Junior Martlets

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you the match report from Friday 21st August, where the Sussex Martlets took on the Junior Martlets in our Presidents Trophy match at Arundel Castle. Trialling a new format this year, Club Day really did become a Club Day, with the O40s taking on the Women in the morning in a T20, followed by the usual Seniors against the Juniors match, also a T20. A change from the traditional declaration format, but one that was needed to ensure all four of the Martlets sides got the chance to play at our stunning spiritual home of Arundel castle.

After watching our Women come up agonisingly short in their chase against the O40’s, we got into our whites for the team pictures before lunch could begin. After a bit of a debacle about who was sitting where, who was in whites or not and why on earth none of us were actually wearing cricket spikes, pictures were taken, eyes were shut, and we headed into the pavilion with a rather unusual feeling of ‘why are we eating when we haven’t played yet?’. Anyway, during lunch, I waddled over to the Juniors table, whilst contemplating a second dessert and asked their MM, Adam, if they have any preference on what they would like to do at the toss. They said they fancy a bowl, I said I fancy a bat, therefore we had a bat. Excellent, more dessert it is.

In this new format for club day, I decided to open up with the rather orthodox pairing of Sammy Carter and Freddie Ferro. A few jibes were made by my own team, asking me if I’m aware that Sam isn’t exactly a ‘T20 specialist’. Sam then leaves his first ball. Brilliant. Freddie, however, got going rather quickly and raced into the 30’s by the time Sammy was bowled. Was that a blessing in disguise? I’ll let you decide. Ben Whelpton was in at 3, who had somehow been convinced by his own team to attempt to ramp club teammate Harry Grubb early on. Ben then had his leg stump destroyed. Not what I wanted. This brought myself to the crease, eager to nudge the run rate up a bit knowing the top order of the Juniors had a bit of fire power to it. Freddie and I proceeded to put on 60 together during the middle overs, very much enjoying the boundary ball that came every over to help us along. The juniors skipper, Ollie Wicks, brought himself into the attack and nipped one through Freddie’s gate first rock. A bloody good ball to anyone, regardless of what they were on at the time.

Freddie departed for a very well made 69, striking at a smidge under 145. Club legend Mike Harrison joined me at the crease, reminding me instantly that quick singles are not the order of the day. After telling Mike I’m gonna let him just play his game and I’l play around him, I decided to track Wicks and nail one down long offs throat. As branding goes, that’s pretty spot on from me. A truly superb shot… if you shut your eyes and just listen to the sound off the bat. In comes Ben Davies for the last few overs. Ben and Mike really got going towards the back end of the innings. Mike rolling back the years with some lusty blows over the top and the ‘massive’ bloke that Ben is (his own words), hit our only 6 of the innings, landing just in front of the steps up to the pavilion. And with that, the Seniors reached 166/4 off their 20 overs. A score I was happy with, but feel we left a few out there.

Opening up with the ball was trusty Muzza (who else?) and regular feature in my matches (who usually refuses to bowl), Matt Ritchie. For some reason Matt became allergic to pitching the ball in the batsman’s half, but somehow did manage to get the opener, Figgins, who just helped a long hop (that should have gone into Arundel town centre) to Mike Harrison at short fine leg. Muzza toiled away in his first spell of three overs, who was the victim of a couple of enormous blows from Figgins over cow corner and into the trees. With the end of the powerplay came the bowling changes. On come Martlets legend, Mark Trubshaw, and Roffey gun, Oscar Harman. With the field spread, both did excellent jobs at keeping the boundary count down. Oscar soon picked up Wicks, flashing outside off and finding Mike, once again, at short third man. Soon after, Lloyd was stumped, after Oscar expertly held one back in the air. Trubby very unlucky to not pick up a scalp, with many a ball missing the pegs by a hairs width.

After being well up with the rate at half way and only 2 down, I was a tad shaky, but regular wickets meant the Juniors needed 30 off the last. Rob Burgh got his first ever Arundel wicket, after yours truly tried his best to not let that happen (dropping a sitter, to only then run the poor bloke out the next ball). Ben Davies came on and showed his class, hitting a length hard and finding the pegs after only a few deliveries. To see us home, Ritchie and Muzza came back into the attack. Ritchie picked up two more wickets to add to his collection. I remembered how to catch and took a worldie (not my words, thank you) down at long off diving forward, in front of the (my) fans on the bank. Muzza followed suit running round at deep square a few deliveries later to take an expertly judged catch off Ritchie. Muzza bowled the last and did get his wicket in the end, deceiving the batsman excellently with his pace (or lack of). Turning back off his own bowling to plunk the cherry out of the air with one hand. No celebration. My hero.

And with that, the Seniors finally got a win over the Juniors for the first time in several years. Was the change in format to help the Seniors finally win? Maybe, maybe not, but we won so who cares. Presentations of the new Chairmans Trophy to the O40s and the Presidents Trophy to the Seniors ensued, before an excellent debrief at the trusty Martlets watering hole, the Black Rabbit.

A massive thank you to Arundel for hosting us once again, but this time for catering for 44 players in one hit and the food did not disappoint! A big thank you to all of the club members that played and those that came to support, but also to everyone for supporting the idea of this new format of Club Day. As far as I can see, it was a massive success and incredibly pleasing to see all four Martlet sides play at our spiritual home.

Lots of love, Ready x