BBC Caversham (A) – 8.5.10

Saturday afternoon at the BBC and, although the rain mostly stayed away, it was widely agreed that this was the coldest any of us had ever been on a cricket pitch. As the match got underway and the rest of us huddled around a lit cigarette for warmth, we gave thanks for the wonderful game.

The afternoon began with a wardrobe malfunction as opening batsman Ward’s trouser cord bit the dust. When Tranter lost the toss and was asked to bat first, a replacement pair was found courtesy of number 11 Withers, the least likely to be inconvenienced.

The trousers proved to be of great assistance to Ward, as did the BBC’s bowling and field placing. With each leg-side delivery Ward could play behind square leg safe in the knowledge that a) no fielder would be there to stop it and b) his trolleys wouldn’t drop to his ankles as soon as he set off for a run. With the new, confident Eagle continuing where he left off at Farley Hill (assisted by several dropped catches) RUASCC’s opening partnership raced past 50.

Soon the bowling started to improve and Eagle was given LBW having reached 31 to bring to an end an excellent stand. It’s not every day you get to see Eagle and Ward make 69 together.

New man Dip hooked his first delivery for four as the impressive run rate was maintained, and RUASCC passed 100 without further loss. Ward moved from 37 to 53 with four fours and the trousers celebrated their second career half-century.

With the score on 125, Dip successfully replicated his dismissal two weeks ago when he skied a shot that invited almost anyone on the field to catch him out. Dersh, soon followed, bowled for 1 and Loader was back even quicker, caught off a leading edge for a first ball duck.

More wickets followed as Chan (11) and Zia (2) tried to make a final push for quick runs, and after some more big shots Ward was eventually bowled for a fantastic 90, his highest ever score. It is a source of great pride to be able to say that Ward got the runs in my trousers.

Skipper Tranter started positively with a boundary but was caught soon afterwards and RUASCC declared on 164-8.

The BBC reply started slowly, got slower, briefly looked as if it was about to pick up, slowed down again, slowed down even more then went to sleep at about 6.30pm.

Withers (now reacquainted with all his clothes) and Main opened the bowling and nothing very exciting happened before Withers was driven for four in the seventh over. Two balls later a low full toss on leg-stump produced the first wicket, and when Zia was introduced a few overs later another low full toss produced the second, Withers taking the catch at square leg.

Zia’s irresistible ten-over spell garnered two more wickets for only seven runs – one an LBW shout that seemed a fraction high and the other a frantic, scrambling catch by Main at leg-slip. Then the afternoon turned slightly surreal as Dersh was given a bowl and, finding some turn and bounce, he took a wicket in each of his first two overs (one a juggled catch by Ward, the other taken by Ashman at square-leg).

BBC had long given up the run chase and seemed content simply to have surpassed their previous lowest total against us (27). With just over 50 on the board, and a Canadian lady in at number 8, Tranter brought himself on to bowl and started with a Harmison-style wide to second slip.

The Skipper soon found his line and dispatched both the Canadian and her batting partner thanks to two more catches by the bucket-handed Bruce at mid-on. And Trant wasn’t finished there – a diving catch by Chan in the covers gave the Silver Fox three wickets for just four runs.

Chan himself sent down a couple of tidy overs without success before Main and Withers were given the task of finishing the job. However, the last pair managed to negotiate four more overs (and some hefty LBW appeals) to earn the draw.

BBC’s total of 65-9 was four runs fewer than RUASCC’s opening partnership.


RUASCC Highlight: Our catching – seven in all!

RUASCC Man of the Match: Dersh, Zia and Tranter get a mention for their bowling performances, as does Ward for a superb personal-best knock. But with 90 runs, one wicket and one catch the undoubted winners this week are my trousers.

RUASCC Team: Ward, Eagle, Dip (wkt), Dersh, Loader, Chan, Zia, Main, Tranter (capt), Ashman, Withers