward 0
L Sharp run out 4
S Brown not out 0
Extras 17
Total 165
dnb H Hilary (absent injured)
Bowling
Taylor 7-0-31-1
Ledger 7-0-32-2
Ward 5.3-0-12-3
Wilson 7-0-51-1
Marchant 4-0-21-0
Whitrod 2-0-10-0
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