“No Fuss for Russ”
Match: 25
/ 655
Won
by 5 wkts
|
Team |
Total |
|
Blewbury & Upton
CC |
128 - 5 |
|
D. Shorten 3 - 8 |
|
|
|
|
|
FFTMCC |
132 - 5 |
|
C. Williams 28*, R. Turner
21* |
|
|
After some late
back-channel email communication problems the game was finally confirmed at
the twelfth hour, unbeknownst to the eager MADsters gnashing and writhing for
MORE cricket. In our ranks we had a new recruit a fellow South African of
Corne – Chris Hearne and a Bod in James Shaw. Was it the way he stood, shook
my hand, said the word “hello” that conveyed the sense I picked up that “this
guy is a cricketer”. Haven’t played for 12 years… hmm, not sure I’m too
worried about that. With the fixture
confirmed, 18 team changes made, Pops stuck in traffic, Lego won the toss and
said “we’ll have a chase”. Despite winning more matches batting first we are
undoubtedly better at chasing. How can that be? Simple – other teams are
worse at setting than we are. I think that’s right.
BUCC. The format with Blewbury
is to maximise everyone’s participation. Blewbury are willing and go beyond
the usual parameters. So, it was 2 overs per bowler, 25 retired to annoy the
Matt, and NO LBW. Also, wides are two runs not bowled again and the same for
no balls EXCEPT the last over. I won’t go into details apart from to say
there were 5-10 plumb LBW shouts as batsmen utilised this rule and took
guards outside off stump. But the rules are the rules so no grumbling, just
the odd wry smile and raised eyebrow. When we arrived, the
groundsman was rolling the pitching and was seen hurling a ball at the pitch
to check the bounce. We have never witnessed this from a groundsman before –
unconventional but you have to get your rage out somewhere. There wasn’t much
bounce on many deliveries, and this did make the no lbw rule understandable –
there were many unplayable deliveries due to lack of bounce. Also, the ground
has a good slope on it running parallel to the strip and with the very dry
weather made the downslope side a good target for easy runs with it also
being a short boundary. Timms on the boundary here, only just missed out on MAD
Moment with spaghetti legs fielding on two occasions, but heck he’d just got
back from Glastonbury, and it was a bobbly surface. It was a steady all round
bowling performance, this format plays to our strengths because everybody can
do everything or maybe everybody can do nothing, or probably somewhere in the
middle or to one side of the middle. Notable highlights were C Hearne who can
very definitely bowl 2-0-9-1, Turner at the death bowling the 19th over for 5
runs 2-0-15-0, and Shorten snaring a remarkable amount of fantasy points at
the death much to Mr Timms delight 2-0-8-3.
Library footage of Williams hoiking one away. The chase started with C
Hearne (19) and J Shaw (6) much to Mr Timms undelight – both unregistered
fantasy players. Chris, a self-proclaimed nurdler, hit a mighty leg side six
and got the Champagne Moment for that. C Williams (28*) played a careful
innings that still only took 18 balls. Roberts (8) continued from the last
match and harvested his favoured leg side, Timms (5) for once didn’t get
going in his current good form, Vermaak (3) got a go, and it will be the
first of more as he usually sits well down the order. Turner (21*) was
promoted above Ainsworth and Shorten at short notice, which prompted a
short-lived grumble from Lee, but it proved a good move as Russ continued his
good form, and for the second game running saw the team home in this format.
His 21 was carefully compiled with some great drives and along with his death
bowling got him MOTM. Well deserved.
Library footage of a trademark Russ drive. Other bits to remember
were the rule that was used when we were batting which was to bowl from one
end when the sun hits a certain low level. That happened for a few overs.
Also, Ralph of the Astons showed up with Blewbury being local. It was good to
see him and to chat with the Blewbury lot after the game. They are what
epitomises friendly cricket. They want to win but it doesn’t matter if they
don’t – they want a good time and to get everyone involved. We look forward
to next year and maybe a return fixture as well? Such is the way they have
rebuilt the club since Covid that they have a friendly match every Friday
where all villagers are welcome and they get a very decent crowd.
Astonishingly the largest bar taking on a Friday was Ł1,800. Now that’s what
I call community cricket. Also, probably very drunken cricket. Happy days. Oh,
there was someone else I want to mention. What’s his name? J-j Jan, no not
Jan. H-horris? Hmm, oh fuck it I can’t remember. Jan Horris. Something like
that. If anyone has a name a bit like that, can they let me know? I think
they want to play cricket…? ’Lego’
|
*
Statto Scorecards
|
Far From the MCC versus Blewbury
& Upton CC Played at Blewbury, 2 July 2025 Far From the MCC the toss and elected
to field Far From the MCC won by 5 wkts Far from the MCC debuts: Chris
Hearne (171) |
25 / 655 20 over match |
|
Team |
Blewbury & Upton CC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
A. Lawes |
retired |
27 |
|
5 |
- |
1-8 |
|
2 |
J. Lewis |
c Carter b Shaw |
0 |
|
- |
- |
2-61 |
|
3 |
L. Davis |
retired |
30 |
|
6 |
- |
3-112 |
|
4 |
J.
Slater |
b Hearne |
2 |
|
- |
- |
4-124 |
|
5 |
M. Cole |
c & b Shorten |
18 |
|
3 |
- |
5-124 |
|
6 |
E.
Yarker |
b Shorten |
6 |
|
- |
- |
6-128 |
|
7 |
A.
Stockley |
run out (Vermaak/Shorten) |
17 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
8 |
B.
Brooks |
b Shorten |
0 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
9 |
E. Bacon |
not out |
2 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
10 |
D.
Richards |
not out |
0 |
|
- |
- |
|
|
11 |
I. Bacon
*† |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
NB4, W9, LB1, B12 |
26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 6 wickets, 20 overs) |
128 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
Econ |
|
|
1 |
Vermaak |
2 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
9.50 |
|
|
2 |
Shaw |
2 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
2.50 |
|
|
3 |
Timms |
2 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
7.50 |
|
|
4 |
Ainsworth |
2 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
3.50 |
|
|
5 |
Hearne |
2 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
6.50 |
|
|
6 |
Harris |
2 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
8.00 |
|
|
7 |
Williams |
2 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
3.50 |
|
|
8 |
Roberts |
2 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
6.00 |
|
|
9 |
Turner |
2 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
7.50 |
|
|
10 |
Shorten |
2 |
0 |
8 |
3 |
4.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Team |
Far From
the MCC |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Batsman |
How Out |
Total |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
FOW |
|
1 |
C. Hearne |
st I. Bacon b Davis |
19 |
(22) |
2 |
1 |
1-36 |
|
2 |
J. A. Shaw |
st I. Bacon b Stockley |
6 |
(7) |
1 |
- |
2-43 |
|
3 |
C. T. J. Williams |
retired |
28 |
(21) |
5 |
- |
3-73 |
|
4 |
C. D. Roberts |
b Slater |
8 |
(10) |
1 |
- |
4-92 |
|
5 |
G. J. Timms |
b Brooks |
5 |
(10) |
1 |
- |
5-109 |
|
6 |
C. J. Vermaak |
b Lewis |
3 |
(10) |
- |
- |
|
|
7 |
R. P. Turner |
not out |
21 |
(27) |
3 |
- |
|
|
8 |
L. G. Ainsworth |
not out |
3 |
(8) |
- |
- |
|
|
9 |
D. Shorten * |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
J. Harris |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
G. Carter † |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Extras |
W30, LB4, B5 |
39 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
(for 5 wickets, 19.1 overs) |
132 |
|
|
|
|
|
# |
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wkts |
Econ |
|
|
1 |
E. Bacon |
2 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
4.00 |
|
|
2 |
Stockley |
2 |
0 |
24 |
1 |
12.00 |
|
|
3 |
Richards |
3 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
6.67 |
|
|
4 |
Davis |
2 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
3.50 |
|
|
5 |
Slater |
2 |
0 |
21 |
1 |
10.50 |
|
|
6 |
Brooks |
2 |
0 |
15 |
1 |
7.50 |
|
|
7 |
Cole |
2 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
7.50 |
|
|
8 |
Lewis |
2.1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
1.38 |
|
|
9 |
Yarker |
2 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
3.00 |
|
|
MOTM: R. P. Turner Champagne Moment: C. Hearne maximum over
deep square Buffet Award: C. J. Vermaak’s curried bobotie (cheap ingredients) MAD
Moment: G. J. Timms’ Glastonbury spaghetti
legs mis-field…. |
Opposition:
V074 / 011 Ground: G063 / 008 Captain: C016 / 049 Match No: 20 / 197 |