Sunday 19 July 2020
Ripley 126-9 (35 overs)
SCCC 129-2 (23.2 overs)
Won by 8 wickets
35 over match
SCCC won the toss
Scorecard
Richard Seeckts writes:
Curtains opened to reveal mizzle on the morning of this much anticipated new fixture at Ripley, casting doubt only for those whose glasses are crying out for a refill. Conditions were perfect when eleven Cryptics gathered on time; sun out and bar open. It was a fresh looking team too, including seven players aged 25 or younger with three debutants among them, Will Orr (a Seeckts nephew) and his mates Charlie Huntingford and Peri Mould.
Winning the toss gave us the advantage of choosing to bowl on a drying pitch, something Joseph Muldoon and Stu did with aplomb despite their long lay-offs and Stu’s grindingly painful chops awaiting root canal treatment. Most Cryptics employ variation in their bowling, some do so deliberately. Stu completed his allotted seven overs with 3-14. Joseph bowled equally well without reward, being replaced after four overs by Charlie, a purveyor of tidy away swingers with a couple of surprising tricks up his sleeve. His seven overs cost only 17 runs but, wicketless, without a catch and not batting, he will have to return to lose his Cryptic virginity.
Batting wasn’t easy early on and good strokes kept finding nimble fielders, a spectacle much enjoyed from slip and gully, where 661 caps and 115 years of Cryptic stood in admiration. Reluctant to bowl at the start, Orr was keen at 48-3 despite not having words to describe what he might deliver. A curate’s egg of a spell followed, including extensive use of his cousin, Toby, chasing back and forth on the distant midwicket boundary turning near certain fours into ones and twos, and a useful LBW decision.
More serious bowling came from Ed Grindrod at the other end, first pinning Ripley down and then collecting his rewards with 3-21 off seven overs. Seeckts Snr took the risk / responsibility of bowling three ‘death’ overs at the tail, snaffling 2-10 including a smart stumping by ‘keeper Peri who had been tidy all afternoon. Many Cryptic ‘keepers have made an art form of diving down the leg side to wayward bowling; one with the pedigree and coordination to move, and remain on, his feet was quite a novelty.
BYO tea, thanks again Boris, and lucky for some that Ripley’s ground is close to the shops. With four senior Cryptics and a WAM joining a considerable local contingent around the pavilion, there was almost a festival feel to events, as Stu had discovered when he fumbled one that went for four in front of the spectators.
James Grindrod again set out with Pippa to start the chase and they looked solid until James was well caught at mid off for five. Toby joined Pippa in a partnership of 55 from 13 overs, the dashing, youthful leftie contrasting neatly with the circumspect, gritty (W)rightie to prevent the bowlers from settling. The game was all but won when Pippa was LBW for 25 and Will joined his younger cousin in the middle. Would it be harmony, rivalry, a run out?
It was seven overs of finishing a job in style as the pair cashed in on the Ripley bowlers wilting a little. A message was sent to the middle that Toby was on 45 with 18 needed. Cousin promptly smacked three fours and a single to pinch the strike. A couple of no balls and the required single to get him on strike left Toby requiring a six to reach his maiden Cryptic 50 but he could only manage a four to end 49*. No matter, that jug will come soon enough and the pair walked off with big smiles.
Hugh and Peri had talked their way down the order from Nos.3 and 4 to Nos.5 and 6 resulting in long spells padded up; the rest had simply bowled too well to get themselves a bat. That’s the trouble with winning convincingly, not everyone gets a go at everything.
All in all, a delightful afternoon in a pleasant setting playing like-minded cricketers who we look forward to meeting again in 2021. A step forward with our youth policy and a 100% win record in late July, without a single run from Scottie all year. (Oh, leave him alone – Ed)
Jingle Bells.