Follies Farm

Sunday 13 August 2023

Follies Farm Old Spots CC 81 all out (33.2 overs)
SCCC 82 for 4 (24.2 overs)
SCCC won by six wickets
40 over match
SCCC won the toss
Scorecard

Jimmy G writes:

We made our annual visit to play at the charming Follies Farm ground. We all came eager to address our recent history that has included humiliating and agonising losses such as 10 wickets (May 2018) and 3 runs (back in June 2014). Gossy Snr had to pull out due to a minor injury earlier in the week meaning young Henry Weekes would join eight members of the new creche plus Ingo and Daddy G.

The newbies to Follies inspected the pitch and looked at the outfield with its short boundary down hill towards Cupit’s pond (so named after his bowling, not his batting).  Bat first and get 175+ sounded the ideal. However, captain Toby won the toss (his 3^rd consecutive toss win) not by a coin but from a phone flip and elected to bowl first.

The Cryptics strode out and started proceedings with an opening bowling pair of Tom Leonard and Goss Jnr. Leonard ended the first over with a great caught & bowled to start us on our way. He would then take another two: bowled and a nonchalant caught behind by Weekes. However, when it came to his catching (when not bowling), he would do what the older generation do; watch it go over your head and give a valiant chase or he left it to Jimmy G patrolling the short legside boundary. At the other end Goss Jnr bowled with heat and venom but with no luck for wickets, not even with two appeals to Umpire father Goss. He finished his spell by hitting the stumps, immediately turning to the umpire to check THAT was out. After 10 overs Follies were 20-4. A question for PAJA, when was the last time a Cryptic side got 4 or more wickets in the first 10 overs?

Toby began to rotate the bowling first to Eddy G and Sidwell; another wicket immediately tumbled with a half volley floated up by Eddy G and chipped to Sidwell at point. The majority of Sidwell’s runs came from wides. Next up was Jamie “Warnie” Hall. He bowled plenty of crackers, but his first Cryptic wicket came from a rank-trash ball. He got 2 more wickets with an LBW and bowled. He could  have got another except that Ingo patted away a dolly catch. Daddy and Jimmy G rolled their arms over, both getting a wicket in their first over to finish off the tail. As a result, Follies got bowled out for 81 in which no batsman got either a duck or into double figures and only 49 runs came off the bat. Extras top scored with 32, of which 26 were wides.

Tea was taken with a selection of sandwiches and sponge cakes on offer. Too much bewilderment, young Henry started crying during the tea break as the strong English Mustard started to kick in. By the time tea was finishing Captain Toby sent Ingo and Dom to put on their pads.

Follies opening bowlers started with intent, but one had to be subbed off after 4 balls to be replaced by a brave 12-year-old. Dom tickled a ball to the wicketkeeper on eight. That brought Captain Toby to the crease, but the partnership lasted 2 balls as Ingo was sent on his way, plum LBW by Leonard and reminded, after his 134 last time, what a great leveller cricket is. As a result, Jimmy G came to the crease with the Cryptics 12-2 off 4. Captain Toby (3) gave gully some catching practice. Daddy G then rocked out to the middle to join his younger son but the partnership ended by an off-spinning cracker which bowled Daddy G through the gate for 11. Sidwell and Jimmy G took the score to 54-4 at drinks. Refreshed, the pair upped the scoring rate, though Follies were given a chance when Jimmy attempted a sweep which nearly stayed in the young substitute’s hands at short fine leg.

The total was aided by umpires Ingo and Jamie’s comical attempts to signal a no ball that went for 4 byes. Jimmy G finally got to middle a pull shot for 4 to get us over the winning line and finish on a sturdy 29*. Archie Sidwell finished on 15* having exhibited some lovely pull shots and as a result, they nonchalantly put on a 5^th wicket partnership of 40 lasting 65 balls with Weekes and Leonard having had to wait anxiously with pads on.

JINGLE BELLS (After 10 years of waiting since this remarkable win 2013)

Jingle Bells Skipper