4th Division: Charlton Down Select v Lytchett Matravers
Once more the heavens opened in the tiny rural heartland known as Charlton Down. But midday arrived, together with the sun and the hope that had sprung eternal was gloriously realised and yes we were to have the match we badly needed to win.
Lytchett arrived to face another strong CD legion of battle hardened veterans. 20 points were needed if the boys were to hang on to the upper echelons of division 4. The skipper arrived from Devon, lost the toss and went out to face the opening bowlers together with ‘hangin’ Zim. Slow progress was made against the new ball boys but the duo steadily reached 48 at 3 an over before Zim (22) dragged one on and went off to the village shop to buy hangover food.
Then came the arrival of Mr Square for his extremely eventful stay at the wicket. Only a few runs were added before a missed swipe down the legside by Doyle and a parry by the keeper led to a call of yes from Ed, somewhere past the half way mark in the pitch, and the collision between the two batsman was inevitable. Ed’s recent maximuscle diet and intake of pies was to prove influential as the skipper was unceremoniously flattened mid pitch and dragged himself off to the pavilion, run and knocked out for 23.
Weasley entered the fray and set about knocking the bowling around for ones and two’s whilst Ed ‘got in’ by offering catches to the oppo. The score grew quickly as the partnership blossomed but consummation was thwarted when the weasel missed a straight one and returned from whence he came (24). Alexei Campbell joined Ed and the score exploded onwards. Many of us missed some of the best moments as we were busy searching for lost cricket balls. Ed quickly passed 50 offered a couple of more spurned catches before hitting another huge 6 to bring up his hundred and put CD well on the way to a huge total. By the time Ed’s powerhouse hitting display ended he had scored 135 including 11 sixes. Alexei’s pugnacious 31 in tandem had helped put on over 120 in very short time and we were over 240. Late contributions from Durston and the tail took the total to 272.
Worthy mention however has to go to King (Pair) Holdcroft who may now hold another club record. For the second time this season against the same opposition young Phillip gave of his wicket first ball to allow others the chance to bat, as always he is a true team player. There followed a cracking tea courtesy of the Smith family, thanks for that guys, very nice indeed.
And so to the green fields of the home of cricket we took, picturesque in the strong August sunshine but just a little miserable if you were on the Lytchett side. Let us not forget our times in the same situation, previously and no doubt again in the future. One fielder was to state early in the Lytchett response, ‘they haven’t really got a plan have they’. Quite what plan they were supposed to have is a little difficult to quantify but once a deflected slip catch had lodged firmly in the skippers armpit the wickets quickly fell, Durston (4 wickets) and Park were too much for the batsmen and once Ed had chipped in with two wickets, including the number 4 for a hard hit 46, it was just a matter of time before Alexei cleaned up the tail (3 wickets for very little) and Lytchett had succumbed for 76 in the strong early evening sunshine.
Thanks to Richard Fagence for taking up his own time umpiring most of the match even though not playing, and Steve Marsh and Mark Homewood whom played but didn’t get much of a game. Steve also scored the whole of our innings.
So a comprehensive victory by 196 runs gave the Sunday boys 20 points and a third successive victory in the league, witnessed by returning honeymooner and hill walker, Captain SiDney, who made up for his long quiet periods in the foreign hills with his many views and opinions, expressed in the normal forthright manner. Welcome back SiD and let’s hope we can make it 4 in four next week at Pokesdown St Margaret Willows by the Sea. Thanks for all the support everyone
M.O.M. Ed Square
Your Cricket Correspondent
