Sunday 9 June 2024
Ripley CC 211-5 (35 overs)
SCCC 168-8 (35 overs)
Ripley won by 43 runs
35 over match
SCCC won the toss and elected to field
Scorecard

Hugh Greenway writes

Jumpers are rarely worn at Ripley because the fixture is normally blessed by baking sunshine, this year they were obligatory. The clouds notwithstanding, the game itself was no less sunny than usual. Skipper Paul Goss won the toss and elected to field, opening the bowling himself (7-2-19-1) in tandem with son Archie (7-0-25-0). Ripley’s openers set off at a measured four an over for the first ten, in which the Cryptic fielding maintained its rich tradition of missed catches. Both Gosses were unlucky not to have had at least one wicket each from their opening spells. Unfortunately, Puppy and Hugs in the office were clearly WFH on this particular day as were at least three others in the outfield. First change brought on Bridges (7-1-52-2) and debutant Felix Patten (7-0-25-2), the latter making the breakthrough in 17th over with his tidy leg spin and snaffling the other Ripley opener 25th over from a stumping. Felix was also the only Cryptic fielder to hold a catch to give Bridges his second wicket.

Unfortunately, having built the platform, Ripley just accelerated with their number 4 climbing into the Cryptic bowling, despatching the ball to all corners and smashing roof tiles and car windscreens in the process. Bridges conceded 17 from his final over and Harvey Dunham’s last went for 29 leaving his figures (6-0-66-0) slightly the worse for wear. Paul Goss came back on at the end to stem the bleeding conceding only 6 from his final three overs but the damage was already done and tired legs trudged off for a delightful tea. Missing one fielder clearly added a few boundaries to the Ripley total and the 41 extras of which 15 byes were also generous.

Archie and Keith opened for the Cryptics. Archie fell for a duck in the first over, caught behind and Keith followed shortly after when he missed a straight one that didn’t bounce. Needing over six an over to win, Roly and Dave set about spurning singles with extravagant disdain. If the single could not have been completed in time by a 90-year-old arthritic with a zimmer frame, then it was not to be risked. Dave came to the wicket in the third over and didn’t get off the mark until the 13th which was only the second over in which the run rate had exceeded two. The foundation built, Roly and Dave started to find the middle of their respective bats. Although there was less property damage than the Ripley innings, there were some handsome strokes in a stand of 65. Roly fell for 36 in 20th over bringing Hugs to the crease. The running between the wickets promptly moved from tragedy to farce as Dave started to fall over… a lot, before being caught for a high scoring 39. Hugs added 22 but at least the comedy had got the run rate moving. It remained above 5 an over for the rest of the innings with double figure contributions from Felix, Puppy, Harvey and Paul Goss but it was never going to be enough.

Interestingly, Bridges, who had been one of the more vocal critics of the early run rate, came in to face the last three balls of the innings, none of which he managed to get off the square. Hey ho, you can’t jingle all the time.