Modbury CC 1st XI made it three wins in a row as they avenged their defeat in the previous encounter with Cornwood 5th XI to pick up a 39 run victory on a glorious Sunday afternoon in front of what some historians are saying is the highest attendance since records began.
Such was the magnitude of the fixture, the Merchant family had travelled down from Gloucester for the day just to witness the mighty Modbury CC in action.
Captain John Compston arrived at the ground in a worse condition than some of the animals he’s put down for in the past but was able to stay focused enough to win the toss and make the decision for Modbury to bat first.
With regular open Ethan Bell unavailable for selection and Ewan Grewal still recovering from being taken hostage last weekend having only arrived to spectate, it fell to Elias McGill, one of the designated overseas players for the season, to open the batting with usual opener Guy Speed.
As McGill went out to bat, Paul Merchant duly reminded him ‘I’ve driven 150 miles to watch this so no pressure’.
McGill and Speed started off sensibly as they tried to navigate the infamous Modbury wicket. Speed hit a textbook boundary through the covers before becoming the first victim of the day for Cornwoods opening bowler Smith.
And so brought to the crease Sam Price who would be batting in a match for the first time in his career. Price ambled to the crease and heeded advice from McGill. Standing at the strikers end he prepared for his moment of glory, with the advice of ‘watch the ball, hit the ball’ on his mind. The umpire asked Price if he wanted a guard to which he replied ‘No thank you I’m already wearing a helmet’. Unfortunately for Price his time at the crease was brief and his off stump was removed from the ground and the long walk back ensued. Humiliation still not quite complete, his partner had missed what had happened and assumed that he was walking back as ‘it wasn’t his turn to bat’ to which he replied, ‘no I’m already out’.
Sam Collidge was next to the crease but was forced to wait an over until he could get the chance to bat. McGill helped get the scorecard ticking over again when he hit three boundaries in a row and saw off the over. With Smith on a hat trick the field was brought in but Collidge blocked it to survive the hat trick ball. Unfortunately, he fell the very next ball with his off stump also being uprooted.
At 28-3 after 4.2 overs, captain Compston headed out to the middle with his team in need of some stability and game management. Having seen the last three batsmen all be bowled by the exact same ball, McGill reminded his captain to block the straight ones and take his time. Alas, Compston had other ideas and an agricultural swipe across the line went exactly as everyone thought it would with the stumps taking another clattering and Compston was back in the very chair he was in just moments before. Modburys middle order now had more ducks than Big Johns Chinese takeaway order.
For the second time in two overs, Smith was on a hat trick. The occasion needed a boring batsman, someone who could block it out and had no interest in taking on the bowlers. Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Vice-Captain Lee Merchant calmly walked out to the middle knowing he was a man in form and looking to add to his growing collection of red inkers. With the field all close in for the hat trick ball, Merchant shocked everyone in the sold-out ground by playing his first attacking shot this decade.
McGill and Merchant navigated the next few overs with their contrasting batting approaches; McGill happy to try and deal only in boundaries and Merchant happy to avoid trying to hit any whatsoever. After hitting the first 6 of the day, McGill tried going for another but didn’t quite get hold of it and a good catch running in from the boundary saw him depart for 40 and Smith take a very well deserved 5fer.
Michael Lemmings was next to head out to the middle. Batting sensibly he had a look at the first few balls before deciding that he was bored of doing that and hit 16 off the next over including two back-to-back sixes that resulted in a lost ball.
Merchant and Lemmings looked settled, which made the next set of events even more remarkable. Lemmings stood at the non-strikers end shouted to Merchant ‘you look very comfortable’. Merchant forgot that he was playing for his average and a horrible hoik across the line saw him become the fifth batsman of the day to be bowled by a straight one and the first to have been sledged out by his own teammate. Lemmings soon followed, having looked to add another 6 only to spoon one up in the air for a regulation catch in the covers.
Having not seen sight of the scorecard someone asked for an update to which up and coming cricket enthusiast Sam Price exclaimed with full confidence ‘It is 86 for 17’.
Mark Trevethan and Tom Hatch then had an important 23 run partnership which helped ensure Modbury got past the 100 mark and that the team batted for at least 20 overs. Eventually Hatch’s defence was breached and he was bowled which brought the biggest cheer of the day; not because he had got out but because this meant Howard Williams was in to bat.
Out headed Williams; a man who used to walk out to the middle like a lamb to the slaughter. But this is not the same man; this is a man who is in form of a lifetime with the bat. Howard took up his position and surveyed the ground like a gladiator in the colosseum. Roared on by the hundreds in attendance, he swept away the first ball for two runs. It’s a good job the ground has no roof as it would have been blown off from the thunderous noise of the fans as he returned back for the second run.
All good things must come to an end, and it wasn’t long before Howard became the 7th player of the day to be bowled and the players wondering if they would have to hold a bake sale to purchase a new set of stumps with the damage the ones were taking.
Having won the battle to be 11th man, James ‘Slaps’ Sloman was the final batsman to grace the hallow turf. In a truly remarkable turn of events, Slaps actually decided to use his bat to hit the ball and found himself scoring two quick singles, the last of which being his final contribution for the day with Trevethan becoming the 8th player of the day to be bowled to bring the innings to a close. Having been 28-4, Modbury recovered well to end up all out for 119 from 23.4 overs. Slaps walked off the field raising his hand and bat to the crowd basking in the applause as if he had just won England the ashes.
The end of the innings brought the real reason everyone plays on a Sunday; Teas.
This week was a fantastic effort from the team drawing high praise from both players and opposition. A great mixture of quantity and quality, with a great balance of sweet and savory items ensured there was even enough available for the spectators who gave glowing feedback. If Modbury could bat as well as they could make the teas they would score 200+ every week.
Dish of the day went to Sam Price for his chili ribs which received high praise. Having got a duck with the bat and provided ribs for teas, everyone was wondering what his final Chinese takeaway contribution would be in the field.
Defending 120 Modbury got off to the perfect start with two quick wickets. Tom Hatch was first to strike and had their opener caught courtesy of Compton taking the catch at mid-off who was shouting ‘I can’t see the ball, I can’t see the ball’ whilst it was the in air and looking directly into the sun with his sunglasses on the top of his head opting to use them as a fashion accessory rather than their intended purpose. Having safely taken the catch the sunglasses were put on and it became apparent why he was not wearing them…
Merchant struck in the next over clean bowling the number 3 batsmen and Cornwood found themselves 3-2 after 3 overs.
Cornwood dug in and built a small partnership but offered up plenty of chances in the field.
Self-proclaimed ‘greatest cricketer to ever play the game’ Michael Lemmings dropped a regulation catch at gully, flying full tilt to his right hand side with both feet off the ground and one hand outstretched. He got his fingertips to the ball and a dropped catch ensued. Applause from nine of his teammates for the effort and a volley of abuse from McGill for dropping what he saw as a regulation catch and a diminishing of standards.
A few balls later Howard found himself in the slip cordon. Some say this was for tactical reasons, other say it was McGill and Lemmings wanting him to join in the fun behind the stumps. Whilst fun was certainly had, Howard nearly took the catch of a lifetime as the batsman knicked one off Hatch’s bowling to 2nd slip and Howard, with the reactions of a honey badger, diving and swooping down low to get a hand to it could unfortunately not hold on to it. A valiant effort but a dropped catch nonetheless. As he brought himself up to his feet, dusting himself down like a seasoned veteran of the slip cordon he proclaimed with a blend of confidence, poetic license and self-reflection ‘I would have caught it if I hadn’t had that second piece of cake’.
With a left hander and a right hander at the wicket, Modbury adopted and stuck by the soon to be patented field setting of not changing anything at all and everyone staying in the same place regardless of who is on strike.
The final trilogy in Sam Prices cricketing Chinese homage came when the ball was hit straight towards him. Either forgetting that he is the owner of a pair of hands, or still unsure on the best methods to adapt in the field, Price opted to channel his inner Jackie Chan and use his shin in a kicking motion to stop the ball.
Having been dispatched into the neighboring field in his previous over, Merchant decided to stick with the short ball tactic and reaped his reward when the batsman couldn’t resist yet another half tracker but didn’t quite get hold of it and sent the ball straight up and high into the sky.
The whole ground fell silent as 11 men all hoped and prayed the ball did not come to them. Eventually McGill remembered that he is the only man on the team wearing a pair of gloves and he should probably be the one to catch it and catch it he did.
Modbury thought they had another wicket shortly after when there was a run out opportunity. The umpire gave it not out and everyone carried on with their day as normal except for Guy who firmly believed that he was out and decided that for the next 10 overs he would declare war on the batsman. With the ball being hit to Guy quite regularly, Guy was looking for vengeance and had several attempts at the stumps trying to run him out to no avail. What he did however achieve was some very generous overthrows and hitting a child in the back with the ball.
The overseas pairing of Lemmings and McGill combined for a run out when Lemmings fizzed one in from the boundary and McGill turned into prime Jack Rusell taking a one hand grab behind the stumps and dislodging the bails. Lemmings then removed the danger man Du Plessis for 35 which exposed what would be a long tail for Cornwood.
Collidge and Trevethan both bowled very well helping to stem the run rate and were unlucky not to pick up any wickets. Slaps, not wanting to bowl due to considering himself far too good a of a bowler for this standard since the arrival of his England Cricket jacket had by this point begun to resemble Mr Tumnus after he had been turned to stone by the white witch such was his lack of movement in the field.
With steam still coming off from Guys head and death stares being given throughout, Compston realised this would be the time to chuck him the ball. A spell of 4 overs, 2 Maidens, 3 wickets for only 2 runs tore through the middle order and took the game away from Cornwood. Stumps and bails were dislodged for all three wickets as Speed declared war on the children and took no prisoners.
It was then left for Hatch to finish things off and he duly obliged bowling the last two batsmen and leaving Cornwood all out for 80 off 21.4 overs to give Modbury another victory.
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