Chigwell Cricket Club

Four Wickets for Charlie Leaves Everyone Smiling (South Woodford 22/8/04)

On the 26th June this year Chigwell played host to South Woodford Sunday A team, and were soundly spanked. All out for 69, if you care to remember. Personally I would much rather let the events of that day slip to the darkest recesses of a confused mind. So before arriving I imagined things might be a little awkward. As it transpired South Woodford were fielding their B side, including several colts, and on winning the toss I luxuriated in choosing to bat first. Tim and Nick were chosen to open on the back of their fine performances of the previous week, but Tim obliged the bowler by edging one back onto his stumps. I replaced him and began a rather turgid partnership with Nick that was a testament to the fine bowling by Neicho Snr. at one end, and obscenely flattering to the rather looser stuff coming from the pavilion end. I perished for 24, trying to accelerate, and Nick was finally put out of his misery for eight - all singles - in about an hour and fifteen minutes. As he left the combat area he was heard mumbling something about how the clock running slow had put him off. Time did seem to stand still while he was batting. Rob Allum and Tim Mitzman benefited from the withdrawal of Neicho from the attack and showed their class, Tim smashing a quick-fire 40, and Rob accumulating Graham Thorpe style a tidy 60 not out. The batting revelation however was James, who compiled a sturdy 33, sprinkled with expansive boundaries. We declared on 192 for 5, which in retrospect on a slow pitch with a slow outfield, was slightly too many. It was a difficult declaration to judge, having no real idea of the batting talent available to South Woodford. A splendid tea was devoured and we took to the field after a team huddle and the playing of the club anthem - "don't stop til you get enough" - Ritchie and Phil opened the bowling. It was Ritchie's first spell of the season for Chigs, and he bowled tidily enough, but for no reward. Phil bamboozled one opener with his "nip-backer", and kept things very tight. Brad disposed of another batsman, comprehensively bowling him, and politely bidding him farewell in the middle of the customary fist clenched celebrations. Enter Charlie Rudkin. Excellent bowling saw him first rewarded with a stumping by the wicket keeping revelation that is James Leycock, and then by two catches at deep backward square by Tim Mitzman, both juggled, but the second of which was brilliantly judged, as it swirled and dipped over his shoulder. Another wicket went to Charlie as I clung onto one at mid on, and he finished with figures of 11 overs 4 for 37. I asked him to pledge his Sunday cricketing future to Chigwell, only excused if he's playing in a test match. Nick bowled well to add a couple more scalps to his collection and Rob A tried manfully to extract some life from the old ball on a dead pitch but, despite Neicho Jnr surviving the plumbest LBW call this decade from the last ball, Chigwell never quite looked like wrapping things up, and the game was drawn. For those who weren't at the match there was a highly comedic moment when Brad, fielding very close at mid off to Nick's bowling - an unpleasant place to be, even with a twelve year old batting - saw the batsman shape to strike one hard at his skull. Taking evasive action Brad threw himself onto his back, and was lying on the ground as the ball, having been badly mis-hit, gently arced over his prostrate body. Ever game, Brad attempted to push/wiggle his way backwards along the deck, with arms and legs flailing like a turbo charged threshing machine, or a daddy longlegs with epilepsy. Needless to say he never quite made it into position for the catch, and as Nick looked to the gods, the rest of the fielders, the batsmen and the umpires collapsed with uncontrollable mirth. We were not laughing at Brad, we were laughing towards him.

Photos

Stevie Meggs took some good photos of the game against Hainault and Clayhall.

Chigs lose the Plot, and are Battered into Submission in the Gloom

Bradley Davis reports exclusively for the blog:

I lost the toss, and we were invited to bat on a pitch which was very different from that of the week before. The rain during the week had made it slow with variable bounce, and although the ball was swinging their opening bowlers were wayward and we never scored at a fast enough rate. Rob A was promoted to open with Harvey and was out to a shot he will want to forget, other than to remember never to play it again! None of our big guns fired and it was left to Tim H to anchor the innings with a patient and well-deserved half century. Harvey went in the mid twenties and James stuck around supporting Tim for a while before he and Dom both fell cheaply. Nick played a responsible and at times fiery knock and he and Tim held the innings together with Nick finishing on 55 not out. The pace of the innings meant I had to bat through to 5.00 pm, and we finished on 197 for 9 off 54 overs.

Dom and Owen opened the bowling and I was wary of making sure I kept the opposition in the chase as, although their openers looked comfortable, they were not scoring many runs. Owen bowled 5 overs for only 8 runs! Owen was replaced by Hannah and Dom by Nick who finally achieved the breakthrough with a stumping by James. Hannah bowled 3 overs and was replaced by Charlie leaving the new spin twins leading the attack. Charlie bowled an excellent spell, deservedly taking a wicket - another stumping by James! They reached the last 20 overs needing 6 an over, but still with 8 wickets in hand. By this time the right-hander really had his eye in and Charlie had to be replaced after an expensive over. Nick's last over also proved costly and we needed to stem the flow of runs and take a couple of quick wickets in the fading light. Rob A replaced Charlie and Dom was brought back for Nick. We had a chance to dismiss the slogger when he mistimed one and there was a very poor misunderstanding between myself and Tim, for which I take full responsibility, as the ball fell harmlessly to earth between us - much to Rob's displeasure. The wicket just would not come until it was too late and as the fielding disintegrated they hit the winning runs with 3 overs or so to spare.

I would like to thank James for taking the gloves and doing a top job, it is never easy for anyone to keep to the dominatrix especially when very aggressive and in very poor light.

There was a clear run out that was not given early on and a run out missed when the ball went to the wrong end and James missed a difficult hat-trick stumping chance off Nick, if a couple of things had gone our way it could have been very different as I don't think they had that much batting to come and it would have been difficult for any new batsman coming in against Dom in that light, we might even have won. On such small margins can matches be won or lost.

We can bat and field a lot better, and there are many lessons to be learned from yesterday for future games particularly for the skipper!

Kick this ass for a man!

An apology: Haringey Libraries CC is entirely blameless in the farrago that occurred on 1st August at Old Chigs when we had no opposition to play. It was all my fault. Sorry!

Sincerely, Artie Fufkin.

Colts shine as Chigs fade away

Sunday 8th August: Frenford 291 for not many, declared. Chigwell 108. Frenford win by 183 runs.

Match report by Linda Wiskin...

Sorry about the delay! Whatever came over me: offering to do the Frenford match report? Brad did look dubious...perhaps he thinks I can't describe the field positions and perhaps he is right!!

Frenford put out their normal hot side and we were put into field in the midday heat. Suffice to say it was a long hot afternoon with Rallum leading the attack backed by Owen, Brad and Olly, who showed some interesting effects of the sun. Can't remember much else except I had a chat with Mark on the boundary, nice to see him back at last. Hannah did a good turn bowling and one of the most exciting moments was when Gra took a one handed catch from her bowling giving her a well deserved wicket. Good attempts from the next generation in fielding accuracy. It was good to see the addition of Luke Sutton, who unfortunately did not get much of a game this time, but I certainly hope we'll see him again.

It was remarkable that we achieved over 100 after tea. They looked very nippy and accurate, ( You notice I didn't say much about our bowling, fielding etc.) Our openers Mark and Rob, hit out when they could, Graham looked like he might still be able to beef it, but all went for a handful of runs.

Cometh the hour cometh the man! Phil Bannocks decided he was the man to turn the fortunes of the ailing Chigwell. Well done Phil, top scorer on 27, always a highly underrated batsman in my opinion and much improved from the Chris Barr days!!

Owen was also remarkable, mainly for his staying ability: his innings had an N.Allum 'of old' quality. Finally as Owen supported the 12 year olds...the ring moved in Hannah hit a couple of spectacular 4's, and Tom overcame his drastic groin strain( I'm cynical and I'm his mother!) to put in 7 not out. Never underestimate the kids.

Well, Frenford, despite retiring batsman who reached a ton, seemed to appreciate that we'd tried to give them a decent game with possibly the weakest side of the season. So the feeling was good. Well done Brad for the effort and enthusiasm holding it all together. Sorry guys for the lack of technical detail.

It is now too late for me to book a bouncy castle for Bank Holiday Monday, so I'll assume the sub committee has every thing sorted. (is this relevant?! - Ed.) Good luck for the rest of the season and next time Brad says do I want anything for scoring, somebody remind me my husband is unemployed and the answer is not 'Not interested...'.

Haringey Libraries Lose Their Sport Section

Haringey Libraries failed to appear for the fixture on Sunday, which was extremely annoying, not least because it had been such a pain in the posterior getting a team together in the first place. Thanks for that go to Brad & Ritchie, who between them produced Matt Sutton from Fives, who would, I'm sure, have played a major part in the game. In the end we decided not to completely waste the day and had a little competition batting in pairs, won by Tim Hall and Harvey.

This alternative entertainment for the ten players was only made possible by the generosity of spirit of Steve Meggs and Kate Brown who umpired and scored respectively. It was good to know that in a dispiriting situation such as we found ourselves everyone pulled together and made something of the day.

Before condemning the Librarians we need to get to the bottom of what presumably is a frightful mix up. I can't believe that they wouldn't have let us know they weren't coming if they had the fixture down correctly. Someone will have to look into it, possibly Nick on his return from foreign climes.

Better luck over the next couple of weeks guys, I'm off on my hols.