18th August – Calypso Collapso (194/8 35 ovs) bt John Minshull XI (95 ao 28 ovs) by 99 runs
Scorecard | Gallery (With thanks to John Bugg)
It was sweltering at Parliament Hill yesterday on the hottest day of the year so far. The queues that lined up to get into the Lido would have been well advised to cut their losses and spend the afternoon in the sun watching a remarkable display from Calypso CCC as they overcame their Minshull Hoodoo, beating the old foe by 99 runs.
With the soap operas of the Premier League and X Factor back on the TV, it was a chance to continue the summer feel-good factor from the Olympics and to stave off humdrum normality for one more weekend. After a shaky start, the signs for Calypso weren’t promising, but some excellent middle and later order contributions as well as a well drilled display in the field took the game away from Minshull.
The unorthodox opening partnership of Ebanks and Bugg lasted three balls – dot, four, wicket. Ebanks was caught at gully after deftly lifting the second ball over the slips to the boundary. Collett saw out the over before Bugg took strike and looked in good nick, the ball coming onto the bat nicely. He had time to compile three before a dreadful mix up led to his run-out, Collett ending up virtually in Bugg’s crease, requiring him to dash for a suicidal run. Collett went inhe end for six off 27, playing the ball back up the pitch to be caught and bowled by M-A-CDonald.
Eight for two became 16 for three after Ellerby lasted seven balls, caught well at backward point. His score of one potentially allowing him back to the middle as number 11 for the shorthanded team. Not since the great Ellerby and Collett stand of 2010 at Dulwich College has a duck not featured on a Calypso scorecard.
Wallace, in at five, had seen the need for consolidation and was watchful on a dry Parliament Hill surface which was offering very uneven bounce. After fourteen dots he was unlucky to only score two for a good shot along the ground through the covers. He gained confidence from this and was bowled five balls later trying to repeat the shot.
As has been so often the case this season, hopes hung on Rawlings to play a good innings. He did not disappoint – almost as though he’s more determined to play well now that he has to travel from Hastings. After marking his intent with a four of his first ball, he began to steadily accumulate alongside the classy Proctor. The two came together at 45 for five and when Proctor was bowled for 32 in the 23rd over, the scoreboard showed a much more healthy 102.
By now assessments of a decent total had increased from 130 to anything over 150 and with in form Bidri and Bingham yet to come, this was entirely possible.
Rawlings and Bidri picked up from where they had left off last week, accumulating mostly in ones and fours (it was too hot for twos) before Rawlings was compelled to retire at 50 off only 58 – a great knock which did wonders for his already healthy statistics. He finishes the league season with an average of 106, dismissed only once in three innings.
The retirement brought the recently run-shy Wales to the crease, with the mandate to see Calypso through to the last few overs and then force the pace with the back up of Bingham, Ellerby and Rawlings to come. Bidri was looking good at the other end but followed up a straight heaved four by being bowled in exactly the same way as last week.
An apparent error on the part of Minshull meant that Bingham and Wales had the chance to pick off reserve bowler Ross as the main men completed their overs. Wales was able to watch out the last over from the dangerous Bunneth (16/1 off 7), but at the expense of a few bruises and the ball passing the bat a couple of times. However, the batsmen could apply the pressure at the other end as the boundaries began to flow and the 150 was passed.
With one over to go and 167 on the board, few would have guessed that the final score would reach 194. However, both batsmen were able to have a go at Ross as his action faltered. With the ball often drifting down the slope to leg, a lucrative shot was the sweep to fine leg with the accompanying satisfaction of requiring the hot and demoralised Minshull fielders to forage for the ball in the bushes. Three wides and three no balls added to the scoring opportunities before Wales was able to dash through for a single off the last ball faced by Bingham, perhaps charitably given not out by Ebanks as the ball came back to the stumps from the ‘keeper.
Half Time Tea Talk
A remarkable baking effort from Brenda and Jane with some very well received sausage rolls (more of those please!) and a lovely summery Victoria sponge on offer (should have brought some of that home). The headline contributions were well backed up with filled rolls from Collett, a refreshing rice salad and some blueberries. No Jamaica Ginger Cake this week however without Goddard.
The Minshull reply started in wary fashion as Proctor was given the new ball. Bunneth was a victim of the uneven bounce and unsettled by a ball leaping off a length, calling for a helmet in the first of many changes of headwear for the self-proclaimed small headed opener.
Luckily for him, he’d nicked a single off that first over and was watching from the toilets end as Bingham took two wickets with his opening deliveries. Both balls were exceptional, the first pitching on middle and shaping down the hill past the planted bat of M-A-CDonald and clipping the top of off. The Minshull No. 3 had no chance also with his first ball, bowled again as Bingham tore the heart out of the top order.
Bunneth did well to try and right the ship alongside S. Blake, occupying the crease and seeing off the rest of Proctor and Bingham’s opening spells. However, the runs were never really coming for Minshull as the commitment and correct placing of the Calypso fielders helped restrict the impact of those shots which did make it off the square.
The riches of the Calypso bowling attack were revealed when Bugg and Rawlings were introduced at the first change. Both men had reason to be fired up after their batting exploits, but for different reasons. However, Rawlings went for 12 off his first over, including a straight six from Bunneth. He was to contribute only one more run to bring his total to 29 before the memorable sledge from Ellerby at slip: “Come on, let’s get Pinhead out” immediately preceded his leg stump being knocked back by Bugg, the first of his two wickets for only 12.
The momentum was well and truly with Calypso as scoreboard pressure continued to build. Rawlings could have had two wickets in his fourth over, but for the denial of two good shouts for LBW. He was to get his reward with the first ball of the next as Lee edged the ball through to Wales the stand-in ‘keeper. There was a peculiar hiatus as the batsman denied hitting the ball, claiming it had hit his pad, only to be given out by his batting partner.
With five down and 60 on the board (extras had been kept to a minimum, except for some byes), things were looking increasingly dim for Minshull but a mini-recovery led by the two Blakes held up the progression to the pub. It took a moment of inspiration in the field from Bugg to break the partnership, holding on to a low catch to his right at cover point off the bowling of Bidri. Bugg’s celebration for the photographers was curtailed as he remembered that his dad’s camera had already run out of battery.
With the runs dried up as the less experienced and non-whites attired Minshull batsmen took to the crease (“Come on Ash, give him some chino music!” – Jim), the question was when, rather than if, the victory would be sealed. The skipper turned to Pieter ‘Swanny’ Wallace to break the inertia and was rewarded with a wicket with the first ball from the medium-pacer. He kept it tight for the next couple of overs and picked up a second bowled wicket before getting some treatment in his final over as the Minshull number 11 came out guns blazing and hit two sixes.
It was too little, too late though as Bidri continued his great spell at the other end, sealing the win with his third wicket (for 11) – the eighth bowled dismissal of the innings.