Scorecard

Great Waltham Cricket Club 2nd XI v Tillingham on Sat 18 Jul 2020 at 1 p.m.
Great Waltham Cricket Club Won by 34 runs

Match report Stepping off a plane in an exotic location, you get a sense satisfaction and happiness, a feeling that this is exactly where you should be, everything is perfect.
For most of us, Saturday was a perfect day – the ground’s beauty, bathed in warm sunshine, blue skies and we get to bat first on a beautiful flat wicket and a fast outfield.

Josh Fall was asked to open, and he didn’t hesitate or shirk responsibility, a welcome refreshing attitude for any captain. With yours truly we had compiled a partnership of 32 at 4.5 an over, when Josh was yorked by Corby.
In came one of last year’s centurion (club overseas) Duggers, with both sons playing, Senior Duggan was clearly determined to make it no2 and started to stroke boundaries for fun, 20 runs, 5 fours. Much to both of our surprise, somehow missed an innocuous straight ball to hear the ‘death rattle’. As one Duggan departed another arrived, Oscar, having not got off the mark in last Sunday’s inter-club game, duly defended and willing to attack anything pitched up. We’d moved the score to 102 when he was deceived by a good slower ball Cooch. Joel looking good against the seamers was bowled by young Hylton bowling leg-breaks. 151-4 became 156-5 when yours truly got into two minds about what to play and tamely holed out to cover. Surely any less than 220 was below par on this wicket and outfield.
With 14 overs left, we need not worry as Jamie and Robbo started spanking boundaries as if they were netting on a Thursday evening. Jamie looking fluent and assured finishing on 41 and Robbo’s authoritative 37 gave us a healthy 239-5 at tea.

With new regulations, we sat, hands sanitised and opened our own tiffin sitting 2 metres apart.

With JT and Jamie opening our attack, Jamie’s 3rd ball enticed Hylton senior to deposit a full toss to mid-on, where the youngest Duggan, Archie took a comfortable catch. A few overs later, JT having bowled uncharacteristically inconsistent, found a full straight one cannon into Bailey’s middle stump. In JT’s next over, Allen mistimed to mid-off where we were all surprised when the catch was floored. The margin of victory would have been considerable I’m sure.
Allen together with the Tillingham captain Ashworth, built a partnership which had them favourites to win. Allen’s philosophy was ‘see ball hit ball’, especially if it was in his half. 100 required of 19 overs, we desperately needed a wicket. Throw the ball to your overseas – Duggers delivers, length ball rising and Allen nick-off to Josh (wk). Did Tillingham have the depth, nouse and talent to reach the summit. The question was answered by Duggers, 8 overs, 4-15 and a stunning one-handed catch at mid-wicket gave us a comfortable victory by 34 runs.

A special mention to Arthur playing his first league game for the club, picked up his first wicket with the help of our late draft Steve Fall, taking his first league catch. Well done lads.

So what sort of experience is league cricket in covid conditions. Yes, I miss the dressing room banter, a beautifully made tea, warm showers and applying after-sun conditioner.
However sitting outside, supping cold Ales with the man-of-the-match Duggers, Arthur and Steve, reminded me of sitting on a beach in Maui, this is perfect and I wouldn’t swap it for anything else.

Off to Rayleigh next week, I hope their groundsman is as good as ours.

ap

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts” Marcus Aurelius

Great Waltham Cricket Club 2nd XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 9w 3b 7lb 
for 5 wickets
21
239		        
Atul Patel ct (covers) b Hylton 93 13
Josh Fall b Corby 9 2
Matt Duggan b Mason 20 5 400 1
Oscar Duggan b Cooch 10 2
Joel Barker b Hylton 7
Jamie Carroll Not Out  41 7
Neil Robinson Not Out  37 5
Arthur Cunningham  
Archie Duggan  
James Taylor  
Steve Fall   1

Tillingham Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
C Allen8.013500.004.38
J Corby8.0044144.005.50
D Mason6.0239139.006.50
N Cooch8.0324124.003.00
J Taylor3.002700.009.00
C Hylton6.0057228.509.50

Tillingham Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
4nb 10w 10b 1lb 
for 8 wickets
25
205 (40.0 overs)		     
G Hylton ct A Duggan b Carroll 0
A Bailey b Taylor 6
C Allen ct J Fall b M Duggan 81
C Ashworth b M Duggan 32
J Butterwick lbw M Duggan 10
N Cooch ct J Fall b M Duggan 8
J Corby ct M Duggan b Robinson 0
J Taylor ct S Fall b Cunningham 21
D Mason Not Out  18
C Hylton Not Out  4
M Taylor  

Great Waltham Cricket Club 2nd XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Jamie Carroll5.0022122.004.40
James Taylor8.0140140.005.00
Oscar Duggan3.001900.006.33
Arthur Cunningham7.0049149.007.00
Neil Robinson7.0032132.004.57
Matt Duggan8.021543.751.88
Joel Barker2.001700.008.50