Charlton Down Cricket Club

Charlton Down vs Hazelbury Bryan

3 July 2008

Cricket Crazy Cricket

With confidence running high CDCC took on Hazelbury Bryan in one of the more quirky games of cricket in our short but illustrious history.

Hazelbury sneaked home to win by 2 wickets in a tense low scoring affair which saw Mark Homewood take 7 wickets for only 9 runs.

Captain Fagence was a touch anxious at the start – Would 11 players turn up? Where was the score book? Anyway he won the toss and old Smithy and Will Silk went out to bat. Hazelbury’s bowling was tight and accurate and wickets soon started to fall. Backed up by excellent fielding by players set in exactly the right positions runs were at a premium.

Smithy nudged the singles in his usual way, but he was finding it hard going as the wickets fell at the other end. Smithy tried a slog and was caught for 17 in a desperate attempt to up the run rate. Even the back up bowlers were tight and no other CDCC batsman got to double figures.

All out for a paltry 51 with the Chairman run out without receiving a ball for the second time. (A big clue, for those of you trying to solve the Parish Magazine trivia quiz!). He was heard to remark on reaching the safety of the pavilion “I can’t run and bend to ground my bat at the same time”.

Another bit of trivia – no fours hit in the entire CDCC innings.

Captain Fagence opened the bowling and rapidly exhibited signs of a severe ankle injury as his first three deliveries went for four.

Mark then enters the fray and wickets start to crash. Each bowler at the other end has one over each, including Teacher Franzen who takes a wicket with a mind boggling full toss. Mark takes wickets every over and Hazelbury are in danger of losing!

CDC need two (wickets) and Hazelbury need two (runs), which they get without further trauma.

Grumpiest CDCC player was Elvis because he had a cold (actually was it man-flu?) and was given out caught behind when he didn’t think he had hit it.

Happiest player was the Chairman who was relieved to get through the match without being injured.

Oh well – at least the potato thinumijigs after the match where yummy – thanks to Cook (Web) Wag.

Henry Blofeld.