Pinkneys Green
Sunday September 22 at Pinkneys Strollers won by 22 runs Strollers 154-8
(35 overs; Oliver 50, Travis 37, Love 30)
Pinkneys Green 132-9
(35 overs; Oliver 3-6, Macaulay 3-38, Simon Brodbeck 1-7, Helsby 1-17, Rogers 1-24) What was initially set as the Strollers' season-closing
game in the UK before heading to France began in typical Stroller fashion.
Despite heavy rain in London and reports of torrential downpours from Reading
and High Wycombe, our own Simon Brodbeck was quick to confirm with Pinkneys,
via the groundsman (BBC weatherman Phil Avery), that the pitch was playable.
There would be a window for the game.
However, the day's chaos started early. Simon had
meticulously arranged transportation, only for the designated driver to pull
out an hour before pick-up. Jim Hodgson was quickly recruited to fill in,
reinforcing Robert Burns’ famous line: “The best-laid plans of mice and men
often go awry.”
The next bit of drama came from our lord James Dela Rue,
who had been celebrating his belated stag party and requested an early decision
on the game. His motives? Likely more to do with needing a sleep-in than
concerns about the weather.
Meanwhile, skipper Glen Oliver’s day was just beginning to
unravel: Alastair Macaulay missed his train, George Love – continuing the
season’s tradition of bringing a parent to a Strollers game – was en route with
his folks, and Dela Rue had not been heard from since 1a.m.
With the game scheduled for noon, Oliver was left wondering
if he would have a full team. Stair arrived first, followed by George and his
parents, while James finally showed up an hour and a half late, midway through
the first innings.
Some confusion reigned around what changing room the Strollers
were using being accustomed to being the home side; on this occasion we were
the visitors.
Before the match began Pinkneys marked the passing of their
long-serving groundsman Paul “Ginger” Savage by scattering his ashes next to
the block he had so lovingly tended for many years.
Paul made his debut for the Green as a teenager over 40
years ago.
A fast bowler, he opened the bowling for the 2nd XI for
many years, captaining the Sunday team. It was his lifelong commitment to the
club as groundsman for which he was most valued. He initially assisted Dudley
Jinman in preparing pitches, going on to lend his hand wherever it was needed
to maintain the beautiful village ground.
He remained devoted to the club year after year, working
countless hours on the playing field come rain or shine, often popping up to
the Green on his bike several times a day to ensure everything was in order.
Sadly as the 2023 season approached he was diagnosed with
cancer and died in the early summer.
Skipper for the day Oliver having learnt, after many failed
attempts to correctly call a toss, that it's better to negotiate matters,
masterfully arranged a bat for the Strollers in a 35-over match.
Love and Travis were sent out by the skipper to see off the
new ball. After a season of batting together the two openers were playing well
together and looked solid for the first 13 overs, before George – perhaps
deciding the run rate needed a push – rashly danced down the wicket, playing
all around it and was stumped well out of his crease for another solid 30 and
an opening partnership of 62.
This brought Oliver to the crease with Glen and Blair locked
in a ferocious battle for the honours of being top run-scorer and passing the
coveted 1,000 runs for the season. Blair – needing 90 runs to make the mark – was
only able to add 37 to his tally before he was bowled by the young Oliver
Fennell.
Glen continued his fine batting, which has been one of the
constants throughout the season, and somewhere along the way to his 50 he
brought up that coveted 1,000-run milestone.
Our venerable skipper – after reaching 50 for the umpteenth
time this season – was then lbw. Oliver was one of three scalps
claimed by the second Fennell brother Alex, who bowled very tidy spells and
looks like he could be a thorn in the Strollers’ side for many years to come.
The rest of the batters to produced exactly nothing worth
noting as the Strollers scraped their way to 154 – a score that looked somewhat
short of a respectable total.
As has become customary for games hosted at Pinkneys, Brodbeck
put on a delectable spread for tea. Thank you for organising and going out of
your way to pick this up, Simon.
With tea weighing heavily in our bellies we strolled to the
middle in an attempt to defend the modest total under skies which, after the
morning’s rain, had begun to improve. We even had a spell of some beautiful
late September sun.
Freddie Broster-Turley and newcomer for the last few games
of the season, Jake Helsby, were given the opening spell. Broster-Turley, as
has become the norm, was tidy and economical getting through four overs for
only four runs. From the
other end Helsby bowled a wonderful wicket-maiden to remove opener Charles
Berger for three.
Broster-Turley and Helsby were replaced by Steve Rogers and
a Dela Rue still baring the hallmarks of a long night out. The pair bowled the
next 14 overs uninterrupted, with Rogers claiming the scalp of opener James
Hemmings for a solid 30 in the 19th over, with Pinkneys looking comfortable in
their chase.
With wickets seemingly hard to come by and runs coming
regularly Oliver turned to Mr Reliable, Alastair Macaulay, while taking the
ball himself at the other end. Oliver struck with his first over, removing
Youssef Arshad for 24.
Pinkneys skipper Ben Purchese, having joined the fray in
the 19th over, batted with intent scoring a quickfire 33 before succumbing to
an Oliver ball that went straight through him, after a good battle between the
two. After the fall of Purchese the wickets began to tumble with Stair mopping
up the tail taking 3-38 off his seven and Oliver grabbing another wicket to
finish with 3-6 off five.
Brodbeck bowled a solitary over and claimed another wicket.
After a strong chase from the Pinkneys batters, they
ultimately fell short of the required runs, managing 132-9 off their 35 overs.
Thanks to Pinkneys and we look forward to seeing them again
next year.
Capt: Glen Oliver. Wkt: George Love.
Match fees: Simon Brodbeck. Match report: Freddie Broster-Turley.
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