Portsmouth (A) – 8.8.10

Portsmouth 182-7
Main 4-36, Baker 1-12

RUASCC 157-7
Main 63, Baker 41

MATCH DRAWN

The only cricket match of the 2010 RUASCC Tour produced a performance that was, as you may have already noticed, dominated to a large extent by Bruce Main and Johnny Baker. In addition to their rather helpful batting and bowling they each also took a catch, just in case you were worried they didn’t get involved enough.

On Sunday morning a message came from Portsmouth to say they were putting out a weaker-than-expected side, mostly consisting of colts supported by a couple of 2nd team players. Similarly RUASCC were also putting out a weaker-than-expected side: RUASCC.

Due to the cancellation at Southampton on Friday the touring side approached this game fit and well-rested. Or at least they would have done had Chan not ruptured his Achilles tendon playing golf on Saturday; or if Eagle, Ward, Young Sam and Withers hadn’t been out entertaining the sailors on Gun Wharf Quay until 2am Sunday morning; or if Ken hadn’t over-exerted himself by staying awake in the hotel bar till almost 6pm. Fortunately, Bruce Main and Johnny Baker were fit and well-rested.

On arrival at the ground, directly next to the sea, RUASCC engaged in an intense and at times brutal net session with Main showing his intent to cause pain by aiming a bouncer at Ward’s sweatband-covered head. Young Sam managed to bowl the ball backwards and Ashman found some swing he didn’t know existed. This was followed by some intense catching practice with Ward and Chan belting cricket balls all over the field for Main to chase - and all this was achieved while trying to make sure the roaming black Labrador didn’t urinate on our vulnerable cricket bags.

It was something of a relief when the home side eventually arrived just before 2pm and it was of course no surprise that Trant lost the toss and was asked to field. Main and Baker opened the bowling on a decent pitch and Main bagged the first wicket when one of the few Portsmouth adults played onto his stumps. With a quick outfield the ball had to be bowled in the right place and Baker’s spell from the other end was especially frugal: seven overs cost only 12 runs and he picked up a wicket of his own thanks to a sharp catch by Young Sam standing up.

Main’s second wicket came off a leading edge that was caught safely by Withers at mid-wicket, then Baker was replaced by Withers and he helped out the new bowler with a tidy catch at point which absolutely nobody congratulated him for. Portsmouth Youth were 54-4 scoring fewer than three runs per over and there was a suggestion that perhaps we should ease off the gas a little to make a game of it. Then Portsmouth Youth stepped on the gas.

A partnership of 99 followed as Withers was hit for a straight six and several other boundaries while the fielders tried without much success to stem the flow of quick runs. Opening batsman Goddard passed fifty and had the greater share of the strike and not even Stewart’s accuracy and surprising bounce could dislodge the pair. It took The Good Dr Ashman to finally remove Goddard for 85 – Young Sam taking the catch despite the batsman’s attempt to block his run. 153-5.

Main returned for the final few overs and was involved in the game’s most fascinating incident: one delivery was slashed high into the air half way down the wicket and several calls were heard – Main shouted for it, Tranter called for Young Sam to take it, Young Sam then called. Eventually the ball fell and Main clung onto it above the dive of the wicketkeeper and everyone started shouting at each other again. Main shouted at Young Sam, Young Sam shouted at Tranter, Ward just giggled and Chan tried to wrap a five-iron round Ken’s head (although that might have been a different incident). No harm done in the end.

Portsmouth added several useful runs to their total thanks to a few fortunate edges and some very quick running and they had reached 182 before they tried another crazy run on the last ball of the innings and Young Sam was credited with a stumping off Main. 182-7 from 35 overs.

RUASCC have been scoring well at times this season and, on a good pitch against a team of youngsters, would have fancied chasing down the total. Things didn’t start well, however, and Ward was back in the hutch after only three balls having edged behind to the keeper for 0.

Eagle and Carpenter got the ball rolling and both had just reached double figures when they departed in near-identical fashion – each slapping a full toss straight to the big target at short leg. It quickly got worse as both Chan and Sam fell to the left-arm spinner Marston who finished with 4-29. Nothing to be ashamed of, getting out to Marston, who we were told is the leading wicket taker in the Hampshire under-14 league. RUASCC were 51-5 and struggling when Main joined Baker (already on 15) at the crease.

Main adopted a positive strategy from the start and employed his two shots to devastating effect. With the fielders in close, anything short was pummelled over mid-off or through the covers and anything over-pitched was met with the trusty long-arm sweep through mid-wicket. Suddenly the ball didn’t seem to be turning or swinging – it just seemed to sit up and get thrashed to the boundary by the flat track bully from New Zealand. With Baker providing able support the fifty stand came up in just a few overs, and as the run rate continued to accelerate there was still a chance for RUASCC to reach the target.

Main reached his fifty with another boundary through mid-wicket and had contributed 63 to the partnership of 103 when both batsmen were dismissed in successive balls, both caught off full tosses going for big hits. 157-7, still 26 runs short of victory and only a couple of overs left for Stewart and Tranter (with a combined batting age of 130) to see out. The final over, from the returning Marston, was a maiden that Tranter negotiated calmly and a draw was the result.

The game was somewhat reminiscent of last year’s Sunday game on tour, when Portsmouth & Southsea’s youngsters had hit 248 before restricting us to 192-9. Based on the evidence of these two games, the most successful policy when batting against young players with good technique is to leave the elegant strokes and quick singles behind; opt instead for sheer brutality and have them fetch the ball from the hedge a few times.

So, an unbeaten tour for the mighty RUASCC army. What heights are still to be reached I simply cannot say.

RUASCC Highlight: It really should be the exhilarating batting of Main, but from a neutral’s point of view you would have to say the shouting match the followed Main’s caught-and-bowled was the highlight.

RUASCC Man of the Match: Bruce Main

RUASCC Team: Ward, Eagle, Carpenter, Baker, Chan, Griffiths (wkt), Main, Stewart, Tranter (capt), Ashman, Withers