Scorecard

Olney Town Cricket Club Sunday Casuals/League v Bletchley Town on Sun 09 May 2010 at 2pm
Match was Drawn

Match report Phew !!!! A Stunning stunning nail biting nerve wracking pant wetting nappy threatning draw (the first in Sunday League history) between 2 sides on top of their game!

Skipper Gratland won the toss and on a pitch likely to dry out inserted the opposition. Playing against a side competing in Division 1 last year it was always going to be a tough tight game and the fact only 4 bowlers were entrusted with the cherry bore this out.

An opening bowling partnership of Swingler and Gallyot restricted the Bletchley openers to 30 from the first 10 overs but despite a solid fielding and bowling performance throughout the team, Bletchley continued to score consistently without the boundary rope being unduly troubled. Newbie Darkins and Berrill worked their socks off for the first change to get OTCC through to drinks with Bletchley on 66 off the first 20 but with 8 wickets in hand no-one was counting their chickens !

Swingler was bought back on and along with Berrill, bowled through the tiredness barrier to complete their overs, OTCC got to the last 10 overs just about in control. Darkins and Gallyot then returned only to see Bletchley swing at everything with a coordination of quality batting and edges !!

Some great bowling in places but a little inconsistency and to be fair tiredness in what was now warm weather saw 31 extras (incl 19 wides was always likely to be an issue)

Bletchley 191-4

After a very tidy tea (should there not be some sort of humanitarian award for Amandas teas ?) Berrill and Darkins were despatched to the middle. CB soon returned to the pavilion for 12, whilst last weeks out of contract Harrison playing for a berth in any side sent to the middle......and then back again for 4 ! The Bosman ruling unlikely to be troubled unduly !

Looking down the barrel of defeat Darkins stood firm and took command of the middle. Accompanied by Gallyot the duo bought OTCC back to the mix with some smart scoring though Olney were never closer than needing 7+ an over from a long way out before Gallyot contrived to kick his own stumps down on 44 !! (Club fine assured !)

Bazza Barrass came to the middle only to be cut in half by a superb ball for 1, leaving the Jewson to approach the middle. Playing a mature innings beyond his years Jack continued to be run ragged by Darkins in a mad flurry of 2's and 3's - the youngest ever player in OTCC to call for an oxygen tent - tough sh*t as Hammer was already sucking it dry having carried a box of Smokey Pig crisps all the way from the garage !

Jewson departed in one lunge too many fingered by his skip on the final ball of the penultimate over leaving Olney needing 12 from the last over to secure victory. Brad Swingler on account of his expected speed between the wicket was rapidly elevated from No 11.

With the skipper filling his nappy at a rate of knots, Darkins cracked 2 from the first ball, 10 needed, then hit 2 more from the second ball, 8 needed from 4, by this time the stench from Gratlands nappy was causing complaints from the houses around the ground, a single was taken from the third ball, 7 needed, Swingler thrashed a single, 6 needed from 2 balls and with every Bletchley fielder on the boundary this was going to be a tough call. Darkins drove another 2, just failing to find the boundary leaving 4 needed from the final ball for victory.

Pavilion quiet (remember Lord was there) Gratlands nappy groaning for room, press photographers poised, bowler running up .....................Darkins drove a firm drive but straight to a long Mid on who despite only needing to run up to the stumps, proceeded inexplicably to panic. Before the ball was barely struck Darkins and Swingler had completed the first run head down hell for leather stylee, turning for the second the mid-on fielder had gathered the ball but launched it in only to find the bowler was 5 yards from the stumps, in a desperate attempt to gather the ball and with Darkins and Swingler now having completed the second run with no possible chance of getting the third, the bowler threw the ball to the keeper stood over the stumps with Swingler at least 5 yards short but in an inexplicable moment of panic the Bletchley keeper whipped the bails off but eagle eyed Gratters umpiring from square leg with the worst case of dysentry seen since the war, realised the ball was no longer in his control and denied the desperate appeal !!!!!

OTCC 191-5

On a sour note Rory Darkins faced the last ball on 94 not out meaning a 6 would not only have ensured his maiden OTCC century but bought victory to the club, but in a breathtaking display of selfishness settled for a 3 !!! Contract talks are ongoing ...... attitude may be a stumbling point !

Phew - a flippin hard fought draw again played in a good atmosphere. Quality of which can only do the image of Sunday League cricket a power of good !

A good all round cricket performance with another very tidy display behind the stumps by Smail !

I'm off to empty my nappy !!


Bletchley Town Batting
191 for 4
Player name Runs
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Olney Town Cricket Club Sunday Casuals/League Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Brad Swingler10.0039219.503.90
Paul Gallyot10.0146146.004.60
Rory Darkins10.0063163.006.30
Callum Berrill10.013400.003.40

Olney Town Cricket Club Sunday Casuals/League Batting
191 for 5
Player Name RunsCatchesStumpingsRun outs
Callum Berrill Caught  12
Rory Darkins Not Out  97
Dave Harrison Caught  4
Paul Gallyot Hit Wicket  44 1
Richard Barrass Bowled  1
Jack Jewson Lbw  10
Brad Swingler Not Out  1
Dave Berrill  
Simon Gratland  
Christian Smail   1
John Cadigan  

Bletchley Town Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.