Monthly Archives: May 2022

Belbroughton stroll to victory

Posted on by

Belbroughton Strollers v Bedouins – May 25th 2022

Belbroughton win by 22 runs

Whatever the sport, there are some teams you just can never seem to beat. Like QPR always struggling to beat Brentford. In the case of Bedouins cc, that team is definitely Belbroughton Strollers, especially on their own ground. It’s one of those wickets where the Bedouin batting line-up can never seem to get the ball away to the boundary.

And so it was on a dull and somewhat chilly Wednesday evening in Belbroughton. Bedouins again had to rope in players to make up the numbers with many regular faces missing. Peter Gurr, who had played for the Fossils the Sunday before, joined us to bolster the batting and bowling and Neill Smith told his son JJ he’d get no pocket money if he didn’t help us out. His youthfulness proved handy in the field and brought the average age of the side crashing down. Enville stalwart Paul Moran also made an appearance.

Bedouins had a bowl and it was Moran who had first use of the new ball (and very pink) ball. He didn’t seem to get the usual amount of swing we have seen before but his three overs went for just 17 runs. Gregory carried on where he left off last game by deceiving the batsmen with flight and swing. He made the breakthrough, bowling the Stroller’s opening bat.

Susman, taking over from Moran, served up some Bertie Bassetts with all sorts of balls aimed at the batsmen. He was successful with two wickets but his final over proved expensive with one ball disappearing over the ropes.

Here’s where things get a little confusing and I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong. According to the book, Wright was the bowler replacing Gregory. I’m pretty sure we didn’t have a Wright in the team that night and that it was the Skipper, Bywater, who took over, and indeed quickly took a wicket in his first over. We should play with a pink ball more often, it could have been the reason Spratley took a blinding catch at the square leg with the ball travelling low and at pace. He even amazed himself.

At 50 for 4 from their first ten overs, Beds seemed to have some control over the game. Strollers turned the tables in the next 10 overs though. Gurr took one wicket in his two overs but after that the Strollers picked up the run rate and made it 126 for 5 from their 20 overs.

So to the Bedouins reply. It was the Smith show at the start with Neill Smith and son JJ opening. Smith N turned out to be the only Bedouins batsman to amass any serious runs. He retired on 33 having batted for a lot of the innings. At the other end JJ’s stay at the crease was somewhat brief.

Susman, in at three, looked to be getting going having hit a couple of fours but then played across the line and was given out LBW. Bywater too had a very brief spell at the crease and even Stanier was struggling to time the ball on a wicket that always seems to cause problems for the Beds batsmen.

Gurr can obviously bat but again he struggled to find the boundary with his 20 runs made of mostly singles. He finished not out but the Bedouins innings died a feeble death with the Stroller’s score never really looking in any danger.

One bright side was the excellent pizzas after the game, which were cooked to order in onsite pizza ovens. Delicious they were, although very filling. Nothing went to waste though, with Gregory last seen trundling back to his car with his kit in hand and a stack of leftover pizza boxes in the other. Waste not want not.

Next we do battle with our old friends from Kinlet. Always a game to look forward to.

Bedouins find Fossils in Worcester

Posted on by

Bedouins v Fossils – Sunday May 22nd at Perdiswell Park

Match drawn

It was a makeshift side Bedouins side that travelled to Perdiswell Park in Worcester. A new venue to play the Fossils on. Into the ranks came Mick Body and Dave Goring with many Bedouins regulars AWOL.

For anyone who has never played the Fossils, they hold true to their name and are mostly very experienced wily old cricketers, and very nice chaps too. Beds won the toss and decided to have a bat. Hill A and Lippitt opened. Hill was just getting going when he missed a straight one and was bowled so Lippitt was joined his mate Dave Goring, who is obviously good with the bat (as well as fielding) and played some nice shots.

The Fossils have some shrewd bowlers in their side but their advanced age makes fielding challenging, something the Bedouins are possibly starting to find. Where is the next generation of Bedouins coming from? Hill J is now our youngest player. It is the duty of all Bedouins to start producing offspring to carry on the Bedouins tradition in years to come. Get on with it chaps.

Anyway, back to the game. Lippitt was bowled for 14 having hit a couple of boundaries. Goring was joined by said yongster, Hill J and both found the boundary regularly. Goring was eventually caught behind for 27.

Gregory came to the crease and he and Hill J looked untroubled with both retiring on the mandatory 35. Tommy Allcock was in at 6 and he didn’t die wondering. His 9 was full of determined and positive strokes until he was bowled. Smith N made a quick 8 before being stumped and Stanier and Susman saw out the innings with the former hitting three fours in his 16 not out and the latter 6 not out.

Bedouins finished on 188 from their 35 overs.

In reply the Fossils never really challenged the Bedouins total. Their rules are to win the game, Bedouins would need to bowl them all out. Gregory  opened the bowling and bamboozled the Fossils with flight and swing to finish with 2 for 9 from his 7 overs. At the other end was the unusual sight of Hill J. bowling, and what a good job he did. Regularly beating the outside edge he was unlucky to come away with no wickets in his spell of 0 for 30 from 7 overs.

For the Fossils, Gurr was the only batsman to reach retirement of 35. Bedouins shared the bowling around but Stanier was the only other bowler to take a wicket. There was one fabulous run out with Goring hitting the stumps with only one to aim at. Tommy Allcock limped off the pitch with a hamstring injury having been lively in the field. In the end the Fossils innings came to a conclusion with 105 runs on the board and five wickets down. So by their rules, a draw.

The result was not really important, it was just a pleasant game of cricket, and one that will be repeated later in the season.

 

 

A damp start

Posted on by

Bedouins v Oldswinford – 18th May 2022

No result – rain stopped play

You look forward to the first game of a new season, you whip yourself into peak fitness, you revise your knowledge of the Boycott book of batting technique, and what happens. The day of the game starts out warm and sunny but gradually as the clock ticks down towards the start of the play the clouds roll in, the temperature drops, and the light becomes decidedly murky.

So it was for our first game of the season with Oldswinford. Bedouins batted first on wicket with some lively bounce at one end. Branch and Lippitt opened the innings and looked comfortable, Lippitt particularly was in fine form and middling the ball well, despatching it to the boundary on regular occasions and making use of the fast outfield. Branch was first to go for 11, caught deep toward the square leg boundary.

Skipper Bywater came to the crease and found the boundary with 2 fours before being well caught in the gloom towards long on. Hill J strode to the crease and matched Lippitt’s 30 retired. While he was there he saw various partners come and go but none made an great impact on the score.

Gregory and Susman were left at the end to try and up the score and at this point the heavens opened. Bedouins had made it to 105 for 5 from their 20 overs but there looked to be little prospect of Oldswinford being able to fulfill their innings. So with that, the covers come on, the sight screens were dismantled and everyone gathered in the clubhouse for an early tea and some beers.