Sunday 20 August 2023
SCCC 173 for 8 (40 overs)
Ockham 120 all out (36 overs)
SCCC won by 53 runs
40 over match
Ockham won the toss
Scorecard
Hugh writes:
The Cryptics returned to happy hunting grounds of former years for Richard Seeckts’s 201st game as Captain and, as it turned out, his 100th win in the job. He promptly lost the toss and was put into bat. Fellow veteran of Ockham battles of yore, Pippa opened the batting with Jimmy Grindrod and swished his way through the first over, playing at and missing every delivery. Jimmy, at the other end, spanked his first ball for four then succeeded in forcing Pippa to run three off his second. The exertion of this may have accounted for Pippa clothing the last ball of the over straight to point for the first of six ducks in the day. Pranay joined Jimmy and spurned the lifeline given him by a regulation drop in the slips, falling shortly after for four. Hugs followed for a duck, Harry for two, Scotty for one and Archie Goss for the sulkiest duck of the day. Toys, well, kit thrown. Not the Cryptic way.
Indeed by the drinks break, when the Cryptics were 57 for 6, only Jimbo had played any shot worth more than a single. Seeckts managed two singles and a two before patting one back to the bowler. Finally, Ed Grindrod joined his brother at the crease and injected some life into the innings. With Grindrods together, the run rate increased from a paltry 3 to a more swashbuckling 6. In 10 overs they put on 64 runs with only one attempt to run one another out. When Ed missed a straight one, Gossy Senior joined Jimmy for a 48 run partnership, leaving Ockham 173 to chase. Jimmy ended unbeaten on 76, which was remarkable in the light of the failure that surrounded him. It’s worth mentioning that extras, with 39, accumulated more than all the other Cryptics not called Grindrod.
The best tea of the season so far (A tie with neighbouring Ripley perhaps – Ed) heralded the best Cryptic bowling attack of the summer. Ockham openers faced the pace of Archie Goss and Daddy G, perhaps that should be pace and pacemaker. Daddy G was as parsimonious as ever (8 overs 2 maidens 0 for 23). Archie proved he had learned from his father, being cheap, self-reliant and effective. He bowled all four of his victims for only 12 and at significantly greater velocity than his bowling partner. But Goss Pére was not to be left out of the fun and bowled three maidens in his eight, yielding 1 for 27. It would have been more, could the Cryptics catch. At the 20 over mark Ockham were ahead at 76 for 6, where the Cryptics had been 57 for 6. But Ockham lacked a wag in their tail. Ed Grindrod tightened the screw with three maidens and only conceded 8 runs for one wicket from his 6 overs. All the more remarkable considering his first ball was walloped for six. Scottie, bowler of last resort, mopped up the tail with 4 for 30 adding 2 maidens to the Cryptic total of 12 in the innings. Gossy and Ed took notable catches off Scottie’s bowling, running in from the boundary as the sun sank behind the batsmen. Ultimately, Ockham fell 50 runs short and Ricky the Duck was passed enthusiastically through multiple tenancies to his new home with Archie.
Stats note: Daddy Grinders went wicketless, leaving him on 280 wickets from 213 matches chasing PAJA’s 284 wickets from 213 matches. We travel to Woking with seven of the club’s all time top 12 wicket takers selected.