Ripley CC was formed in 1749, a year that saw the premiere
of Handel's “Music for The Royal Fireworks” and the publication of “Tom Jones”
by Henry Fielding. By contrast 1976, the year of the first Strollers match, saw
a heatwave, the launch of the Ford Fiesta and the release of "Anarchy in
the UK" by the Sex Pistols.
Given the current heatwave and a baked outfield the colour
of straw, a captain only has one job. Ben Mangham duly obliged and sent Blair
Travis and new recruit Hector Millar in to bat in a 35-over game.
Hector has been recruited for the game from our old
adversaries Sheepscombe but actually lives in Brixton so benefited from the
almost door-to-door pick-up from the skipper. A man of firm ideas, Hector
revealed on the car journey to the game that he has never seen a single ball of
the 100 and is nevertheless firmly agin it.
Thrust into opening, he showed skill in playing a few off
his legs, a skill given to few of us. The Ripley openers were accurate and the
bounce variable but Blair and Hector put on 50 in eight overs and saw them off.
Anything past a fielder went to the boundary on the rapid outfield.
First change bowler Dan Smith was also quick and Hector
soon nicked to the keeper for a promising 11.
Blair is on the hunt for his
record-breaking fifth ton of the season as well as making his inexorable way to
1,000 runs for the season (cruelly robbed last year). However, he also fell victim to Smith, playing on for 35.
Harry Mangham, who has a ton on this ground, got a horrible ball that shot
along the ground and was out for two as the innings tottered at 78-3. Smith
finished with 3-19 off his seven overs and was very much the pick of the
bowlers.
Rob Wall and Steve Rogers started to rebuild the innings
and after 20 overs we were 110-3 with 15 overs left. Rob and Steve both
departed with the score on 123 (scoring 28 and 20 respectively).
Freddie Broster-Turley played his usual high-tempo innings
with a quick 19. Ben Mangham and Isa Pandor then put together a very good stand
of 50 with Ben taking the initiative, hitting the bowlers back over their head.
Isa was run out for nine as was Ben on the last ball of the innings for a quickfire
38, a true captain's innings. They had helped the Strollers reach 199, which
was felt at least to be defendable with the variable bounce.
Then there was tea, yes tea. A good spread was provided in
the ancient Grade 2 listed club house by our hosts – sandwiches, quiches,
pizza, cakes and fruit (all the major food groups). Thus refreshed, the
Strollers headed out to field.
Broster-Turley opened the bowling and should have had Neal Panting
(who guested for the Strollers in 2021) out first ball. However, Harry Mangham
shelled it but luckily it turned out not to be too expensive.
David Hughes and Panting made a steady start and put on 40
in the first seven overs before Freddie had the former caught by Ben Mangham
for 30, a crucial wicket and followed up with an lbw to dismiss the No 3 (Freddie
Povey, their best bat we were told).
Ben brought himself on to bowl and had Panting caught by Travis.
Scoring became more difficult as Pandor got through five overs for only 19
without reward. At the other end Rogers had the batsmen really struggling with
bounce and turn, taking 2-20 thanks to an lbw and a simple catch at mid-wicket by
Jim Hodgson. Wall deserves special mention for keeping to balls which were coming
through at varying heights.
Ripley were falling behind the rate as wickets fell. Harry
Mangham twirled his leggies and Alastair Macaulay his offies and they picked up
a wicket each.
Ripley all-rounder Smith was doing his best to take the
attack on while wickets fell around him and was their best hope. He was
eventually out for 40, victim to the return of Ben Mangham, once again having a
good day out down the A3. Ben finished with 3-29 and had the good grace not to
phone Paige immediately to find if he'd taken more wickets than her.
The 35 overs ended with Ripley on 162-9. A win with a few
fireworks but no anarchy. Ben rounded off his captaincy duties by buying a
couple of jugs, a gesture that we need to see more often.
Capt: Ben Mangham. Wkt: Rob Wall.
Match reporter and match fees: Alastair Macaulay.
