Sunday 18 August 2024

Ockham 286-7 (40 overs)
SCCC 253-7 (40 overs)
SCCC lost by 33 runs
40 over match
Ockham won the toss
Scorecard

Toby Seeckts writes:

The penultimate fixture in the stop-start 2024 season riddled with rain and injuries saw the Cryptics travel to Ockham. It was a batsman’s day with 539 runs scored in the match and much time spent looking for balls deep in the bushes beyond the boundaries. 

Ockham won the toss and elected to bat and Daddy G and Toby opened up with contrasting line and lengths, the latter spraying it everywhere in his first over, taking a wicket maiden in the second, then spraying it everywhere in his third. Meanwhile Daddy G’s loose deliveries were pounced on and thrashed to the fence as Ockham’s Doherty and Greenwood showed no mercy.

Will Ware and Jamie Hall came on with Jamie making his annual appearance. He was smacked for 20 in the first 5 balls of his third over before dismissing the dangerous Doherty with a variation quick ball. At the other end, Will got bowled through and took his first SCCC wicket of Greenwood to remove the pair in quick succession with Ockam’s score 130-3 after 18.

Scottie and Jimmy Grinders tried to stem the flow of runs but the bludgeoning and bush hunting for balls continued as Ockham were assisted by countless dropped catches and the fast outfield. The score climbed rapidly to reach 286-7 for their 40 overs. A club record chase was required to win the match.

Hugs and Ingo attempted to get us off to a flyer and both were back in the pavilion inside 10 overs with the score 47-2, with Hugs acquiring Ricky.

The Cryptic innings struggled to get going as Toby, Scottie and Jimmy G all made starts before kindly offering catching practice. At the other end, veterans Keith and Richard did the same before both retired hurt, hamstring and quad respectively, and protecting their averages while not out for the winter.

Jamie, despite never having batted for the Cryptics and listed at No.11, came off from square leg umpiring duty to pad up with the team 4 wickets down. Such faith in his team mates.  He and Will Ware, also unfamiliar with life at the bottom of the order spent the remaining overs fully padded up waiting in vain for a flurry of wickets.

Unfortunately for them, at 166-5 after 30.3 overs, Puppy and Daddy G were united in the middle and put on a fantastic partnership of 87 in 9.3 overs playing cultured and uncultured strokes to the fence but the total was just too large. Daddy G was unnecessarily stumped off the last ball of the innings for 46 but he propelled the Cryptics far closer to the total than had earlier looked possible. Pup finished on an eye-catching 36*, some of which were overthrows having caught an Ockham fielder out with his usual loud calling game.

The Cryptics finished 253-7, 34 runs short of what might have been a remarkable chase. Ockham were entertaining hosts providing a fantastic tea and using nine bowlers to make a game of it. We look forward to returning next year with some bowlers of our own.

Hugs and Ricky at Claygate 2024
Stumps at Claygate 2024

Friends reunited

Jamie Hall, as dangerous as uncle Wes