Stonor (A) - 29.8.10

Stonor 212-1
RUASCC 98-4

Match drawn

Such is the nature of timed cricket that this sort of match can end with neither side claiming victory. This was a match dominated by one team from the very first over right through to the last, and yet RUASCC never looked in danger of being bowled out and losing the game.

In three years RUASCC haven’t put out a full-strength side against Stonor and it didn’t look promising from the moment we arrived with only ten players. Notable absentees included Ward, Zia, Main, Jagesh, Dip and Dersh and this resulted in a depleted batting line-up, a depleted bowling line-up and a depleted umpiring line-up. It also meant Withers was promoted to open the batting, thus indirectly leading to a depleted scorers line-up.

All those who chose to miss the game would be kicking themselves if they’d known Tranter would, for the first time this season, call correctly at the toss - it was an oddly sentimental moment that will not be quickly forgotten by those who were there. Taking the only sensible option available to him, Trant chose to field first but from very early on it became apparent ten fielders wouldn’t be enough.

The Stonor openers cut and pulled anything marginally short of a length and several shots off Baker ended up in the hedge by the road. They made rapid progress until swirling wind and diagonal rain took the players off. Now, Stonor is a superb setting for cricket with its rolling hills and high vantage point, but once that wind and rain comes in you really get a taste of how exposed it is. In the rush to leave the pitch one of the batsmen put his foot in a rabbit hole and twisted his ankle, prematurely ending his innings. This trip down the rabbit hole earned him the nickname “Alice” for the rest of the day.

After ten minutes the rain petered out and the players returned to the field where bowlers Baker and Koslicki were again treated harshly by the Stonor clubbers. Withers replaced Baker from the running-into-the-gale-force-wind end and saw his first ball dispatched over square leg for four before wrestling a small amount of control and only going for six runs an over.

Koslicki was replaced by Ashman and the first wicket finally arrived when the Good Doctor unleashed a low full toss which was spooned straight to Koslicki at mid-off. This turned out to be RUASCC’s only success in 34 overs as Stonor hit hard and ran well to finish on 212-1 at tea.

RUASCC’s reply began badly as Withers and Eagle padded up. Then, once on the pitch, Withers got off the mark in the first over playing a very Eagle-esque edge for four through the vacant third slip region. It would be stretching the point somewhat to say the runs flowed after this as the opening pair put on 20 in about 14 overs before Eagle edged behind for his second successive single-figure score.

Carpenter came in at three and immediately punched the ball through mid-wicket for his first four but a few overs later, facing the same bowler, he didn’t quite get enough on the ball to clear mid-on and was caught. His brief but entertaining innings set about a pattern that was to be repeated by Baker and Young Sam later on.

Baker took 12 from one over and was getting ready to pummel us to victory when he pulled directly to mid-wicket. Young Sam took a similar approach hitting four fours and six (and surviving a raucous LBW appeal) on his way to 26 before missing a dipping full toss which crashed into his leg stump.

Meanwhile Withers concentrated on simply being there at the end of the game. Forward defensive followed elaborate leave which in turn followed forward defensive, prompting some barely-concealed aggression from the slip cordon and, in particular, one left-arm spinner who couldn’t draw the slightest hint of a stroke. Withers, displaying commendable levels of concentration and a dispiriting lack of confidence and talent, plodded on. Blocking and leaving, leaving and blocking, until just ten overs remained and he was joined by another obdurate little bugger, Ken Stewart.

At this point the match, which had previously been slowly expiring, simply curled up and died. Withers blocked one over; Stewart blocked the next. A few byes were taken, a couple of twos (Withers even hit a square cut for four when the Stonor skipper introduced his own off-side tempters) but neither batsman would budge. Stewart successfully saw out the final over to draw the match and leave Withers stranded heartbreakingly just 32 runs short of what would have been a second career half-century. RUASCC 98-4.

RUASCC Highlight: Sam putting the ball in the hedge for six during his cameo 26.

RUASCC Man of the Match: Genuinely struggling here... this week it’s a rollover.

RUASCC Team: Withers, Eagle, Carpenter, Baker, Griffiths (wkt), Stewart, Scar, Koslicki, Tranter (capt), Ashman