Bedouins v Fossils at Enville, July 2^nd

Bedouins drew with Fossils

“There was a young man from Devizes

Who had balls of two different sizes.

The one that was small

Was of no use at all,

But the other won numerous prizes.”

After their meeting with the Fossils, the Beds know how the young man from Devizes felt. It was not until about the tenth over of their targetting the Fossils batsmen that they realised that they had been using the wrong ball – a “junior” sized one – in an effort to dislodge them. The usually super-perceptive Jon Stanier suddenly woke up to the fact that the ball felt smaller than usual in his hand. This prompted an examination of the ball, which revealed the “junior” tag written all over it. It has to be reported that one or two bowlers thereafter shamefully claimed that this was the reason for a few loose deliveries.

This was another down-to-the-wire performance by the Bedouins (have you no pity for your scorer’s dicky ticker, lads?). The more alert of the members – you decide which ones they are – may have noticed that the title to this piece refers to a “draw”. In spite of the fact that the Beds made 144 for 9 from their 35 overs and the Fossils only 140 for 8 from theirs, this was classed as a draw because the Fossils always make it clear that they play for “win, lose or draw” results.

There was an explosive start to the Beds’ innings. Kiwi Keith Dawson was in his usual belligerent mood, hitting four boundaries in the second over, before missing a straight one and departing, much to the Fossils’ relief, for 17. John Branch followed for 14 and, with Jon Stanier and John Howells both falling for single-figure scores, it was left to Adrian Susman, just back from two weeks in the Iberian sun, and Ray Bate to rebuild the innings.

They did so slowly, adding 36 runs for the fifth wicket before Bate went for eight. Susman went on to make 28 before being caught and bowled (“The only one I middled”, he said). That left the returning Andy Hill to organise a recovery of sorts, hitting 40 not out and, in the process, pulling yet another muscle, while enjoying the company of Spratters (7) and finally Tony Hancock, with an invaluable 3 not out, in adding 45 for the last two wickets.

The final total of 144 for 9 looked pretty average, particularly with the Fossils’ fourth wicket not falling until the 28^th over, with the total on 112. However, the later Bedouins bowlers managed to keep things fairly tight and the fielding was above Bedouins par, with John Howells completing two stumpings. Paul Lippitt took 2 for 22 and Richard Spratley, returning after his opening spell, to bowl three overs off a three-pace run, took 2 for 34. But it was skipper JB who completed the bowling with three overs and 2 for 8, ensuring that the Fossils finished four runs short.

For the benefit of the Bedouin statisticians, it is worth noting that not a single wide was recorded in the 70 overs of the match. Also, the Fossils innings included just one extra, a bye; John Howells note – must do better!

Finally, a comment from the scorebox – it is a recurring pleasure to play against the Fossils. They have an enlightened attitude towards the game and, in spite of the fact that one or two are knocking on a bit (five of them over 70 in this match), they also have a welcome competitive streak. Here’s to the next time!

Bedouins 144 for 9 (A. Hill 40 not out, A. Susman 28, K. Dawson 17, J. Branch 14)

Fossils 140 for 8 (J. Branch 2 for 8, P. Lippitt 2 for 22, R. Spratley 2 for 34, A. Susman 1 for 26, J. Stanier 1 for 28)

P.S. Apropos the erudite verse that kicked this report off, here’s a question for you:

Q – Why do people in Wiltshire like potatoes?

A – Because they have Devizes for Chippenham.

Bedouins v Austin’s Army at Enville, June 21^st

Bedouins won by 1 run

A reminder to all regular Bedouins – your beloved chairman and long-time resident of the Enville scorebox, had open heart surgery no more than a few years ago. Yet here you are subjecting him to three of the tightest finishes imaginable during the first five games of this season. It started in match 1 with a defeat by Beacon on the last ball of the final over; then in match 3, a five-run win over Belbroughton Strollers; and finally in match 5, victory by just 1 run over Austin’s Army. The dicky ticker can’t take it.

As usual, Beds favourite Austin Gregory brought a team based on Amblecote CC personnel to Enville to take on a fairly strong Bedouins team. What was different, though, was the weather conditions – 30-degree-plus heat throughout the evening on the longest day of the year. Worth recording too that the Beds had the benefit of a shiny new set of stumps, kindly donated by a Bedouins favourite, who felt it was high time we actually had stumps that the bails would stay on until knocked off by the ball.

Bedouins batted first and returning skipper, John Branch, back after a bit of treatment at the vet’s to his damaged fetlock, promptly dispatched the first ball to the boundary. He continued in his customary fashion, with the occasional four punctuating a series of hobbled singles, before falling lbw for 13. Jon Stanier came and went in a flurry of boundaries for 12, leaving the red-meat innings to be played this time by Neill Smith, who had five boundaries in his 23.

With Lee Bywater hitting 19 not out and Mejdi Mabrouk 16 not out, the Bedouins finished their innings on 116 for 6, which looked as if it might be a bit thin on a fast-scoring outfield.

Spratters was back from his hols, all sun-tanned and lovely (well, sun-tanned, anyway), and was straight back in the groove, completing his first two overs for just one run. With the heat finally getting to him, he finished four overs with 20 runs against his name. Also returning, but this time after a longer absence due to unspecified treatment to an unspecified – and quite unexpected – muscle, was the silver fox, AKA Mike George. An analysis of 1 for 13 in four overs reflected a pretty successful return!

The final over arrived with Austin’s Army needing 9 to win – no pressure, then, on the bowler, Lee Bywater. Some frantic running left the visitors wanting two off the last ball to tie. Amid mounting confusion, they managed just one bye, leaving the Bedouins winners by 1 run, and the scorer almost becoming the first recipient of the benefits of the defibrillator now residing on the pavilion wall.

Bedouins 116 for 6 (Smith 23, Bywater 19 not out, Mabrouk 16 not out, Branch 13, Stanier 12)

Austin’s Army 115 for 5 (George 1 for 13, Stanier 1 for 13, Branch 1 for 19, Dawson 1 for 24)