Charlton Down Cricket Club

 Frampton Versus Charlton Down

Thursday Aug 2nd 2007

So after all the celebrations of Tuesday, it was back to business to play our penultimate (last but one, Mark) match of this protracted (extended, Mark) League season. So off we travelled to Cattistock.

A beautiful setting awaited us, a lush green outfield lined by trees resplendent in evening sunshine, church bells ringing, and sheep calling to their beloved Phil on the boundary.

The sound of trains rattling by, softened almost into melody by the distance…it all seemed so safe, so tranquil…. Next morning, a crowd gathered by the common, hypnotised by the unscrewing of the cylinder… sorry got carried away!

With the big guns rested, Butterworth, Greg,  Skip, Vice Skip, Richard Mann the task fell to Soc Wag to rally the troops; electing to bat, Frampton set a steady pace, which saw them reach 40 after 8 overs; disaster then struck for CDCC. Frampton’s opening bat, Hurford, who was to frequently rick CCDs neck later on, spooned one to Holdcroft on the boundary. Being naturally quite put off by Baabara gently nuzzling his leg, drops a dolly. Frampton seize their opportunity and climb into CDCC’s attack rattling up 159-2 in their allotted 18 overs, with 60 runs coming off the last 5!

With a revised batting line up lacking the trusted opening pair of Skip and the Scout leader, it was left to Chris Toy Boy Rickard and Leslie Lingham to pump the bilges. And how manfully and lustily they tried. Les (13) out to a steepling catch somewhere in Maiden Newton, and with little cameos from Phil (11) and the surfing Dude (17) saw CDCC to still be ahead of Frampton’s score after 14 overs. Chris finally fell on 33, his highest League score, and with CCD keen to ensure that he wasn’t going to be out nudged a few carefully crafted singles to bring us up 49 short.

A really enjoyable evening and a good lesson in what it’s like to chase a big score and come nowhere near it…. The moral to this story….. You can never have enough slappers!!!! Well done to all who played.

Skip.