Sunday 8 June 2025
SCCC 156/4 (35 overs)
Ripley 133 all out (30.1 overs)
SCCC won by 23 runs
35 over match
SCCC lost the toss
Scorecard
Due to lack of volunteers, skipper Ed G writes:
SCCC rocked up to Ripley with the growing norm of several “Lad & Dad” pairings, three this week, to a very abnormally mild Ripley. Ed G promptly lost the toss and was sent into bat on a surprisingly “lush” wicket given the day before was approximately the first rain of the season.
Toby and Andy opened against consistent lines and lengths that delivered rather inconsistent bounce. When Toby nicked off for 12, he was replaced briefly by Rolly and then more permanently by Keith who maintained the watchful mentality taking the Cryptics to 49/2 at drinks. With a very firm platform laid the instructions where to accelerate and Andy obliged in the first over after the interval with two aggressive boundaries before falling not long later for a well made 30.
Keith was joined by Pup Snr. to build an exponentially paced partnership of 84 which was only broken when Keith was stumped for 40 in the 34th over with the score at 148. Woking star Jonny Ayling arrived with new baby and immediately enquired as to where the Cryptics’ Grumpy Old Git (GOG) was, Seeckts Snr (12th man for the day) wasn’t seen for another hour. Archie Sid’ and Pup saw the Cryptics to a competitive 156 on a tough deck with the slowest, and one of the largest, outfields of the season.
Tea was gleefully taken and of great quality as always, despite the tea ladies only being given hours of notice. GOG had timed his arrival mainly to offer to get others more tea and come back with a much wider selection than was requested. The Cryptics were led out to field by their most common opening bowling partnership (in the digital era) of Seniors Goss and Grinders. GOG offered to do some umpiring, denied Gossy an LBW that was later revealed to be “out on a Saturday”, and rightfully put his son back in his box when he told the skipper his 99 at Wood Street wasn’t first class despite getting 99 less that day (Wood Street Village / Wood Street vs Surrey Cryptics – 12 Jun 2022). Ripley had smartly put their best batsmen at the start who made good progress before Gossy had one snared behind by Puppy with the score at 40.
Rory Goss and Ed Grindrod respectively replaced their fathers after 5 over spells each, everyone forgetting Ed was on a hat-trick after last week. They tightened the screw to leave the score at 61/2 at drinks, the wicket attributable to Sidwell’s composure under a high ball that many Cryptics wouldn’t have fancied. Rory continued to brilliant figures of 7-3-14-1, the wicket and some of the runs supported by his Dad’s fielding. Toby having been banished to the far boundary, so nobody had to listen to his drivel, returned from the bench to ask why Rory had been taken off – the fact he had bowled his seven overs was obviously irrelevant.
“Big Dog” Ware was introduced to the attack and bowled nicely to pick up 2/34 off 6 overs including a pair of LBWs off consecutive balls. Sidwell chipped in with 2-0-14-1, where the wicket credit really should go to Gossy’s stunning catch running in from cow corner.
With the score 125/7 off 29 overs and the game beautifully balanced, Grinders young and old returned to close out the game and bandit a few wickets – it turned out Ed got all three (including the set batsmen) to finish with 4/8 from 5.1 overs. Someone will work out the last time we bowled two teams out in consecutive fixtures for victory, I suspect it could have been a while (especially having scored less than 300 in the two first innings combined).
The post-game hospitality was enjoyed as always and Cryptics reminisced on a strong start to the season with three (or four) wins from five, Jingle Bells.