The Bedouins continued their run of good results with a 6-wicket win over Austin’s Army (fresh from its Wollaston barracks) on a Wednesday evening in which the light faded late on quite dramatically and a little more readily than the Army’s hopes of a victory. It was one of the Beds’ better run chases; they rarely achieve a total of 123 to win successfully but did so here with 5 balls to spare.

Field-Marshall Austin Gregory led his army to its 20-over total of 122 for 4, making a classy 30 before retiring to the mess room (or should that be “men’s room”?). For the Beds, Paul “Sticky Fingers” Lippitt enhanced his already considerable reputation as a reliable outfielder, with a couple of catches that many a Bedouin might have spilled.

There was a wicket apiece for Mike George, Mick Robertson, Adrian Susman and Richard Spratley, and a catch for stand-in keeper Neill Smith.

Paul Lippitt continued his good form with the bat, hitting 33 before retiring. He got the innings under way with 8 runs from the first 4 balls of the first over. All were run twos, and residents of the pavilion swore that they heard an “Oh no, not again” from a somewhat breathless Neill Smith as he was called on to get his legs in gear for the fourth brace.

Jon Stanier contributed a welcome 25, establishing some kind of a record by including the Beds’ first ever reverse-sweep. “Not like that in my day.” With our very own version of “Beefy”, Lee Bywater, hitting a huge 6 in his 17 and Adrian Susman withstanding what is now popularly known as “scoreboard pressure” in making 22 not out, the Beds were able to reach 123 for 4 with five balls to spare.

Austin’s Army 122 for 4 (Robertson 1 for 12, Susman 1 for 15, Spratley 1 for 15, George 1 for 27)

Bedouins 123 for 4 (Lippitt 33, Stanier 25, Susman 22 not out, Bywater 17)

Bedouins v Fossils at Enville

July 28^th, 2019 – Bedouins won by 4 wickets

After a week in which headline writers were hugging themselves with glee as “Britain baked” under clear blue skies and in record temperatures, come the weekend and the Bedouins were due to meet the Fossils again in the return match at Enville, it became far more a matter of:

R is for rain that’s falling again

And shiny streaks on the window pane

And we can’t go out, but I’m trying to think

That it’s nice for the fields to be getting a drink.

And if I keep on watching, perhaps by and by

A rainbow will come and brighten the sky.

There – isn’t that nice? Not particularly appropriate to a report of a cricket match, but nice nevertheless.

It rained all day Saturday and was still drizzling Sunday morning. Should we go ahead or not? That was the question. But thanks to the increasingly strong bond between the Enville groundsman and our head of watery wickets, Adrian Susman, we decided to take a chance on things improving during the day.

Fortune favours the brave and, with the Fossils showing commendable patience while keeping the teapot busy, a shortened game was able to start about an hour late. Fossils had first use of a wicket where the covers had done their job well. The Beds’ opening bowlers, Adrian Susman and Mike George, were both in mean mood, the former going for just 10 runs in his 6 overs and the latter taking 1 for 14 in his.

Here we must enter an apology for Georgey. Mike was incorrectly stated in our previous report as being 99. He is not, of course. Therefore, apologies, Mike, we forgot about the leap year!

Join Stanier had two wickets and Mick Robertson one, while Paul Lippitt, who took a wicket with the first ball he bowled, completed just 1 over for 3 runs at the end. All of which gave the Fossils an acceptable score of exactly 100 for 5 in 35 overs.

The Beds lost 6 wickets in reaching their target in the 24^th over – all clean-bowled (when did the Beds last lose all wickets clean-bowled). It was all pretty relaxed, as the score mounted at just about the required 4 runs an over. Then Tony Hancock, enjoying the heady heights of number three in the batting, fell to an unlucky dismissal – at least, that’s what he says – when the ball came off his bat on to his toe, up his arm and on to the top of a bail. Sounds pretty straightforward to me!

John Howells was proceeding serenely to 26 before being bowled, but big Lee Bywater was in no mood to hang arouind, hitting three 4s and two 6s in his 34, and it was left to Adrian Susman to round things off with 12 not out. Another win in an increasingly successful season for the Bedouins.

Fossils 100 for 5 (George 1 for 14, Stanier 2 for 20, Robertson 1 for 31, Lippitt 1 for 3)

Bedouins 101 for 6 (Bywater 34, Howells 26, Susman 12 not out, Lippitt 11)

Bedouins v Enville at Enville

July 17^th 2019 – Bedouins lost by 30 runs

It is a basic principle of the ageless and immutable law of landlord and tenant that the landlord should always win in the end. It would be taxing the memories of Bedouins cricketers to recall the last time that we (the tenants) got the better of Enville (the landlords) in a 20-over encounter on a Wednesday evening. It must be many years ago.

No matter. The lengthy series of matches between the teams has always been conducted in the appropriate manner, respecting the basics of the great game but relying more on the enjoyment of the occasion than on the result. Which is just as well, because the Beds always seem to contrive to snatch a defeat. And so it was on their most recent encounter, the Beds losing by 30 runs.

A cursory glance at the scorebook will give a clue as to the reason for the defeat. At halfway Enville had a score of 59 for 4; at the same point the Beds had a score of 55 for 4. But the tenants could not match the acceleration found by the landlords and finished 30 runs short of Enville’s 141 for 6.

When the home team’s innings started, it was the perennial (something to do with flowers, isn’t it?) Mike George whose customary accuracy produced figures of 1 for 12 in 4 overs – pretty good for a 99-year-old! At the other end Spratters’ slowish slow stuff also produced a wicket, though somewhat more expensively.

Austin Gregory began his “Man of the match” performance with 4 tidy overs for just 15 runs, and there was a wicket apiece for Paul Lippitt and Jono Hill – the latter an lbw from the first ball he bowled, but downhill a bit after that, wasn’t it Jono? Most successful of the bowlers was Martyn Smith, who took great delight in dismissing two of his erstwhile Enville colleagues.

Smithy rubbed it in by then opening the Beds batting and hitting 20 runs before falling lbw. The main contribution came from Austin Gregory, who retired with 31 to his name. There were also double-figure scores for Adrian Susman, John Howells and Tony Hancock – our beloved treasurer displaying “exquisite timing” (that’s the way they put it in the dailies’ sports pages, isn’t it?) in stroking two boundaries before a rush of blood to the head.

So the law of landlord and tenant played out in its usual fashion, with the Beds going down by 30 runs; but with any luck it should have ensured that the landlords won’t be putting our rent up any time soon!

Enville 141 for 6 (M. Smith 2 for 32, George 1 for 12, Spratley 1 for 37, Lippitt 1 for 13, J. Hill 1 for 16)

Bedouins 111 for 6 (Gregory 31, M. Smith 20, Susman 12, Hancock 11, Howells 10)

Bedouins v Fossils at Birlingham

July 14^th, 2019 – Bedouins won by 111 runs

“Engerland swings like a pendulum do; Bobbies on bicycles two by two” – shows how long ago those were the words of a current pop song (a major prize for anyone who can name the perpetrator of this 1960s hit, without looking it up). But “Engerland” definitely did swing on one famous weekend in July 2019.

In-car on the way to Birlingham, Aggers was on the radio saying words to the effect of “What a weekend of sport. England v New Zealand in the cricket World Cup Final at Lords; Federer v Djokovic in the men’s final at Wimbledon; F1 British Gand Prix at Silverstone (AKA the Lewis Hamilton procession); and the World Netball Finals.” What he forgot to mention was the Bedouins playing against the Fossils. Tut tut, Aggers.

It’s always a pleasure to be on the beautiful Birlingham ground, and to be meeting our good friends from the Fossils. We fielded a strong batting line-up, which, as it turned out, performed pretty much to its potential; and our bowling attack wasn’t that dusty either. As for the fielding – well, there weren’t too many dropped catches this time.

Batting first, the Beds got off to a cracking start, with Paul Lippitt and Andy Hill putting on 50 runs for the first wicket in just 7 overs before Lippo went for 21. Hill senior, now joined by Hill junior, stayed true to his belief that running between wicket is for numpties, hitting 8 boundaries in his retirement score of 41 – a total that was matched by Jono Hill, who did his best to match the old man’s prowess with 6 boundaries.

Lee Bywater was fresh from his prodigious efforts the previous day for Oldswinford CC, when he hit 130-plus not out at Pedmore, and carried on the good work with 40 retired. Not to be outdone, Adrian Susman also reached the 40-run retirement score and, with Jono’s mate Jake Somerville hitting a late six, the total finished on a healthy 231 for 6 after 35 overs. The Beds’ 29 boundaries and one 6 must surely constitute some kind of record?

So the batting was good – but there was a “Man of the match” performance in the bowling of “Dangerous” Dave Pearson, who had made his usual devoted trek for a Beds Sunday game and was rewarded with two wickets in two balls and an overall analysis of 2 for 19 in 7 overs. Don’t know what he’s on, but many of us would like some of it.

There was a wicket apiece for Messrs Somerville, Susman, and Stanier, with 7 parsimonious (look it up) overs from Mick Robertson for just 15 runs. At the end, Fossils were well short of the target at 120 for 5. And that got us all off the pitch just in time to see the drama of the tie-break over that resulted in an England win in the World Cup. Quite a day!

Bedouins 231 for 6 (A. Hill 41, J. Hill 41, Bywater 40, Susman 40, Lippitt 21)

Fossils 120 for 5 (Pearson 2 for 19, Somerville 1 for 23, Susman 1 for 24, Stanier 1 for 27)

Bedouins v Oldswinford at Oldswinford

July 10^th 2019 – Bedouins lost by 2 runs

The title for this report is taken from words uttered by Rich Ferguson as Bedouins clapped their victorious opponents off the pitch. He was right. Bedouins lost by 2 runs when with four overs to go in their innings, they looked favourites to go on and win the game.

It was a makeshift Bedouins team that gathered at Oldswinford for the third encounter with these opponents this season. After this game they’ll be singing “can we play you every week”. The Beds were without the likes of Hill Snr, Howells, Stanier, Smith N., Hancock and Potter, so again secured the services of Dan Rock and Rich Hall.

The Skipper’s mate Craig Aston made up the numbers. He needed a pair of cricket trousers so he was presented with what used to be Rob Lock’s old kit. Unfortunately they didn’t inspire him to bat like ‘The Flashing Blade’ with his lusty cover drives, but for me it was a poignant moment. Those trousers have been in my bag since Rob passed away and I can’t bring myself to get rid of them, so there they’ll stay.

Beds fielded first, starting with nine men as Rock and Hall (sound like a pair of detectives) were racing up from Gloucester. Oldswinford scored steadily on a wicket that offered bounce and turn. Bywater struck the first blow, having an Olswinford opener caught behind. With Howells absent Hill Jnr took over the gloves and took a sharp catch, also going on to take a couple of nifty stumpings later in the innings.

Skipper Bywater bowled just 2 overs before giving way with a side strain. On the whole the rest of the bowling attack kept things pretty tight and Oldswinford finished with 117.

The Bedouins reply got underway with Lippitt and Smith M. at the crease although it wasn’t long before both were back in the pavilion with Lippitt driving the ball straight to waiting hands at mid-off and Smith M. falling LBW.

Hill Jnr looked in a confident mood and had just made it to double figures when he too was caught. With 29 off the first eight overs, the Beds needed to find a way to get the scoreboard moving. The skipper led from the front and unleashed some aggressive big hitting, well backed up by Rich Hall at the other end.

By the time both men retired on 30 the score had reached 95 in the 15^th over and The Beds looked good to go on and win. And cue the disintegration. Rock, Ferguson, Susman and Sprately all departed in quick succession, leaving Skipper’s mate Aston at one end. George was run out, meaning the Skipper was back to the crease. With him there to face the last ball and needing six to win or a four for the tie, the rest of the team held their breath. Bat connected with ball and it so very nearly got Beds the tie but a last gasp bit of fielding from one of Agent Stanier’s offspring saved the day for Oldswinford.

Another close game between two competitive sides but as usual, but played in the friendly spirit we’ve come to expect. We’ll look forward to some revenge next season.

Oldswinford 117 for 4 (Bywater 1for 17, George 0 for 12, Susman 1 for 14, Smith M 1 for 31)

Bedouins 115 for 8 (Bywater 30, Hall 30, Hill Jnr 10).

Bedouins v Oldswinford at Enville

June 23^rd 2019 – No result – rain

What could be better than a lovely afternoon at the beautiful Enville ground, with two teams intent on a friendly but competitive game of cricket, interspersed with good food served by the Bedouette lovelies?

Most of those components were present when the Bedouins took on Oldswinford at Enville on a Sunday afternoon in June. The only one that was missing was the essential fine weather. Starting in dull and drab conditions, the game went on for 30-odd overs of the Oldswinford innings before the weather finally decided it was time to take a hand and the rain came down to bring proceedings to a premature close.

The Oldswinford innings got under way with Spratters – who had taken the precaution of leaving his famously inaccurate weather app at home – returning to his customary opening bowler role, following his previous excursion to the heady heights of number three batsman. He it was who took the first wicket – which was also the last, as it turned out – in the seventh over.

At the other end, Lee Bywater was bowling with great accuracy until his last two overs, when the exertions of the previous day’s game, playing for the self-same Oldswinford side, started to take their toll.

That hardy old perennial, Mike George, was bowling well at the other end by then, completing his seven overs of accurate medium pace (can we really still call it “medium”, Mike?) for a miserly 14 runs. Along the way, he almost completed one of those spectacular c&b efforts for which he is not particularly noted, finishing in a heap on the wicket and taking an embarrassingly long time to get up again.

Another to make an occasional, but very welcome, appearance for the Beds bowling unit was David Pearson, who had, as usual for Sunday cricket, made the considerable round trip from home “oop north”, to join his old Bedouin friends. Having seen his pain-filled efforts to turn his arm over in warm-up before the game, it was remarkable that he kept going for five overs, only suffering a bit of a hammering towards the end.

Adrian Susman had creditable figures of 0 for 27 in 7 overs and Jon Stanier was just getting going when the rain came down.

At the early end to the game, Oldswinford were on 190 for 1 and a challenging total was in prospect for the Beds, who had been their own worst enemies with several dropped catches. Two benefits of the early finish, though – 1. an early opportunity to sample delicious cakes, followed by a welcome buffet; and 2. the Beds now able to boast a “three-game non-losing sequence” Always look on the bright side of life!

Oldswinford 190 for 1 (Spratley 1 for 27)

Bedouins v Beacon at Enville

June 19^th, 2019 – Bedouins won by 24 runs

The streets are decorated with colourful bunting; all police leave has been cancelled for crowd control duties; the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band will lead the victory parade, with the Beds waving to the masses from the open-top bus.

But, hold on a minute ….. Word is just coming through that the bus won’t start; the brass band has put away its oompah-pahs; the bunting is coming down; and the police are returning to what passes for normal duties. It’s been decided that perhaps a winning run of just two games does not quite justify the time and expense of a victory parade. They clearly don’t know just what two consecutive wins mean in Bedouin terms!

The cause of celebration was the Beds’ second consecutive win of the season, against Beacon at Enville. It was a good all-round performance from the home team, with a decent 24-run margin for Big Lee’s “boys”.

The accolade of Man of the Match was hard to decide for the adjudication committee (AKA the chairman). However, a decision was reached – so step forward Paul C. Lippitt. He continued a good season with the bat, making 28 (including four boundaries and two Lippo dabs) as opener before being judged LBW. In the field he took the only catch to be held – seven others were clean-bowled – and topped it all off by conceding just 2 runs in the last over.

Lippo’s LBW brought Neill Smith plus our newly recruited number three batsman, Richard Spratley – now holder of the cherished sobriquet of The Flashing Blade – together for a 56-run second-wicket stand that included one of those cherished Beds moments. A push into the covers provoked a disagreement as to whether there was a single to be had or not. The two had a conversation about it mid-pitch for a while before deciding to return to the sanctuary of the batting crease. Meantime, the Beacon fielders were so pre-occupied with the mid-pitch discussion that they forgot to throw the ball in, to run someone out.

Spratley went on to a sprightly (geddit? – spritely Spratley!) 9, while Smith included four boundaries in reaching the 30-run retirement point. Skipper Bywater added some impetus to the innings with three consecutive blows for 4, 6 and 6, before being dismissed for 25. Thereafter, Jon Stanier did his batting average no harm with 14 not out, as the innings ended on 112 for 7.

The Beacon reply started with one in the eye for Kevin Potter – literally. After completing just one over, he was forced from the field with a wayward insect obstructing his vision. But the rest of the Bedouins attack coped pretty well without him. Led by that man Lee Bywater again (3 for 17) and Adrian Susman (3 for 7 in 4 overs), well supported by Mick Robertson (2 for 17), the Beds ran out comfortable winners by 24 runs. Yippee!

Bedouins 112 for 7 (N. Smith 31, Lippitt 28, Bywater 25, Stanier 14 not out)

Beacon 88 for 9 (Susman 3 for 7, Bywater 3 for 17, Robertson 2 for 17, Gregory 1 for 11)

Bedouins v Kinlet at Enville

June 5^th, 2019 – Bedouins won by 10 wickets

Apologies, dear reader, for “alliteration’s artful aid” in the headline to this report. But at least it draws attention to the recent upturn in fortunes for the Bedouins’ beloved leader, Lee Bywater, who, in one week, survived the emotions of watching his Liverpool team triumph in the Champions Cup final against Tottenham – and “emotion” was apparently the right word – then led his Bedouins team to a 10-wicket win over our old friends from Kinlet. But don’t get too carried away with the 10-wicket margin; it was somewhat closer than that makes it sound.

This was a re-arranged game, the previous season-opener for Beds v Kinlet having been washed away in all-day rain. It was a matter of great good fortune that we were able to come up with a mutually convenient alternative – we don’t like having to miss out on an evening in the jovial company of the Kinlet “boys”.

In relating the main events of the evening, it may well appear that nepotism reigns supreme. But it’s unavoidable, when Adrian Susman got his old mojo back in working order, to take all four wickets that fell during the visitors’ innings; then following that up with a 32 retired that contained a couple of back-foot shots through the covers that reminded so many Bedouins of similar shots all those years ago by his father – or at least they reminded his father of shots like that!

Kinlet made a lightning start to their innings, turning up with an opening batsman who had clearly played a much higher grade of cricket, stroked the ball to all parts of the ground and, fortunately for the Beds, reached the 30-run retirement point in double quick time. Numbers two and three were hardly less restrained as they both made their 30s before retiring. After 10 overs, the Kinlet total had advanced to 85 for no wicket and the Bedouins were facing a tough run-chase.

However, Jon Stanier was accurate enough to stem the tide, and at the other end Adrian Susman was mopping up 4 for 16, including two stumpings by the ageless John Howells.

With only half as many runs in the second 10 overs of their 20-over innings, Kinlet finished on 127 for 4.

Paul Lippitt and that man again, Susman, opened the Beds’ innings and made a brisk start, with Lippo including one six and three boundaries in his 30 (it was noted by the remaining Beds, that the cherished “Lippo dab” was used to good effect in the first over and this time actually resulted in a run). Jon (Broadbent) Stanier carried on the good work when Adrian Susman retired, and he was accompanied by a rampant – yes, rampant – Jono Hill, who hit three boundaries, then followed up with two consecutive sixes to retire with 30 to his name.

The first ball of the final over produced a boundary and gave the Bedouins a rare 10-wicket victory.

Kinlet 127 for 4 (Susman 4 for 16)

Bedouins 128 for 0 (Lippitt 30, Susman 32, Hill j. 30, Stanier 26 not out)

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)