Sunday 22 May 2022
SCCC 174-4 (40 overs)
Ockley 108 all out (33.3 overs)
Won by 66 runs
40 over match
SCCC won the toss
Scorecard
Geography Teacher David Grindrod writes:
The Cryptics headed south beyond the 51st degree parallel to the classic linear village of Ockley on a lovely early summer’s day for such temperate climes, the sky populated with just occasional cumulus, enabling spectacular views of the highest peak in Surrey.
With all the batsmen bar Keith, stuck in the scourge of twenty first century urban living known as traffic, Skipper Seeckts won an important toss and chose to bat. With a side more youthful than the population of central Benin, the youngsters were all sent to the scorebox and the skipper and Grinders Senior shuffled out to the middle. The pitch, a mixture of native stipa tenuuissima and the invasive Japanese knotweed, played a lot better than first feared.
Having seen off Amir ‘Sharapova’ and young Master Figg, Grinders (21) and Seeckts (10) both fell to the first overs of the two change bowlers. Our own economic migrant, Cupit was soon back to his swashbuckling best, scoring freely between first slip and the Cut named after the world’s most populated country. Keith kept him company for 20 overs until they had added over a 100 together. Whereupon, like the UK border patrol in the English Channel, they then proceeded to spend time sending each other back from whence they came. Dwighty (40) succumbed first and returned to the Calais pavilion. Hoggers strode out to face six snorters and then strode back. Hugh got a season’s best, by surviving the first ball he faced, before biffing a quick eight. Keith padded up to the last ball to ensure remaining not out on 71 and one boundary short of 2000 Cryptics runs. Let’s hope he gets picked next week!
After a lovely tea, a novelty that is yet to wear off, the young ‘uns were sent out to start the bowling. Debutant Sam Gibb soon overtook the season’s tally his fellow Durham old boys Grinders (Ed) and Young Joe Witt by actually getting a wicket, Grinders Snr racing in at the pace of the Pangea break up to take the catch at mid-off. Two more quickly followed for Gibb. YJW again bowled with no luck and as a result can claim the proud accolade of Cryptic with the highest bowling average in the modern era; Sorry Joe!
Gossy made a welcome return from surgery and soon had a quick three-fer, including one that fell out the troposphere. Any of the team could have jogged into position to take the catch, but kindly all left it for Ed, so that he had to buy a jug for snaffling three. Seecktsy palmed one away to make sure he didn’t, after (juggling and) grabbing two in the office earlier. Then Ms Sarah Figg became the first mum to bowl for the Cryptics, trying to get her son out at the other end. She would have done so too, if Keith had not stiffened up so much, a put down a chance in the gully. Ed and his old man polished off the tail, but not before Moshy had scored a fine fifty for the hosts. He ran out of partners leaving the Cryptics victorious.
Next stop Teddington, some 15 miles NNE or 28720 miles SSW from Ockley.
Jingle Bells