Sometimes all the pieces fall into place

Anyone who reads these reports will know of my abiding love of the very idea of Village Cricket.  It is in my view the purest version of the game as it is unsullied by the lack of importance of the outcome.  It is all about the playing of the game and the joy that can be had.

WG himself could not have envisaged a better day for a game of cricket.  The sun shone brightly a few marshmallow clouds were bubbling up and the temperature was warm but not oppressive.

Flyford were entertaining Fladbury, a team that we play most years home and away, which meant may on either side were well acquainted and were keen to join battle once more.

Flyford were to make first use of the wicket (a rarity on a Sunday!). George Teal and Ash Rahman were to open the batting for Flyford.  An interesting combination, George whose instinct is to attack, Ash much more circumspect but with plenty in his locker.

What followed was one of the most brutal exhibitions of batting that I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing.  The first 15 over were observed up close and personal as your correspondent had volunteered for umpiring duties.  It was the best seat in the ground.

It is difficult to find sufficient adjectives to describe George’s innings.  Brutal, certainly. Confident, attacking, commanding are all accurate.  The Fladbury bowlers were not fools and George was not facing pie chuckers.  I did though at times feel sorry for the Fladbury bowlers as George was imperious and nothing, they tried look like working.  It must be said that George did give up a few difficult chances but when the ball is coming at you like a tracer bullet it is not easy to hang on to.  George finally retired unbeaten on 203 from 105 balls.  George, it was a knock for the ages and one that I may never see again.  I count myself privileged to have witnessed it.

Due praise must also go to Ash at the other end.  It is all too easy when your partner is dispatching the ball to all corners of the ground to get caught up in the shenanigans.  To Ash’s credit he did not do that he played his own game. Played some wonderful deft shots that would have graced any field, before being bowled on 66.  On any other day that innings may well have secure the Man of the Match vote. 

It should also be noted that George has set a new individual high score for the club and the first wicket partnership is now the highest in the club’s history.

To report on what came after could be judged an anti-climax.  However, that is not the Flyford way these days.  Steve Bevan went to the wicket and got a creditable 24 before being well caught from a shot that came straight out of the middle of the bat.  A foot either side and it was 4.

Tom Dale and Sean Mulvey saw the innings through to the conclusion both unbeaten on 11 and 9 respectively.  Flyford closed their innings on 323. For 2.

Personally, I cannot remember when being down to bat at 7 I was so sure that there would be no need for my limited skills with the willow blade. 

So as any perceptive reader will have surmised, tea was a joyful and easy time.  As was to be borne out by events we thought we had enough in the bank to wrap this one up.  And so it proved.

However, to Fladbury’s credit they did not rollover and give up the ghost.  While your correspondent suspects that they knew the result was out of their reach, the salvation of their pride was not.  Fladbury played with a dogged determination and can be righteously proud of their efforts.

Consequently, Flyford’s bowlers were forced to remain honest and keep their eye on the task.  Fladbury’s openers were dogged and hard to remove and their skipper D Prudden contributed 34 before being bowled by an unpayable delivery from Scritty Clarke that went through the gate and hit the top of middle.  The other Fladbury opener D Phillips proved harder to remove moving on to 82 before being removed by Pete Gurr picking up your correspondent’s signal to drag one wider that had the increasingly confident opener stumped.  Two good catches by George Teal (who else) and Sean Mulvey (with his maiden catch for the club) meant that Fladbury never looked like challenging the Flyford total and they close their innings on 185 for 4, some 138 runs short.

Flyford’s bowlers were always going to struggle to match up to Mr Teal’s fireworks but returned some very creditable figures.  Pete Gurr the pick with two wickets for 42 runs from 6 overs.  Pete Holpin bowled well 8 overs for 29 runs without a wicket. Joey Chapman likewise returning figures of 0 for 20 from 6 overs.  Aaron Monk 8 overs no wicket for 38, Scritty Clarke 6 overs 1 for 23, Steve Bevan 5 overs 1 for 15 and finally who else but George Teal one over one maiden no wicket.

It should be added that the Flyford out fielding was possibly some of the best I have seen during my time at the club.  While it was always on the cards that we would win there was no sloppiness and every ball was chased down as if the runs saved were crucial.

Mention should also be made in dispatches of Pete Holpin, who having flown back from Chicago arrived this morning at Heathrow and still managed to get here in time to do an umpiring stint and bowl 8 overs.  Top effort Pete!

So how does this chime with my remarks at the top that the result is the least important aspect of the day.  To me it truly is.  Yes, we play to win and it is nice when we do.  But there are much more important facets of the game than the result.  Treating the opposition with respect, individuals striving to perform at their best whatever their innate skill levels.  The encouragement of teammates.  Knowing that doing someone down does not make you bigger.  Both sides played today in the finest traditions of the game.

There can be few finer ways to spend a glorious Sunday afternoon than playing cricket, with people who are worthy of respect and admiration, who are modest and quick to praise others and who cherish this game that we all love.

My only regret is that I did not come back to village cricket many years ago, but then I might never have joined the best bloody village team in the world!  Come on the Flav!

Awards:

MoTM; Who else but George Teal

Champagne Moment: Shared between the stumping worked out between keeper and bowler and the huge 6 that George got his record with.

Tit: Ask for pushing the sight screen when he should have pushed

Thanks for coming:  Pete Holpin.  Sterling effort to get back and play.

Score card below: