Charlton Down Cricket Club
Match report Charlton Down v Frampton
Thursday 25th July 2007
The following report may be inaccurate or slightly bias:
Smiles All round
What an occasion, nerves were aquiver at the Moss Bowl for this top of the table clash between Charlton Down and Frampton. The rain had been coming down all day and conditions were best described as moist underfoot. With this being a crucial match in the run in to a possible 1st title for the home team, the skipper slid to the middle to toss. In a thick Somerzet drawl he calls “heads”, time stood still as all around waited for the outcome. Heads it is and true to form the skip chose to bat.
In a sweaty changing room the skipper lays out his plans “It’s 18 over’s tonight so I reckon if we get 106 on the board, that will be enough”.Luckily everyone was ignoring him! (He does get very excited about this cricket stuff)As the expectant crowd gathered, the ever reliable opening pair of Smith and Cossens strode to the middle, to amass another huge opening stand for Charlton Down to secure another easy win. But wait, what’s happening, Mr Smith is out cheaply for 3, bowled by the ex Dorset Skipper Simon Talbot, who is rolling back the years and grunting his way to a fine performance. Never mind, Cossens and the fat bloke (forgotten his name, you know the Carlsberg bloke who decided to sell hotdogs instead) will come up trumps. After some lusty blows by the skipper his luck runs out and is caught for 15.
Nervous times, has the pressure got to the team? Are Frampton the class side of the division after all? None of these questions were asked, but you could see people thinking them. Next into bat was Chris Coates-Dale (oh no he was stuck in traffic, probably thinking he had to put the nets up), so the call went out for a batsmen. As one couldn’t be found JB was picked at random to go in at No.4.With words of encouragement ringing in his ears, he strides to the crease, glistening in the early evening sunshine. There is a heated discussion in the middle between the batsmen, the hotdog seller explains that he has just got a new bat and is still knocking it in, so would JB mind scoring all the runs whilst he watches on. A display of controlled aggression follows, the ball flying to all parts, with Greg the retriever doing his best to find the balls in the undergrowth the onslaught continues. JB manages to amass 83, which included 6 sixes, and with Jim (remembered his name) scoring 24, a record partnership of 116 was posted.
So Charlton Down end their 18 over stint with 144 for 3, job done, tick? It was indeed, with the customary scrooge like performance of our opening attack Fagence and Homewood, the run rate climbed and climbed to an unmanageable level. Chris Coates-Dale, fresh from getting lost tried his best to get Frampton back into the game but even his bowling was just too accurate (no laughing at the back) and Frampton fell to a 43 run defeat. Leaving Charlton Down needing just 1 more win to secure their first ever league title. With the batting line up finally starting to get a chance to bat, who would bet against us?
Today’s Press clippings
“Awesome display by underrated batsmen” The Times
“Wallop” The Sun
“AV IT!!” The Mirror
“Asylum seekers steal our taxes” Daily Mail
“The best batting performance from a Charlton Down Cricketer” The
Chairman
Now he knows what he’s talking about.
Message from WebWag: You put out a plea for a match report and this is what you get! Any guesses who penned this report???
