Hurst (A) – 21.7.13

Hurst 262-6 dec

Main 4-41, Withers 1-47

RUASCC 216-5

Dip 51 not out, Carpenter 42

Match drawn

From the moment I stepped inside the score box at Hurst Cricket Club I knew this was going to a very special afternoon.  Because, you see, this is more than just a score box, this is a Scorers and Umpires Facility, a modern, purpose-built home for the administrators of cricket.  This is an M&S score box.

For a start, they’ve got the basics right: the facility is located directly adjacent to the pavilion.  To many people this might seem the obvious place to put it – at Peppard, for example, you barely have to walk five yards between the two – but try telling that to Kidmore End who built their fantastic pavilion for the players on one side of the ground but left the score box on the opposite boundary.  I liked the Wokingham one that was elevated to give a fantastic view of the action but they ripped it down when they built houses all over the pitch.  “Progress”, I suppose.

The Hurst facility has gone beyond the usual limits of a score box but it still has all the familiar traits: there’s barely room to walk around because of all the bats, pads and stumps strewn all over the floor, there’s an empty can of Red Bull and a dinner plate speckled with melted cheese on the desk and there’s a bit of scrap paper with the home team scribbled on it left tucked inside their scorebook.

But the Hurst box has some great touches – rather than the usual knackered old leather swivel chair there’s a wonderful old bucket armchair, not so easy to rotate perhaps but nonetheless perfect for comfort, height and posture.  Then there’s the desk lamp facing outwards to the square for ease of acknowledging the umpires’ signals, and the little window that opens just a little to give some welcome breeze on a hot day.  I should add that the score box is thoughtfully located on the western edge of the ground so in the evening it’s shady and cool.

All that said, what really elevates this place to the very top of my list is the electronic scoreboard.  This is only the second remote control scoreboard I’ve ever operated, and with all due respect to Bluecoat School (now there’s a fixture we should bring back) I think it’s my favourite.

So easy to operate, so clean in its functionality and filled with clever little touches, this is what scoring should be like every week.  You add runs to a batsman and it automatically adjusts the total, you mark a batsman “out” and it automatically changes the “Last Man” and “Last Wicket Fell” boxes.  A scorer really does get spoilt!

Due to the simplicity of the whole thing you find yourself updating the scoreboard EVERY BALL instead of waiting for the end of the over.  Even in those boxes with the cables to change the display it can feel like a hassle – especially when counting down from 20 overs because you have to keep going “over the top” to reduce the number by one.  And especially when the cables don’t work, like at Kidmore when at the end of each over I was forced to leave the box, walk round the front and punch the display to get it post 0 and 4.  Not ideal.

I certainly don’t want to come across as beating up on Kidmore End because, let’s face it, you’re by no means certain to find a score box at all, with many grounds settling for the traditional hanging-the-metal-numbers-on-hooks approach.  But there are other ways of communicating the score using just a board, and here it is perhaps worth noting two of my favourites, Britwell Salome and Tilehurst & Theale, who have each come up with a slightly different way of hiding or revealing the component parts of each number, the former with bars you can fold back and forth, the latter with sliding plastic switches.

But when it comes down to it, you can’t beat a good score box.  And Hurst Cricket Club has a damn good score box.

Right, any questions?

What’s that?  The game?  Well OK if you insist.  A potent spell from Bruce Main reduced Hurst to 69-6 after 15 overs but an exceptional young left-hander came in and hit 137 not out in 20 overs.

A big target.  Singh (29), Carpenter (42) and Ward (32) all got in before getting out and with 100 needed from just seven overs a draw was inevitable.  Dip played beautifully again for 51 not out and he was ably supported by Main who hit a quick 26 not out.

And this is how it looked on the score box:

RUASCC Highlight:  Pressing the “out” button and seeing the total transfer to the “Last Wicket” box.  Bliss.

RUASCC Man of the Match:  Main.

RUASCC Team:  J. Singh, Carpenter, Ward, Zia, Dip (wkt), Eagle (capt), Main, Jagesh, Tranter, Ashman, Withers

Britwell Salome (A) – 7.7.13

Britwell Salome 203-1 dec.

Main 1-31

RUASCC 204-4

Ward 60 not out, Dip 44 not out

RUASCC won by 6 wickets

Another game, another successful run chase for the unstoppable RUASCC.  On a baking hot sunny day Eagle lost the toss and the home side made the obvious choice to bat first, thus relieving our skipper of the opportunity to stick them in on a batsman’s paradise.

And a long old toil it proved to be.  Withers and Main bowled OK on the whole but with perhaps a few too many four balls giving the two opening batsmen the chance to settle in.  One wide half volley from Withers was smacked to the left of Ward at point but the fielder, despite reacting quick enough to get his hands on the ball, spilled it as he hit the floor.  Seemingly misplacing his ire, Withers then slipped in a high full-toss which the batsman did well to avoid – although the ball dipped alarmingly and almost bowled him on leg stump before disappearing for four byes.

There was precious little in the way of excitement or chances after that.  Zia, right hand still in a cast, bowled ten overs for just 27 runs and Ashman sent down a tidy spell but neither could make the breakthrough.  The score passed 100, both batsmen passed fifty and Kenny almost passed out.

Finally, with the score on 176, Main found a bit of extra bounce and a thin edge and Dip took the catch behind.  That proved to be the only success – the Britwell skipper reached his century and after 43 overs tea was called at 203-1.

Over tea we learned that the same wicket had produced more than 500 runs on the previous day so there was plenty to interest our prolific top order.  As has become the norm in recent weeks Jas Singh opened with Eagle and they set off nicely, reaching 36-0 from the first ten overs.  Eagle again targeted his favourite area behind square on the off-side and, such is his mastery over that region, even when he flicked a single into the leg side a wild throw evaded the keeper and gained him another four runs to the third man boundary.

Jas played yet another impressive innings in an opening stand of 81, hitting seven fours before he was bowled for 44 in the first over after drinks.  With 124 needed from the final 20 Ward set off at a decent rate, reaching 30 by the time Eagle got himself out, stumped for 42 – a selfless act designed to help push the scoring along, we think.

This brought Zia to the crease but he lasted barely an over before he too was stumped, for 0, and Malde also failed to trouble the scorers, caught at short fine leg off a tentative scoop.  127-1 had become 130-4 and Dip Patel joined Ward with 74 runs still needed from just eight overs.

Dip started with three consecutive boundaries, then launched an enormous six over the practice net at mid-wicket as 24 came from the first two overs.  Ward hit a boundary to move into the forties and another 15 runs came from the 33^rd over to swing the momentum firmly in RUASCC’s favour.  Ward reached a splendid fifty soon after, and the perfectly timed onslaught meant that just seven runs were needed from the last two.

As it turned out they only needed three deliveries.  Ward took a two and a single setting up Dip to hit the winning boundary, finishing on 44 not out in one of his finest attacking knocks for years.

And while all this was going on we were keeping an eye on the tennis score, as Andy Murray became the first British man to win a Wimbledon title since Jonathan Marray in 2012.  And Kenny almost passed out again.

RUASCC Highlight:  Dip’s effortless six over mid-wicket as the fourth-wicket partnership accelerated towards victory.

RUASCC Man of the Match:  Ward takes the honours for his brilliant batting, despite dropping a catch off the man who writes the match reports.

RUASCC Team:  J. Singh, Eagle (capt), Ward, Zia, Malde, Dip (wkt), Main, Tranter, Stewart, Ashman, Withers

Whitchurch–upon-Thames (A) – 29.6.13

(With thanks to Andy Eagle for the match report)

Whitchurch 182-8 dec

Zia 2-27, Main 2-30

RUASCC 184-4

Fawaz 57, Zia 47 not out

RUASCC won by 6 wickets

The ground nestles beneath the steepling and wooded slopes of the Thames valley to the north, whilst giving way to the south to assorted houses, paddocks and meadows until the river itself is reached.

A dry and hard track…ideal for chasing runs upon!  RUASCC duly fielded and opened with the Ul Haq brothers: Zia with his bowling hand in a cast, Waqar back after a break and a spell of 14-1-46-1 indicated he’d not lost the knack.  Whitchurch scored slowly from occasional boundaries to the short sides of the ground but tight fielding kept running to a minimum. Newcomer Adil’s pace was impressive and helped him reach figures of 12-1-41-2.  Main’s bounce from a short run-up caused problems and it was only thanks to some hearty heaves and swipes from Turner at no. 10 (22 n.o.) which took the opposition to 182-8 declared.

The highlights of the innings involved two club stalwarts. Firstly Chan, keeping and standing up, received a ball straight to his forehead from a glancing shot; he was out for few seconds… we could tell because he wasn’t telling someone about the virtues of some smoked Brie he’d tasted the night before.  He left the field amidst concerned team mates but he appeared to be soon recovering, sitting amongst the opposition… we could tell because he was extolling the virtues of a fine bottle of Pouilly-fume he’d had the night before.  Partridge, back after last year’s annual appearance, took the gloves and did well.

The other highlight involved Tranter persistently berating a young batsman for running down the track and abusing the Spirit of the game… so vehement were the Chairman’s protestations that the Skipper had to intervene to avoid a Tranter related Incident (TRI) occurring.  Meanwhile a Greenhalf Relation Incident was taking place as Andy’s dad strolled the boundary with Andy’s son; a cue for Trant to regale his story no. 3 about Greenhalf Senior being the gynaecologist who delivered his daughter, Philippa, who they all thought was a boy.  It was time for tea!

Staff opened with Eagle and Asim, carefully against tight bowling until Asim swiped across the line for 24. Eagle was joined by Fawaz and soon after stranded by Fawaz going for an easy single, run out for 19. Mumblings of “karma” back on the boundary.

At the start of twenty overs, we were 80-3 off 20 needing a further 102 runs. Zia and Fawaz set about this in forthright fashion and smote the ball to all corners, thus cleverly avoiding the ruts and veritable potholes caused by the aforementioned youngster who had so concerned Trant.  Fawaz is not a pretty bat to watch but he is effective and his 57 was yet another big and important innings for RUASCC this year.

Zia, by now in self-commentary mode, was joined by Chan in the final chase which now looked pedestrian thanks to the opposition skipper deciding to bowl and deliver an appetising buffet.  Chan’s cameo of 14 not out was a fillip to a batsman who’d not found his form hitherto and we were delighted by flicks, drives and cuts whilst Zia played as he does when set a mission.

Indeed we had hit 80 runs from the last 10 overs as we won easily by 6 wickets. And the RUASCC rampage through the lower echelons of local cricket continues.

RUASCC Highlight: Chan’s dismissal whilst keeping.

RUASCC Man of the Match: Fawaz for his 57 or maybe Zia for batting and bowling in a cast

RUASCC Team: Eagle (capt), Asim, Fawaz, Adil, Zia, Malde (wkt), Greenhalf, Partridge (wkt2), Waqar, Tranter, Main

Highmoor (A) – 23.6.13

RUASCC 139-8 dec

J. Singh 54, Ateeq 19 not out

Highmoor 113 all out

Withers 6-31, Ateeq 2-21

RUASCC won by 26 runs

Last year’s match on this ground was an absolute shocker: RUASCC batted first in a quagmire, reached 74-9 in 48 overs and lost by 5 wickets.  So, knowing full well how important it was to go out and win the toss, Eagle went out and lost the toss and, inevitably, we were asked to bat first again.

The team news was doubly disappointing: Zia was ruled out with his fractured thumb and Ken Stewart was available following his return from holiday. 

On another damp pitch against some extraordinarily tight bowling the RUASCC innings was dominated by Jas Singh, showing increasing assurance as an opener, who batted for 31 overs and top-scored with 54.  Playing very sensibly in difficult conditions Jas nevertheless hit eight boundaries, the importance of which was reinforced by looking at the state of him every time he ran a “quick” single.  He dominated partnerships with Eagle (10), Dip (11) and Greenhalf (12) and was eventually removed by the immaculate Gayan who at that stage had figures of 3-4 from TEN overs.

Malde, Tranter, D. Singh and Stewart contributed just 15 runs between them but debutant Ateeq managed to drag the score up to respectability with some useful late hitting.  One had to feel sorry for Pensioner Ken (run out for 0) when he was sacrificed to allow Ateeq back on strike in the final over, but no one felt sorry for Gayan when a six from Ateeq ruined his figures and left him nursing 3-19 from 13 overs.  RUASCC had nearly doubled last season’s total and the more optimistic members of the squad were claiming that humiliating defeat was by no means inevitable.

That said, without Zia it could have all gone horribly wrong had Withers not channelled the spirits of Lillee and Trueman to bowl his finest spell in ten years.

Highmoor may not possess the strongest batting line-up we’ve ever faced but it hardly mattered – on this form Withers would have troubled the Aussie Test team of the 1990s.  The Waugh brothers would have been crushed; you’d see Allan Border crying into a tin of XXXX.

There was little sign of the onslaught to come as the openers saw out the first half hour, then wicketkeeper Dip took exception to the batsmen’s attempts to steal some ground and decided to stand up to the express pace of Withers.  The trick worked admirably as it resulted in a stumping for the first wicket.  There followed a catch for Stewart at mid-on and then the key wicket of opener Taylor, trapped LBW to the deadly Withers quicker ball.  44-3 and Withers had all three.  It’s no surprise that people were starting to draw comparisons with Bob Willis at Headingley 1981.

At the other end Daman Singh had been replaced by new boy Ateeq and his fifth over brought two wickets, the first a great catch by Ashman’s forearm, the second a lob straight to Greenhalf in the covers.  Then Withers, into his 11^th over, bagged his fourth wicket when Miraque chipped to Ateeq for another comfortable catch.

At this point RUASCC were undoubtedly favourites but a 7^th wicket partnership of 45 put the home side right back into the match.  Harris took the attack to the bowlers and hit several fours and sixes over the mid-wicket boundary.  Two overs from Stewart went for 19 runs and Withers incredibly bowled four consecutive overs without taking a wicket.

Harris posted a quick fifty and Highmoor only needed 30 runs from nine overs, but the danger man attempted one big hit too many and was caught on the long-off boundary by a very relieved Dr Eagle from the bowling of Jas Singh.  The momentum swung back in favour of RUASCC.

The lower order started to block, but it was a hopeless task against Withers, bowling a spell reminiscent of Andrew Flintoff on the final morning of Lords 2009.  Bowling with a close, attacking field Withers and Jas finished the job in three overs for the addition of only three runs.  One batsman (who shall remain un-named) was heard to tell his partner between overs not to play any stupid shots, but ignored his own advice and came down the track to the first ball of Singh’s over and was clean bowled.

Another catch from Ateeq (his third) off Withers sealed the match and a win by 26 runs.

Withers’ sixth wicket was his 200^th for RUASCC and his 6-31 from 16.3 overs represent his best figures since his debut in 2003.

The RUASCC juggernaut thunders on.

RUASCC Highlight:  Without Ateeq’s 19 runs at the end of the innings the match could have ended very differently, and his six off Gayan in the final over somehow made us all feel a little better about things.

RUASCC Man of the Match:  Withers for his best spell in years, but he’ll have to share it with Jas Singh who first scored fifty to set up the total then took the vital wicket of Harris when Highmoor threatened to overhaul it.

RUASCC Team:  Eagle (capt), J. Singh, Dip (wkt), Greenhalf, Malde, Tranter, Ateeq, D. Singh, Stewart, Withers, Ashman