Wield vs Howzat, Sunday 13th July
This match report will contain only a very few lies, so those maligned will have to take it personally.
Wield 149 for 8 Howzat 150 for 5 or 6 Sorry, I have spoilt the suspense.
A Robson-less Wield went into action against a friendly Howzat side on a lovely sunny Sunday at Wield. Several of the Wield XI made their way to the ground via the Yew Tree, but Andrew’s new recruit, Geoff declined a pre-match snifter there. In Brazil two sides with whom we have recently been at war were also probably denying themselves a pint, as they prepared for their Final in Rio. Toby’s dog knew nothing of this as he played with a rugby ball. The side contained Steve Glass back from his golfing tour to Philadelphia and two Fromes who would be forgiven for thinking of their imminent holiday in Sri Lanka.
Howzat told us to bat. Toby hit their opener straight for 4, but that was his only boundary in his solid jug-avoiding innings of 46 runs. By the time he was out the score was 99 for 6. So, whilst Toby had been accumulating at his end, various other batsmen had come and gone.
Who were they?
Our other opener, Will Frome, had collected a few runs and then pulled firmly for his first boundary. He was then out next ball for 13. Father Frome (Andrew) then come to the crease for his first innings of 2014, and achieved his unstated aim of scoring more than Will. Drinks came at 68 for 1, with Toby on 34. This Andrew was the only Wield player to hit more than one boundary, hitting two boundaries in one over, before holing out to be caught for 14. Geoff had a slow start, then hit Wield’s only 6 way over deep mid-off’s head. Two balls after the bell he was out lbw, perhaps a bit unluckily, but accepted it graciously in a way not typical of all Wield players, and he will not be a contender for the TBTT (Toby Bat-Throwing Trophy). Wade and Michael were out for a few runs apiece – making it easier for the umpire by being bowled.
So on the weekend of number eleven Jimmy Anderson’s heroics to add 81 of the 198 for the last wicket at Trent Bridge against the Indians, the Wield number 8, one Andrew Yorke, came in after Toby had left at 99. With 6 wickets down Yorkey batted like a very reliable tail-ender, rather than with the style we expect, scoring 22 runs in ones and two’s, with Steve Glass supporting him well at first. Steve’s plan was to wait for the hittable bowlers. In fact he scored 16 runs of his runs off the reasonable bowlers. Steve then hit his boundary to get to 20, and the next ball he swung at would have gone for 6 if he had connected. But the score was now 136 for 7 – would we get to the magic 150? Aidan scored about six runs, and Yorkey was then caught in the final over, determined as he was to get Robin, or perhaps even Max, to the crease. Robin walked to the middle, but did not face a ball, and Wield were 149 for 8 at tea.
A fine tea was produced by the efforts of Anne Frome (I think assisted by Lottie) and Nicola, with Frome hens’ own eggs in the egg-mayonnaise.
We really needed more runs. A score of 150 would have been nice.
At first it seemed that 150 would have been far too much, as Wade got a wicket with the first ball, when the batsman directed the ball very straight to Yorkey at third slip. Fortunately Wield never suffers from over-confidence, which indeed shows sensible reticence.
The other opener was called Waller, known as Wally, but hit about 70 runs and scored more boundaries than Wield. He did direct a skier late in his innings with great skill halfway between Wade and Toby. At least Wade stuck a hand out as both fielders arrived silently at the point where the ball was about to land, and find its way to the ground it still did.
Howzat had another batsman who scored quite a lot of runs, probably called Taylor – his skier might well have been caught by Steve, but he was muscled off the ball by the 12-year old batsman at the non-striker’s end, assisted a bit by the Howzat umpire. Howzat ended up losing 4 or more 5 wickets, with Robin, Steve and Yorkey each getting a wicket or two. There were a few good bits of fielding, in addition to the catch off the first ball of the innings, for example Aidan’s catch and Yorkey’s acrobatic dive to stop some overthrows (cannot remember who in the Wield side can throw hard enough to earn overthrows), and Geoff stopped some balls hit with force.
So Howzat won, getting to 150 for the loss of 5 or 6 wickets.
Michael (The Finger!!) H-T
