2008 match archiveGreat Missenden
Sunday April 20 at Great Missenden
Strollers won by three wickets
Great Missenden Pelicans 102
(Cave 4-21, McDougall 2-13, Wyatt 2-18, Walder 1-9, Macaulay 1-10)
Strollers 103-7
(Timperley 20, Wyatt 17*, While 14, Wood 12, Bailey 10)
In which the sun came out and surprised us all, patience would have been a virtue, the captain’s decisions were vindicated, and Timperley was just so out…
Most of the team had stopped off at the Nag’s Head for a bracer and, on hearing that we were fielding, assumed that Tom Wood had lost the toss. We were wrong. Inserting the opposition on a two-jumper day (apart from the hardy New Zealanders who had earlier been spotted wearing shorts) caused a certain amount of distress, but he was clearly right.
Dennis Cave opened proceedings for the season with a maiden and, in his second over, took the first wicket, a high steepling catch well taken by Mike Hart somewhere towards long-off. The Pelicans top order then disintegrated as early season impatience got the better of them on a difficult pitch. Doran Wyatt took a sharp catch to give Cave his second wicket, and then took an even sharper caught and bowled to give the debutant his first wicket for the club. The batsmen continued to play expansive – nay impetuous – shots and Cave picked up two more wickets (a bowled and an lbw) and Wyatt one (bowled), leaving the Pelicans on a sorry-looking 30-6 or thereabouts (the scorebook is not wholly clear on this matter).
Aaron Walder replaced Wyatt and was virtually impossible for the batsmen to get away, bowling the dangerous-looking Munro and unlucky not to get a second wicket with a catch to the slips. He finished with the impressive figures of 7-4-9-1. Wood, replacing Cave, was not quite so economical, but was also unlucky to have had a catch put down, this time in the deep.
The captain made another courageous decision at the drinks break, handing the pads to Hart after Hamish McDougall had given a fine demonstration of fancy glovework. Again vindicated, as Hamish took two wickets, one bowled and one a good catch to James Timperley. James While bowled one over of left-arm spin before Timperley took a second good catch off Alastair Macaulay to wrap up the innings. The Strollers had bowled and fielded well in the occasional and unexpected sunshine, with particular mention of Chris Locke who was always in the thick of it. 102 was more than it had looked as if the Pelicans would score at one stage – helped by a last wicket stand of 17 – but the early finish to the innings still left the Strollers plenty of time to reach a modest target after a very pleasant tea.
A third courageous choice from the captain as Timperley went out to bat with shock new opening partner Kimball Bailey. James scored freely, including one huge straight six which cleared the railway track, but was cut short by an LBW decision which some in the pavilion may have considered harsh. His 20 from the opening partnership of 24 was to be the highest score of the innings. Kimball had played both openers – particularly Greenwood – with respect, but, now accompanied by debutant While, started to play more freely before edging to the keeper in the 14th over for ten. Statisticians should note that (a) this was more runs than he had scored in the whole of the previous season and that (b) he outscored While in the second-wicket partnership.
While and Mike Hart moved the score on, with While striking one beautiful boundary, but it was heavy going. While was out lbw off Tickler for 14 and Walder lbw first ball; Hart then hit Tickler into the deep and was caught for five leaving the Strollers reeling at 58-5. When Locke skied a ball to be caught for two we were 63-6 and things were looking worrying. Wood smote the promising young spinner Rehman mightily but was then caught for 12 – 77-7. It was left to Wyatt and McDougall to bring the Strollers home. Patient innings from both, with some fine boundaries at the end from Wyatt, saved the day. A good end to a close match, and splendid bowling statistics from Greenwood who finished with 11-8-7-2.
Celebrations and post-match analysis continued in the pub and, later, in Barnes, where the umpire who had given Timperley out continued to protest his innocence… He really was so out…..
Captain: Tom Wood. Wkt: Hamish McDougall/Mike Hart.
Match fees: Alastair Macaulay
Jacobite Chancers
Sunday April 27 at Greenford
Match Drawn
Jacobite Chancers 193-7 dec
(Black 70; Crocker 3-34, Troughton 2-35, Brodbeck 1-47)
Strollers 175-8
(Troughton 78, McDougall 20, Friday 19, Crocker 19, Russell 11)
In which the sun came out and surprised us all again, catches were at a premium, Christian relieved us all from the Slough of Despond, and the Jacobites were sent home to think again…
The Chancers batted on first on a damp pitch and openers Dennis Cave and Brendan Russell struggled with their early line despite liberal application of sawdust. Despite some tight bowling and some close calls, there were too many opportunities for the opening pair of Ed Black and Hunch Mondal to smite mightily, with Mondal’s straight six a particular delight (well it looked that way from fine leg, it may not have looked so good to the bowler).
The wily Simon Brodbeck removed Mondal’s middle stump and Warren Crocker had the number three lbw and some even closer calls for lbw and stumping turned down. But it was the introduction of Christian Troughton, making his debut, that coincided with the Chancers starting to force the pace. His first ball was hit like a bullet to Chris Locke who made a brave attempt to catch it– nonetheless it was a great stop, and I hope that by the time the website is fixed and Chris can read this that his bruise had gone down a little. Troughton’s second ball was skied to Brodbeck by Adams for a fine take. In his second over, the Troughton-Brodbeck combination struck again with a spending catch from a ball to the deep covers that was showing signs of heating up on re-entry (we never doubted Simon for a moment) and Black was on his way for a fine 70. At this stage the Chancers were running for everything and the Strollers were unlucky not to be on the right side of a number of close decisions, with Hamish McDougall particularly athletic behind the stumps. But finally there was a run-out, and Crocker returned at the end to take two more, both clean bowled. The Chancers declared on 193-7 and the chase was on.
Kimball Bailey had tried to persuade skipper James Timperley that he should not open this time, but to no avail. Striding to the wicket accompanied by Marc Friday, he stayed long enough to see a splendid six from Friday before clipping the aggressive Alexander to the keeper for three. Timperley joined Friday and – after a curious incident where he was hit by a ball unnecessarily thrown by Alexander – departed caught for seven. Friday was bowled for 19 and a solid partnership from McDougall and Crocker kept us in the frame against some tight slower bowling from Mills and Arber. Crocker was lbw for 19, Locke came and went, and Brendan started where he left off last season by clubbing his first ball for four. McDougall’s resistance ended with a sharp caught and bowled by Arber for 20, and Russell struck another boundary before falling to Mills for 11. Brodbeck joined debutant Troughton with the score on 85-7, and with 15 overs of the last 20 to go. It should be noted that a number of catches had already also been put down at this stage.
Then the fun began. Both played themselves in carefully, before a fine six from Troughton off Slade. The unfortunate Slade went for two more sixes before being withdrawn from the attack; Black for two huge consecutive sixes before he was also replaced. Alexander, the opener, was brought back: two more sixes. It was not a chanceless innings, as yet more catches were put down. With the roof of the main Glaxo building Christian’s key target, the Strollers were scrabbling in the changing rooms for more balls; on the pitch, Mills and Arber were recalled. One more six off each, then Christian finally fell at deep square leg to Arber for a superb 78. 45 balls, nine sixes, and a partnership of 88. With 20 runs needed off the remaining 14 balls, Ivor Fiala joined Brodbeck and they played it safe, with 2007 batsman of the year Brodbeck finishing where he left off with an excellent and match-saving nine, and the shocked and ashen-faced Chancers were able to hang on for a draw. Which was probably the right result. But what a great last hour for the audience!
PS Having referenced Pilgrim’s Progress in the intro, I subsequently noted that the Slough of Despond is a soggy mire that Christian passes on the way to the Wicket Gate… Not like Greenford at all then.
*Statistical note: The eight-wicket stand of 88 between Christian Troughton and Simon Brodbeck appears to be a record. Brodbeck's second catch was also his 100th for the Strollers.
Captain: James Timperley. Wkt: Hamish McDougall.
Match fees: Dennis Cave.
Maidenhead and Bray
Sunday May 4 at Bray
Strollers lost by four wickets
Strollers 166-5 (40 overs; Timperley 85no, Hodgson 30, Morgan 14no)
Maidenhead & Bray 170-6 (35.1 overs; Hodgson 2-29, Macaulay 1-10, Brodbeck 1-18, Timperley 1-22, McDougall 1-30)
When the Strollers assembled at the lovely Bray ground, where the village church looks down on proceedings, the dogs almost outnumbered the players. Miles Platt is now accompanied by a lurcher called Alan while Sue and Mike seem to be starting a kennels. Oonagh sent apologies for her absence.
Unfortunately the Strollers innings went to the dogs too. Without much ado they were soon 12-3 with Hamish McDougall, Simon Brodbeck and Miles Platt barely troubling Madame President, who was loudly welcomed back to her post in charge of the scorebook.
But James Timperley and Jim Hodgson repaired the damage in noble fashion. With the odd delivery exploding off the pitch and the Bray attack giving little away, it was hard going. Hodgson, not yet in peak physical condition (“It’s the Patston effect,†| 
