2005 Season - Repton College Staff - 2005/05/15
Smudger writes:
After the traumas of 2004, the 2005 season couldn’t come soon enough and what better place to start than the delightful surroundings of Repton School, who once again were great hosts.
The start of the season also saw the start of what will hopefully be a long and successful Dorchester career for Brad, aged only 10 and son of reappointed captain Paul, back for his third spell in charge. Nice to see Alec making the trip down for the game and within seconds of walking into the dressing room, he was aquainting Brad with some of the more ’industrial’ language to be found in a typical Dorchester dressing room. Nice one Al.
Anyway, Paul went out and tossed, keen to prove that the saying "tales never fails" does hold some degree of truth but sadly he didn’t so we went out and had a bowl under clear blue skies.
Andy and I bowled rather too many four balls early on and Repton raced past 50 after the first 10 overs with only one wicket down, Andy getting a snick through to Crossy behind the stumps.
Jamie and Benno could not make any further breakthroughs and it was the 28th over before another wicket fell, the Vicar picking up the first of three wickets. His third wicket deserves special mention as it could quite possibly turn out to be the ball of the century.
Bowling right arm round the wicket to a right handed bat, Mick sent a ball down which, if it did pitch in line, must have turned through about 45 degrees on pitching because into the batsman’s pads it went and the umpire raised the finger. Either that or the umpire didn’t have a clue about the lbw rule. Make up your own mind.
This travesty of justice didn’t affect the other Repton batsmen though as they finally took the score onto 210, their captain reaching a deserved ton by hitting the last ball of the innings for six. Benno had been the only other bowler to pick up any wickets, claiming a couple late on.
Tea was taken on the balcony and a super tea it was too. Plus there was a hearty discussion about everyone’s fantasy teams to pass the time.
On the back of this lively chat, Paul decided to make a late change to his team, selecting Nick who promptly repaid the skipper’s faith by getting out 4th ball for a duck. 210 seemed a long way off.
Paul joined Jez in the middle and they added 52 before Paul was out caught. This brought Ian to the crease and he and Jez calmly progressed the score along so that, with 10 overs remaining, we needed about a run a ball.
But then disaster. Halfway through a run, Jez pulled up with what at first looked like cramp but which was in fact a pulled hammy. The case for a runner was overwhelming and Paul was called into action. He was padded up before you could say "pad up Paul", no small thanks to Alec who worked wonders in the wardrobe department. Or so it at first seemed as Paul jogged onto the field with pads and helmet practically hanging off him. Much amusement and, as it turned out, all in vain as Jez decided that he couldn’t continue and he retired hurt.
Enter Jamie but before you knew it, Ian was out, caught in the penultimate over and this brought Alec to the middle. Alec decided to go for glory but his first almighty swing at the ball made contact with nothing more than thin air. Fortunately, the keeper also missed it and numerous byes looked on the cards. Unfortunately, as soon as he started running, Alec lost all control of his box and staggered down the wicket as if he’d been shot whilst carrying out a full scale search for his most prized piece of kit. By the time he’d turned for two, Jamie had turned for three and was running alongside Al, although he was wise enough not to join the search for the box. Alec just avoided being run out and made it back for three.
The target of 210 was finally reached with just two balls to spare, a fitting end to a great game. We all retired to the pub and a nice drop of Pedigree it was too.
Let’s hope the rest of the season is as entertaining.