Knockers Vs 70th Anniversary - TM XI

Lose :: Played on Sunday 22nd August 2021

Knockers
188-10

70th Anniversary - TM XI
191-6

Match Report

Knockers pieced together a game to celebrate its 70th anniversary with Ted’s XI coming out victorious, if accepting the fact that much of Ollie’s XI had to chip in after several no-shows. Snellers was in fine form with the bat as was Jai, while Jonah, Ted and Seb picked up three wickets apiece. Ziggy almost pulled victory from the jaws of defeat and there must be a nod to two great performances behind the stumps from Oli and Jai.

Ollie won the toss and elected to bat. No surprises there but pre-selected teams didn’t get a revision as numbers were tipped ten-eight in his favour so he and two others had to enter the field. Hector, invalided by matriarchal issues, umpired heroically at both ends.

Calvs and Ziggy opened the batting while Jonah and Scott opened the bowling. Jonah possibly had too much going in his favour down hill as he found plenty of pace initially but was a little short of a length to catch out the opening pair. Oddly, Scott somehow tied down an end for a few overs but Jonah’s class showed through when he did for his mate, Calver, in a slightly awkward sorry, not sorry departure - caught and bowled.

Ziggy was on top of the ball and the sledging with some fine cut shots complimenting his defensive play. First change saw Ted and Akhil continue the seam and spin plan, this time with actual spin. Ted trapped James in front just as he looked set to stay, the captain also got Ziggy LBW much to the Starman’s bemusement.

Lynden and debutant, Joe had work to do with their side at 46-3. The pair looked assured on a flat deck and they put on thirty runs, forcing Ted to ring the changes when as Seb and latterly, Tells came on.

Seb Horner struck with his first ball as it turned back of a length, found Lynden’s edge and Oli took a sharp one handed catch above his shoulder. Lynden was later to remark “when did Oli learn to catch?”. Little did he know Oli’s wife is the best player in her household and ten years in the US had seen her hone Oli’s skills. Boreham’s claims that only 10% of his catches appear in the database were dismissed by those playing pre-his American exile. Tom was in great form and chose a grand stage to get his first maiden over.

Good friends Joe and Jai were now in the middle but Seb soon separated them with a calm caught and bowled. Seb sent down two maidens himself. It looked like it would come down to Jai and his captain, Ollie to pull something out of the bag at 74-5. They did well. Jai was on top form, a sumptuous pull for six the pick of his shots. Ollie was ready with his big shots, although four overthrows got him off to a fortunate start and he played understudy to Jai’s big show. Their fifty partnership looked like it was altering the direction of the match. Ted brought himself back on.

The second Ted v Ollie battle of the summer (following their Chiddingstone tussle) saw Ted redress the balance with a ball that shaped through Ollie’s defence off his pads onto the stumps. Then the perceived tail was exposed but it wagged - first Ben showed no fear of the short stuff until Seb got his third and then George belied his position in the order with 360 shots and some tidy strokeplay.

Jonah returned, this time uphill and bowled George. The innings was now coming down to Jai and he stepped up with some glorious shots all round the ground. Jonah was fairing far better at the change of ends and after two drops it took Calver, borrowed from Ollie’s team and sent long-on to long-on for fifteen overs to dive in and grab. It was a fine innings from Jai. Scott came back on, got smashed around by Kuts but ended things on 188 when Gez missed one. With Ollie, George, Ziggy and Kuts in an attack, it looked defendable.

It was enjoyable for everyone to have their first laid-on tea for the summer and with a bar open, Knockers were in something of an ideal set-up. Peter Smith and Guido popped by, less than fresh from Tom Cobb’s wedding while Jari, Ed Irwin, Finn Kinsler-O'Sullivan and Ed Springett also made brief appearances.

Ted sent out Oli Boreham (with an interesting “refreshments” combo inside him) and Tells. Snellers was giving Scott the hurry-up at four as “this might not last long”. He needn’t have worried as despite a serious opening pair of George Randell and Ollie Marsh, they made tracks with Tom’s cut for four off Ollie a particular highlight. Marshy otherwise seemed to relish peppering Boreham’s upper body.

Ollie eventually found Tells’ stumps and Snellers entered the fray. Boreham was by now having much success in swinging his bat and Ollie’s bowling was in unfamiliar territory with the boundary being found with something approaching regularity. George was moving it well off the deck but it was Ollie who induced a miscued pull that looped up to Joe’s safe hands to end Boreham’s fun.
Scott entered to gentle heckles but managed to hit probably his best ever shot - a back foot lofted drive over cover for four. George responded with a seaming ball that cut him in two. Snellers was clearly the main threat to the defence of Ollie’s XI’s total and he was soon picking the gaps while Scott clung on. Joe came the closest to troubling Snellers, his first over was finding turn but a straight one almost did for the Knockers legend.

Kuts came on and did his best to bounce Scott out. It eventually worked as a top edge was calmly taken by James Rawlins at second slip, but it was not before Scott had sent a few to the boundary to help bring up a fifty partnership. The run rate was proving a problem for Ollie’s side as Seb Horner then got stuck in with a jaunty strike rate. His family cheered on every shot, including leg byes, as he and Snellers put on a third significant partnership to bring the target within sight. Gez was Ollie’s wildcard and a few loose balls gave way to a decent line - when he got the length right it stemmed the flow.

Snellers was just too good for proceedings and so Ted retired him on seventy – a mildly poetic number for the occasion - with wedding dodging Lawrence suddenly available. He was to have a front row seat for the forthcoming show.

Ziggy came on about four overs too late, partly because he’d demanded the slope to be in his favour. He had a point as Seb feathered an edge to sharp glovework by Jai. The target loomed, Akhil entered and hit the first one well before charging Ziggy, missing it completely and Jai did the rest. Jonah then charged the next ball and Jai stumped him too. With only Ted and a possible return by Snellers available, was there to be a final twist in the tale?

Ted scrambled for kit with two runs needed. Ollie’s team were well within their rights to appeal for a timed out. Scott had already promised Calver that he’d make no on-field decisions which is an interesting predicament for an umpire, but a potential hat trick ball was the order of the day.

Ted prepared. Ziggy had had four minutes to decide upon the right ball. It was ripping. It was missed. It hit the pad. It was going on to hit leg stump. Everyone appealed…but it had pitched outside leg.

Ted put the next ball away for four to wrap things up.

A team photo, jugs of beer, speeches, interruption of speeches by Boreham - some things never change, some things do; Lynden spoke of the 75th anniversary being the next milestone for the club - as mentioned in the speeches, it is the people that make a club and there are many good men that might well get the institution over the line again. Go well, Knockers.

Ted's XI Innings

 

Batting

Batsman	How Out	4s	6s	Runs
Richard Calver	caught	0	0	2
David Bowen	lbw	6	0	30
James Rawlins	lbw	1	0	9
Lynden Spencer-Allen	caught	1	0	8
Joe Dale	caught	1	0	12
Jai Shah	caught	6	2	57
Ollie Marsh	bowled	2	0	24
Ben Harries	caught	0	0	4
George Randell	bowled	2	0	16
Christian Kutner	not out	1	0	7
Gerald McBrearty	bowled	0	0	0

 

Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
George Randell	7.0	0	36	0
Ollie Marsh	5.0	0	36	2
Joe Dale	3.0	0	29	0
Christian Kutner	4.0	0	37	1
Richard Calver	2.0	0	19	0
Gerald McBrearty	2.0	0	13	0
David Bowen	2.0	0	16	3

 

Match Photos