Follies Farm OSCC 237-7 (40 overs)
SCCC 218 all out (37.3 overs)
Lost by 19 runs
40 over match
Toss by negotiation
David Grindrod writes:
We made such a hash of the game last year that it was decided that Follies would bat first so more of them would get a game.
Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise when after tidy spells from the skipper and Grinders we had taken more wickets than in the whole of the 2018 game, both to Grinders whose day would go downhill from there on.
Seeckts was brought on with strict instructions to “bowl how you did in the nets; no pies, no slow ones”. First ball went for six and the third so slow that when it hit the wickets a bail did not come off.
Stu then had a go and managed the only maiden of the innings. Keith was offering him another form of maiden over beers at the end of the match. We await news.
By this time the oppo’s Bridgewood and Gibson G. were well set. Dwight and Scottie had a go with no success before the skipper brought back opener Grinders to seek a breakthrough. The best laid plans and all that resulted in Grinders joining Dwight in ‘the Devil Club’ as three maximums in a row disappeared in and around the pond.
Stu finally snaffled the Bridgewood, caught behind by Ingo and was rewarded, two balls later, with the wicket of Flopsy, who had escaped the hutch early. Scottie and Seeckts each snapped up an impressive caught and bowled and we traipsed off for tea having been set 238.
Everyone but Hoggers enjoyed the wonderful tea.
The skipper’s next pearl of wisdom was to promote Keith to keep the scoreboard ticking over as we set about our chase. Keith did as he was told, but unfortunately in the wickets, not runs, column; the first Cryptic duck of the day. Scottie set off with intent, including giving two barrels to his son for walking behind the bowler’s arm. Pippa held one end up (in both senses of the word) before perishing to a straight one. Hoggers, now famished, failed to keep out the ‘only straight ball the opener bowled’ claiming the second duck or whatever a vegetarian calls it. Hugh was softened up by a couple of beamers, before falling for 2, and Dwight fell to a blinder of a slip catch for duck No.3. Ingo perished, also for 2, hitting the ball, not where ducks reside (the pond at mid-wicket) but where they fly (aka straight up).
Whilst all this was going on Scottie batted beautifully, survived an lbw, catch and stumping appeal all from one delivery. He also got a reprieve from a caught and bowled. Whilst most Cryptics would gladly leave a skier to their sons, the Follies skipper Gibson took responsibility for a ball heading towards his offspring, only to spill it. Shortly after, Scottie reached his seventh Cryptic century whilst putting on 80 with the skipper. That ended with Scottie finally holing out for 111, with the score on 181.
Grinders joined the skipper with 50 needed off the final 6 overs. A quick 30 partnership was ended when the skipper picked up his first wicket of the season, running out Grinders! Three ball later it was all over, as Stu secured a golden duck (No. 4) and Seeckts, fulfilling a long held ambition to actually bat at number 11, celebrating the occasion for two balls before becoming duck no.5. Seeckts’ cameo at no.11 meant that he and Pippa celebrated their 250 Cryptics game playing together batting as far as possible apart in the batting order.
We threw it away in the end but did enough to hopefully secure an invite back next year, when Dwighty and I will be awaiting new members to join our ‘666’ club.