Bedouins v Oldswinford at Enville

May 22^nd, 2019 – Bedouins lost by 2 runs

Look at the email sent by our Head of Selection Committee on May 19th confirming the team to meet Oldswinford at Enville on May 22^nd and in that XI you will find the name of Kevin Potter. Fast forward just a few days to May 22^nd itself and hey presto there is the self-same Kevin Potter opening the bowling for Oldswinford – a magic transformation, if ever there was one. Just don’t let him near platform nine and three-quarters at Kings Cross or he may be in danger of emulating his famous literary namesake.

An erstwhile Oldswinford man, as well as an occasional Bedouin, Kevin had opened the bowling for the Beds the previous week at Pedmore and bowled tidily but without success. Here at Enville, he was devastating, taking 4 for 18 in his four overs and leaving the Bedouins’ start to their innings in total disarray at 5 for 3 in the first three overs.

But to begin at the beginning, as Lewis Carroll would have it (these Bedouin reports get more and more learned as the weeks go by), Oldswinford batted first and got away to a great start, with both their opening batsmen reaching the 30-run retirement point. A total of 69 after 10 overs gave a hint that the Beds might again be facing a total of around 140 or more.

However, some tidy bowling in the second half of the innings (step forward Messrs Susman, Gregory, Smith (Martyn) and Lippitt) restricted the total to just 109 for 5. with Lippo taking 2 for 4 and Smith 2 for 10.

The Beds were delighted to welcome back Neill Smith, following his alarming excursion into the world of the NHS surgeon. He opened the batting with Andy Hill, but they, and Jack Stanier (son of) were all back in the pavilion in the first three overs. Richard Ferguson started the recovery, and Jono Hill made a welcome return to form with 33, backed up by Jon Stanier (23) and Lee Bywater (18) as a victory beckoned.

The last over arrived with the home side needing just 8 to win. Austin Gregory managed a boundary early in the over – bowled by that man Potter agin – but the Bedouins finished 2 runs short at 107 for 7.

A “first” for the Beds was the use of the newly installed electronic scoring system at Enville, enabling the scorers to sit wherever they please while still recording the score in lights on the old scorebox. Short on the ability to multi-skill, the chairman had the help of his beautiful assistant, John Branch AKA “Doris”, for this purpose. Apart from the occasional unexplained recalcitrant streak, the new system performed well, though some of us still hankered after the peace and quiet of the old box itself, plus the availability of its heater!

Oldswinford 109 for 5 (Lippitt 2 for 4, Smith M. 2 for 10)

Bedouins 107 for 7 (Hill J. 33, Stanier Jon 23, Bywater 18)

Bedouins v Oldswinford at Oldswinford, September 9th

Bedouins lost by 8 runs

“I know”, he said, “let’s have a decider with Oldswinford”.  The words of Jon Stanier, double agent. We fell for it. Bearing in mind that throughout this season Bedouins have contrived to make nothing out out something in the majority of games. All square in the series, we should have just left it at that.

So Bedouins traveled to Oldswinford on a Sunday afternoon for a 20/20 series decider, having actually managed to pull a decent team together. Oldswinford batted first and Bedouins had them on the ropes. It was looking good with the opposition four wickets down for not many thanks to a dynamite spell of bowling from Georgey. He finished with figures of 3 for 6 from his four overs and has truly found some good form again this season. At the other end Lee Bywater stormed in and was unlucky to finish with only one wicket from his four over spell.

Both bowlers were supported in the field by some brilliant fielding from Jono Hill. Feeling the effects from a football match in the morning, Jono continued with his athleticism by throwing himself around to save runs. Indeed he almost pulled off what would have been a strong contender for the best Bedouins catch ever, diving high and to his left goalkeeper-style (well, he is a goalkeeper) he took the ball one-handed only to have it dislodge when he hit the ground. Meanwhile Lippo took a sharp catch standing at square leg. Never in doubt.

Oldswinford’s lower order got them back into the game and despite the best efforts of ‘Dangerous’ David Pearson who snaffled two wickets in his four over spell, the batting side mustered 126, thanks largely to Georgey stepping over the ball twice in an attempt to stop it reaching the boundary. Hang on, we lost by 8 runs didn’t we?

Bedouins got off to a worrying start with John Howells being bowled for just one run. An uncharacteristic failure on his part after a strong season with the bat. So it was down to agent Stanier and Lippo to set about getting the runs. Both reached the retirement score of 30 and at this point Bedouins were looking good to reach their target. However, yet again after getting themselves into a good position, the game drifted away from them.

Susman was then given out lbw by agent Stanier, although to be fair, I did seem pretty plumb. He went for 14. Then Jono could consider himself rather unlucky to play on to a wide ball for a golden duck. After this Beds lost their momentum somewhat and the lower order were left with an impossible task.

Well, it was fun anyway. Talk in the dressing room was not so much about losing but how a game of cricket with the Bedouins just cheers you up, no matter what’s happening elsewhere in your life. Very true. Especially against a great bunch like Oldswinford. So agent Stanier, we forgive you. We won’t be interrogating you any further.

Oldswinford 126 for 7 (George 3 for 6, Pearson 2 for 22)

Bedouins 119 for 5 (Stanier 30, Lippit 33, Smith 16)

Bedouins v Ashby Albion at Enville, August 19

Bedouins lost by 2 wickets

After the euphoria (another word you don’t see very often in Bedouins reports) ….. After the euphoria (there it is again) of a win at Wombourne against Beacon – albeit a narrow one-run win – it was back to the old routine at Enville for a Sunday game against Ashby Albion and a defeat by two wickets. This was our first welcome for Jono’s football pals from Ashby de la Zouch and, as it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable encounters of the season, it may well ensure another similar visit next season, especially having raised £440 for the charity Ovarian Cancer Action in the process. This looks likely to be doubled to £880 by Lloyds Bank.

This was the last scheduled game of the 2018 season for the Beds and, like so many others, it was very much a case of “what might have been”. Another 20 or 30 runs could have made it “very interesting”, as they say. But the fact was that the Ashby opening bowlers were accurate enough to stifle the run rate and, with skipper John Branch not able to start the innings with his usual flurry of boundaries, the score limped along to no more than 20 after 10 overs.

By that time, fellow opener Andy Hill had been caught. Much to Hill junior’s regret, it was not a catch behind the stumps, where Jono was waiting, but at short mid-on. In due course, John Branch decided it was time to fall on his sword for the benefit of the team and therefore ensured that he got himself run out.

John Howells and Jon Stanier both took advantage of a good wicket and fast outfield to make steady progress to the 50 retirement point, the latter having hit 10 boundaries. Paul Lippitt just had time for a quickfire 24 not out before the innings closed at 168 for 2. Cue the wise old heads again nodding wisely and muttering that it was about 20 or 30 runs short.

Ashby Albion – on the face of it a team of footballers — had a couple of remarkably able cricketers to open the batting. Both hit 50s, in spite of another accurate opening spell from Lee Bywater, whose seven overs went for just 18 runs. At the other end Mike George completed a steady seven overs for 30 runs.

It was Adrian Susman (5 for 32, including two more stumpings by John Howells) and Jon Stanier (3 for17) who cashed in on some indifferent batting from the middle order and later batsmen, but the return of one of the openers signalled a late flurry of runs to take the total to a winning 171 for 8 with one over to spare.

The usual Sunday specials were served up for tea and cakes, and for post-match buffet, by Nicki and Jo, while Sam Chambers once more efficiently ran the bar for us. That left all players, plus other friends and supporters, to lend their weight to the charity collection, making a very satisfactory end to another season of Bedouins cricket – not the “winningest” season, it has to be said, but one that seemed to have been enjoyed in customary Bedouins fashion.

Bedouins 168 for 2 (Stanier 53, Howells 50, Lippitt 24 not out)

Ashby Albion 171 for 8 (Susman 5 for 32, Stanier 3 for 17)

Bedouins v Fossils at Birlingham, July 22^nd

Bedouins lost by 8 runs

In a season littered with “what might have beens”, the Bedouins travelled to the delightful Birlingham ground, near Pershore, for a Sunday afternoon game against the equally delightful Fossils XI and went down by just 8 runs. It was another of those defeats snatched from the jaws of victory and left some Beds scratching their heads (among other things), wondering how they had managed to concoct a defeat.

Certainly, you couldn’t put it down to poor bowling or poor fielding. Both were of a high standard, maintained for 40 overs during the heat of a sunny July afternoon. Spratters made a welcome return to his full run-up and full speed, and trudged off into the deep after five overs that produced just 11 runs and one wicket. Skipper Lee Bywater, at the other end, bowled out his allocation of eight overs for a measly 25 runs and one wicket.

The Welsh wizard, Gareth Callow, emerged blinking from the depths of a valleys coalpit, to make a long awaited return to Beds colours, and, after an unpromising start, completed eight steady overs for 22 runs and two wickets, both clean-bowled. Those of us who had hoped that his idiosyncratic run-up wouldn’t have changed were not to be disappointed – it still keeps the batsmen guessing.

Dave Pearson made another lengthy round trip to turn out for the Bedouins and made a telling contribution to keeping the run-rate down. Seven overs, 1 for 24 was his just reward. At the other end Adrian Susman was bowling the occasional unplayable ball, his eight overs going for 33 runs. But it was left to Paul Lippitt to mop up the late wickets; he kept his nerve as the batsmen tried to accelerate the score in the final overs, and his fair impression of Shane Warne resulted in figures of 4 for 33.

To restrict the home side to 167 for 9 in 40 overs was no mean feat. Pity, then, that the batting, which started off so promisingly, couldn’t match up. John Howells made another telling contribution, making 42 runs at the top of the order. He was partnered by Adrian Susman, who did the bulk of the scoring (36 including six boundaries) in an opening partnership of 64 but succumbed finally to the heat and tiredness in trying a mighty swish to a straight ball, only to hear the clatter of wickets.

Thereafter, Paul Lippitt made 29 – all either boundaries or singles – and several others likewise did their best to get the run rate up to just over four an over, as required. But wickets fell in the chase, and finally the Bedouins finished eight runs short of their target of 168.

All in all, an enjoyable afternoon in perfect summer weather (as long as you could get in the shade of a tree), against a team who have a similar philosophy about the great game as do the Bedouins.

Fossils 167 for 9 (Lippitt 4 for 33, Spratley 1 for 11, Callow 2 for 22, Bywater 1 for 25, Pearson 1 for 24)

Bedouins 159 for 6 (Howells 42, Susman 36, Lippitt 29, Callow 12, Bate 10)

Bedouins v Belbroughton Strollers at Enville, July 18^th

Bedouins lost by 24 runs

How often have you heard it? Cricket sages pontificating that “Catches win matches”. Well, as the old song would have it “It ain’t necessarily so” That point was well made in the Beds’ latest attempt to resurrect a largely losing season. The meeting with Belbroughton Strollers was notable for two of the best catches seen at a Bedouins game for many a long day, both completed by the always enthusiastic Mejdi Mabrouk – the first a running one-handed effort, plucked out of the air, and the second, even better, a dive at short extra-cover to take it one-handed, an inch or two from the ground. And this from someone who arrived at Enville complaining of a bad back!

What a pity, then, that two such outstanding pieces of athleticism (when did you last see that word “athleticism” used in a Beds report?) were not rewarded with a Bedouins win. On a hard wicket and with a straw-coloured outfield, it should have been a high-scoring game, but both sides produced accurate bowling, leading to totals of 120 and 96.

Belbroughton Strollers (supplemented by a couple of youngsters following late withdrawals) batted first and found Mike George and Lee Bywater in continued good form with the ball, as they restricted the visitors to 48 off the first eight overs. In spite of his reported ongoing problems in the groinal area, Georgey returned the excellent figures of 2 for 17, while Big Lee bagged 2 for 25.

Wickets fell regularly, including the two bits of Mejdi magic, and at 57 for 7 things were looking good for the Beds. But the later batsmen got things moving and the innings closed at 120 for 9. There were wickets, too, for Austin Gregory, Adrian Susman, and guest Martin Smith. Jono Hill brought along his mate (yes, he does have one) Jake Somerville and he weighted in with two overs for just 5 runs, including only one run in the 19^th of the 20 overs.

And still the Bedouins managed to contrive to lose, even though chasing a moderate total of 120. With three early wickets going down in the first six overs, and with the total on just 24, John Howells, who had already completed two stumpings to add to his impressive total of dismissals, was left to try to put things right. Trouble was, the bowlers and fielders were not willing to let him.

Joined by Ray Bate, he managed just a couple of boundaries in his 25, while his partner (hereafter know as the “singular” Ray Bate) consistently pushed the bowling around to record a not out score of 20 – all in singles, some kind of Bedouins record surely.

In spite of some hefty blows from Lee Bywater at the end (27 not out), the Beds fell 24 short of the target at 96 for 4.

Belbroughton Strollers 120 for 9 (George 2 for 17, Bywater 2 for 25, Gregory 2 for 21, Susman

1 for 21, Smith 1 for 14)

Bedouins 96 for 4 (Howells 25, Bywater 27 not out, Bate 20 not out).

Bedouins v Enville at Enville, July 4^th

Bedouins lost by five wickets

After his enforced absence, owing to problems in the leg department, Bedouins skipper John Branch is back in fine form, in spite of continuing to do his fair impression of Long John Silver. Opening the batting with fellow returnee and “Ow, me back!” sufferer Andy Hill, JB rattled off a quick 30 (retired) by the fifth over, as the Beds batted first against an Over-45s version of Enville cricketers.

With Branchy back in the pavilion, having hit seven boundaries in his 30 runs and Andy Hill also dismissed, it was Lee Bywater (who might have been expected to suffer nosebleeds, he was so high up in the batting order) and Jono Hill who carried on the good work, with plenty more boundaries and some quick-run singles.

Big Lee eventually went for 26, including five boundaries, while Jono went on to the 30-run retirement point, having also hit five boundaries.

Thereafter, it was not until the unlikely eighth-wicket pairing of John Howells (11 not out) and Adrian Susman (14) that much further progress was made. When the latter was out going for a big hit, the skipper returned to the crease and was promptly out first ball, and Jono Hill, with just one ball to face, added a further three to his own total.

What had promised to be an exceptional Beds score in the first half-dozen overs, rather fell away to finish at 142 for 8. Wise old heads shook, muttering once again about being “about 20 runs short”.

The Enville response was as capable as expected from a bunch of “regular’ cricketers. Neill Smith, however, was unlucky to be run out early on, after a smart bit of fielding by Jono Hill (that man again). Smithy had been transferred from the Beds to the Enville side, for an exorbitant fee, late in the day. After just the one innings, he has been cruelly cast out as additional to requirements, but will be welcomed back to the warm comfort of the Beds’ bosom – although at a reduced salary, of course.

Most of the Enville batsmen made a reasonable contribution and, although starting more slowly than the Bedouins batsmen, they kept up fairly well with the required run rate, reaching a winning 143 for 5 in the19th over. Best bowling came from Lee Bywater with 2 for 15 and Jono Hill (that man yet again) with 2 for 21.

Bedouins 142 for 8 (J. Hill 33, Branch 30, Bywater 26, Susman 14, Howells 11 not out)

Enville 143 for 5 (Bywater 2 for 15, J. Hill 2 for 21)

Bedouins v Beacon at Wombourne, July 25th

Bedouins won by 1 run

Yippee! A win. OK, only by 1 run, but a win nonetheless. Matches between the Bedouins and Beacon have a habit of producing close finishes. And they don’t come much closer than this one. The late-season fixture meant a number of late changes owing to holiday commitments, and those drafted in helped towards a good all-round performance from the Bedouins.

The Wombourne wicket was looking flat and hard, and stand-in skipper John Howells seemed pretty pleased to have first use of it. Paul Lippitt and J.J. Smith (son of Neill and no mean cricketing talent – breed ’em well in the Smith household) opened the batting, and the latter was soon hitting boundaries to all corners. He retired in the 7th over, having hit six boundaries in his 31. Lippo went on to a well constructed 30 before also retiring.

Jono Howells (son of) had four boundaries in his 18, while the old man made 19 not out. Adrian Susman was again in good form, hitting 26, including one huge six. But, for many, star of the show was Tony Hancock, who not only hit a superb cover boundary first ball, but went on to smite his first ever six, straight into the canal. In the last over, Austin Gregory just got in, to face two balls and hit the final one for a boundary, which was to prove vital later on.

The result of all this was a Bedouins total of 150 for 5.

As usual at Wombourne, a good crowd of Beacon members had turned up to cheer the home side on, and batsmen came and went and all displayed sound batting technique. However, the 30 retirement point restrained one or two who looked pretty expert (surely not one or two first team players?), and some good Beds fielding contributed too.

Only two wickets were taken – one each for Jon Stanier and Adrian Susman – but the lively fielding restricted the scoring, and the final over arrived with Beacon needing just nine runs for victory. Occasional Bedouin Mick Robertson was bowling, and his accuracy proved vital, as the batsmen were restricted to just seven runs, giving the Bedouins a one-run victory.

Another good encounter with Beacon, and this time it was the Beds who came out on top. A welcome win in a season dominated by mostly narrow defeats.

Bedouins 150 for 5 (Lippitt 30, J. Smith 31, Susman 26, John Howells 19 not out, Jono Howells 18, Hancock 13)

Beacon 149 for 2 (Stanier 1 for 29, Susman 1 for 38)

Bedouins v Celebs at Enville, July 1^st

Bedouins lost by 7 wickets

Phew – what a scorcher! After many months in the planning, the only plan that could not be guaranteed was the weather. For once, the weather gods smiled, and the day was sun-drenched for this special celebratory match between the Beds and the Insurance Celebs XI. Mr Chairman had a broad grin on his face throughout the day, as he relished his 24-hour release from the confines of the score box, giving him the chance to celebrate his 80^th birthday and mingle. And mingle he did!

Not only that, but it was also a game he couldn’t lose. As well as being chairman of the Bedouins, he is president of the Celebs, so a win either way could result in a jolly “Well done, my lads” from him.

The fact is that the Bedouins came up against a team that contained no fewer than three sons of Celebs, who not only brought the average crashing down, but also ensured them a decent bit of bowling and a pretty good bit of batting too.

The Bedouins welcomed back skipper JB after a somewhat lengthy lay-off with a damaged fetlock. His movement between the wickets may still not have been the sharpest, but he showed no loss of batting technique in hitting 43 before retiring and walking – very slowly – from the field, having registered a labour-saving nine boundaries in his innings (83.7%).

Fellow opener Andy Hill, himself no stranger to the physio’s ministrations, also favoured boundaries to singles and hit four of them in his 17 runs before being bowled. He was followed by John Howells, who displayed his customary mix of immaculate forward defensive with some silky drives in hitting 33.

After a couple of quick wickets, it was left to Paul Lippitt (24 not out) and Lee Bywater (15 not out) to put on around 40 runs, to take the total to a competitive 182 for 5, the match having been reduced to 30-overs-a-side, owing to the tropical heat.

The Celebs team contained a few younger members, who were largely instrumental in the visitors reaching a winning total for the loss of just three wickets. Young Ben Oakley showed his dad the way with a patient 42 retired, having opened the batting. The fireworks came from Ryan Thorpe (another “son of … “), whose physique gave a hint of what was to come; he retired on 42, having hit seven boundaries and a six.

Among the bowlers, there were two wickets for Mike George and one for Adrian Susman. David Pearson made one of his very welcome trips from “oop north” to complete five overs (4.5 overs more than he completed last year, when he “went in the leg” after one ball).

The Celebs made 185 for 3, to complete a seven-wicket win.

Chairman’s Note: My thanks to all those who took part and who came to watch and engage in a fair bit of “Do you remember when … ?” The “girls” did a wonderful job of catering for the hordes, and Sam was kept beavering away behind the bar. At the end of play the Beds made a presentation to the elderly gent – a superb cartoon-type portrait by Geoff Tristram – and he went home as happy as Larry. Great day!

Bedouins 182 for 5 (Branch 43, Howells 33, Lippitt 24 not out, A. Hill 17, Bywater 15 not out)

Celebs 185 for 3 (George 2 for 30, Susman 1 for 29)