Date: 6 Aug 2025
Venue: Horsham CC
Time/Result: Lost by 136 runs
Match Manager: Dave Messenger
Umpire: Keith Walder
Scorer: Nigel Beesley
The excuse for writing an incomplete and inadequate match report is that it mirrors the way we generally played. Also, in Horsham’s attractive setting it’s easier to watch the scenery and the occasional train flash by than the cricket so all I can offer is staccato disconnected observations, despite Nigel’s impressively scored record. (Thank you, Nigel).
I reckon we must have beaten them well enough in previous year/s for them to turn up with a stronger and younger team this year.
Steve probably got a school report like this back in the day: “Steve fields very enthusiastically and in a way that confirms he is a Keeper.” We could go on: “His dropped catch on the boundary can be fully explained by the lack of gloves – the batsman was out moments later anyhow, no harm done – and he is fully committed to running the batsman out at every opportunity and even when one doesn’t exist. It adds so much to team morale to see Superman executing a rugby pass in full flight that it might almost be a shame to have him back behind the stumps. Nevertheless, I am sure the stumps is where he belongs. And he can bat well when needed. He is very often needed.”
James got a good catch on the square boundary (a long hop throat job). He is a cricketer so generally has a lot more time than some of us lesser mortals. Although it was hit hard it must for him have been in the air for an age. Hence it took a while for his happiness to show over his relief.
Jeremy bowled well, from what I could see on the 45, in that subtle bowling way of his which disguises legerdemain with drift. But onto the school report: “Jeremy generally lacked mojo in the field. He did thankfully get out of the way of one that would have hurt him quick enough – especially as he’s still nursing a bad hand from the tour early in the season – but there were a few others he could have got in the way of too. Think of an exiled Napoleon on Elba searching for mushrooms and you have Jeremy at fine leg. At this early stage in Jeremy’s cricketing career this is not yet cause for concern.”
Paul started off his bowling well. Tight, loopy, difficult to get away. The only thing Paul did wrong was keep himself on for one over too long but he wasn’t to know they had a guy who could hit 75 off 37. He took a good catch too at mid-off, moving backwards, hands up in the heavens and using all his height.
I bowled first change.. Alan opened – a creditable opening spell with Manny at the other end – and he bravely took the ball for a final over when everything was getting middled.
Ayan bowled at a very destructive batsman and tied him up, keeping it full with flight and turn. I doff my cap.
When Manny’s bowling it shuts him up. Again I was on the 45 but it looked like he was troubling them in the air and off the deck. He should bowl more.
We got some (generally soft) wickets. They got lots of hard runs.
It was a day that skipper Paul was probably relying on our batters to chase down whatever total the XL set.
It takes approximately 0.67 seconds for a ball travelling at 67 mph to travel 22 yards. That is therefore also approximately the length of Ayan’s innings, although technically it then had to reach gully.
Willy batted well. Opened. Nearly carried his bat. Took what they threw at him and an offie who turned it sideways.
James was bowled playing the wrong line but I reckoned it seamed. He recovered more quickly than the rest of us who therefore had to bat.
Manny was bowled early by one that seamed. His did seam, he says. And I believe him. The bowler (skipper – competitive) let out the kind of Serengeti roar that suggests Manny has hit the XL all over the place in previous years. Or perhaps it was just because it justified him opening the batting and the bowling.
As for Degsy: he promised to be late, arrived later, started to bat well but turned what could have been a great innings into a brief cameo made worthwhile by his adroit self-appraisal: “it’s all in the execution.” The ancient Greeks had a saying: “Those who are about to die first make themselves beautiful” and Degsy was looking very good indeed. (20. Hit three fours).
Willy 36. Degsy 20 with three fours. No one else reached ten. Five ducks.
Alack the day, oh woe is spite onto the next thing lets not dwell and hopefully there won’t be an inspection kind of thing.
I reckon we must have beaten them well enough in previous year/s for them to turn up with a stronger and younger team this year.
Steve probably got a school report like this back in the day: “Steve fields very enthusiastically and in a way that confirms he is a Keeper.” We could go on: “His dropped catch on the boundary can be fully explained by the lack of gloves – the batsman was out moments later anyhow, no harm done – and he is fully committed to running the batsman out at every opportunity and even when one doesn’t exist. It adds so much to team morale to see Superman executing a rugby pass in full flight that it might almost be a shame to have him back behind the stumps. Nevertheless, I am sure the stumps is where he belongs. And he can bat well when needed. He is very often needed.”
James got a good catch on the square boundary (a long hop throat job). He is a cricketer so generally has a lot more time than some of us lesser mortals. Although it was hit hard it must for him have been in the air for an age. Hence it took a while for his happiness to show over his relief.
Jeremy bowled well, from what I could see on the 45, in that subtle bowling way of his which disguises legerdemain with drift. But onto the school report: “Jeremy generally lacked mojo in the field. He did thankfully get out of the way of one that would have hurt him quick enough – especially as he’s still nursing a bad hand from the tour early in the season – but there were a few others he could have got in the way of too. Think of an exiled Napoleon on Elba searching for mushrooms and you have Jeremy at fine leg. At this early stage in Jeremy’s cricketing career this is not yet cause for concern.”
Paul started off his bowling well. Tight, loopy, difficult to get away. The only thing Paul did wrong was keep himself on for one over too long but he wasn’t to know they had a guy who could hit 75 off 37. He took a good catch too at mid-off, moving backwards, hands up in the heavens and using all his height.
I bowled first change.. Alan opened – a creditable opening spell with Manny at the other end – and he bravely took the ball for a final over when everything was getting middled.
Ayan bowled at a very destructive batsman and tied him up, keeping it full with flight and turn. I doff my cap.
When Manny’s bowling it shuts him up. Again I was on the 45 but it looked like he was troubling them in the air and off the deck. He should bowl more.
We got some (generally soft) wickets. They got lots of hard runs.
It was a day that skipper Paul was probably relying on our batters to chase down whatever total the XL set.
It takes approximately 0.67 seconds for a ball travelling at 67 mph to travel 22 yards. That is therefore also approximately the length of Ayan’s innings, although technically it then had to reach gully.
Willy batted well. Opened. Nearly carried his bat. Took what they threw at him and an offie who turned it sideways.
James was bowled playing the wrong line but I reckoned it seamed. He recovered more quickly than the rest of us who therefore had to bat.
Manny was bowled early by one that seamed. His did seam, he says. And I believe him. The bowler (skipper – competitive) let out the kind of Serengeti roar that suggests Manny has hit the XL all over the place in previous years. Or perhaps it was just because it justified him opening the batting and the bowling.
As for Degsy: he promised to be late, arrived later, started to bat well but turned what could have been a great innings into a brief cameo made worthwhile by his adroit self-appraisal: “it’s all in the execution.” The ancient Greeks had a saying: “Those who are about to die first make themselves beautiful” and Degsy was looking very good indeed. (20. Hit three fours).
Willy 36. Degsy 20 with three fours. No one else reached ten. Five ducks.
Alack the day, oh woe is spite onto the next thing lets not dwell and hopefully there won’t be an inspection kind of thing.
Tom Whyte
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