Pymmes pissed off, Specials shrug their shoulders

Smiler Herlihy the Sundowns' designated team "tosser" lost and we were to spend the first session in the field against our old rivals Pymmes.

Hendricks and Chambers (a previous centurion against us) opened up the innings for Pymmes. Once again Dom Pilgrim, being our one bowler of any pace, opened our attack from his favoured end.

Following the naming of the uphill end as the "Richard Bathard end" last week, Dom has just about earned the right to have the downhill end named after him.

I will consult the team and let you know next week if a naming ceremony has been conducted!

Scoring started slowly for the visitors, with Pilgrim, and the returning Cattell (back injury seemingly recovered), bowling tightly on a slow wicket that was still damp from the rain during the week.

With the score on 12 Cattell created the first real chance. He got the ball to bounce, off the Southover infamous ridge, and Chambers dabbed a cut to yours truly in the gully.

This should, without doubt, have been snaffled [you're dead right, it was a dolly - Ed] and you can imagine my pained look when the ball cannoned off my hand into the ground.

I looked up and was even more aggrieved when it dawned on me the batsman was Chambers. I had visions of the man completing another ton against us.

To the rescue - Dom Pilgrim in the next over. Chambers shuffled across his stumps and was struck on the pad, resulting not only in Pilgrim's cry for LBW, but a cry from the usually "I was concentrating on wicket keeping too much to appeal" McGowan.

The umpire raised his digit, giving great relief to all on the fielding side - especially my good self.

Shortly afterwards Pilgrim clean bowled Hendricks, with one of those peachy deliveries us Sundowners wish he could concoct more often.

Cattell continued to bowl a tight line, and with the score stagnating for Pymmes, skipper McGowan decided to open up the game. Cattell had conceded only nine runs from his six overs.

Mark Naisbitt, having given himself plenty of time to loosen his ever-tiring body, was brought on at the "Bathard end" and immediately dropped on to a nagging length.

His long and varied warm up procedure soon produced a result, when Reed was required to do nothing other than protect his privates to take a sharp catch from a well-worked field placing (silly mid-off) by the skip.

Following Pilgrim's two dismissals, and Naisbitt's early contribution, Pymmes sent in two new batsmen both unknown to the home team. Chas and Vijay started to construct a partnership.

Ringo Tailor was called in to the attack by skipper Mick McGowan, by now following an established formula in his captaincy.

Ringo bowled his eclectic mix of the unplayable, and eminently wackable, delivery but failed to make any inroads.

When his 50-plus-year-old frame eventually gave up after three overs he had conceded 14 runs.

With Vijay and Chas looking dangerous, Tailor was replaced by the Sundowns' "bowling find of the year", Dave Reed. Dave's figures so far this year read: five overs, no maidens, 62 runs, one wicket.

It remains to be seen whether Dave will persevere with this new-found occupation, or revert back to batting and wicket keeping where he has been far more successful over many years with the club.

Anyway, Mr Reed bowled two overs reasonably successfully, without looking like penetrating the partnership.

It was his third over that jumps off the score book at you.

In terms of expensiveness, the over was not too bad. It was the sheer number of deliveries that astounds.

Having started with a wide, he conceded a single. So far one legitimate delivery.

The third was a dot ball, the fourth another wide, the fifth a dot, the sixth another wide, the seventh another dot (do you see a pattern developing?). We have now completed four legal deliveries. The next delivery dribbled (this is the most apt word to describe the delivery), towards the batsman before coming to a halt well short of the wicket - a no ball.

Luckily for Dave the batsman declined a free hit as last time he did this he put his shoulder out - ah! The vagaries of Sunday cricket.

The over kind-of meandered along after this with a couple more wides, until it was eventually completed with the eleventh delivery.

Only seven runs from 11 deliveries, Dave looked relatively pleased with his afternoon's work!

Chas and Vijay were both batting well, and looking confident. McGowan again rang the changes, this time introducing Paulo Manzi for his first-ever bowl for the Specials.

Manzi's mix of deliveries was not quite as varied as Reed's but his medium pace needs a little refining if he is to make strides in the bowling department.

Youth is, however, on his side, unlike the aforementioned Reed. Manzi managed three overs for 26 without worrying the wickets or maidens column.

Meanwhile at the "Bathard end" your correspondent had been thrown the ball, no doubt in the hope he could repeat his feats of the previous weeks - a tall order.

I failed, of course, to claim another five-for, but I did find myself on a hat-trick having removed Vijay for a fine 53 and Chalkley first ball. Dom Pilgrim took a good catch to dismiss Vijay and the unfortunate Chalkley was clean bowled. No hat-trick this week.

Pymmes continued to make progress, despite Dom producing another unplayable delivery to bowl Chas (55). Pymmes eventually declared on 174 for six at tea off 43 overs. Uday finishing 22 no.

After another fine contribution from Pat - the tea being full of many and varied delights - the rather-full Andy Vernon and Smiler Herlihy opened up for Sundowns.

The out-of-form Herlihy decided on the gritty approach, and was first out on 23 (his best effort so far this season), caught and bowled Chambers. The opening partnership of 57 was just what the Specials needed as a base.

Vernon was joined by Steve Golding, and was unlucky to play on from Chambers shortly afterwards. His innings of 31 had been a fine one and included one particularly memorable flick off his legs over mid-on for four.

Specials stood at 58 for two. Golding and Medlock (your correspondent) started to run some quick singles and keep the scoreboard ticking over. This policy, along with one or two lusty blows for four and six by both batsmen, kept Specials on target.

With the score moving along nicely, Chambers produced a high full toss to my good self. The ball disappeared into the greenery behind his arm and I took a swing at where I thought the ball was.

The next sound was not that of willow on leather, but of the stumps collapsing behind me. As I went to trudge, non-too merrily, on my way, I looked up to see the umpire (our very own Dave Cattell) signalling no ball for a high delivery. What a let off!

Cue some very, very blue language from the Pymmes boys!

As we encroached the final 20, the target remained about seven an over. Pymmes heads were starting to drop and the target was coming down slowly. The light wasn't great but we kept the score ticking over and never let the target get too far away.

Uday, who opened the bowling, had come back on after a short break. This coincided with Gareth Williams (sidelined yet again, but still managing a mention in the report), taking up the umpiring mantle from the far end.

Uday's several vociferous appeals, for LBW, failed to impress our version of David Shepherd, and added to the already tense atmosphere in the middle.

Pymmes rang the changes, Chalkley, who had bowled unchanged, came off, before returning again soon after - the alternatives having no success.

With only 14 required from the final four overs my luck ran out as I struck a full toss straight to a Pymmes fielder who took a good clean catch. I departed having just completed my 50.

Golding and "I don't get out" McGowan were left to complete the job, which Golds did with a swept four to win the game and complete a very good 50 no. The skip was four no.

Once again, Reed and Mark (you will have to hone your batting skills with Lionel Length) Naisbitt were left sitting on the bench all padded up with nowhere to go.

I'm sure, knowing the Specials, their batting will be being reported on sooner rather than later.

The atmosphere was a bit frosty as the teams left the pitch. Pymmes felt the rub of the green had been rather cruel to them and were in no mood to congratulate their winning opponents.

Win number three out of three for Sundowns.

We look forward to the return game later on in the year when I'm sure there will be some fine cricket and maybe some controversy to report.

On to the days winners and losers:

The Winners:
I know it's boring, but "thanks Ump!" me again. A couple of wickets and 51 runs.

Steve "one over of slog and miss" Golding, a maiden 50 for the season.

Andy "more smoked salmon sandwiches please" Vernon, 30 runs (becoming his standard contribution).

Smiler "slowly coming back to form" Herlihy, 23 runs.

The skipper (Mike McGowan), still not out and still winning.

Dom "will he get the downhill end named after him?" Pilgrim, three wickets for 41 from 13 overs.

Mark "is that the score…oh great I won't have to bat" Naisbitt, economical spell with the ball: one for 34.

The Losers:
Dave "bowled too well to get a wicket" Cattell, sorry about the catch Dave

Dave "surely he will get a bat soon" Reed, the longest over of the season so far!

Pymmes - well where do we start……?

Ann Whitbread - Ann let us know if the skipper is still sticking to his no-sex vigil so we can remove you from the column (ooh er missus!).

Next week we take a fixture from the Cricket Conference, so, as yet, our oppo is unknown, but tune in cricket lovers, to catch up with the latest Specials escapades.

© Tony Medlock 2002