Broughton Gifford
Saturday June 22 in Broguhton Gifford Strollers won by 69 runs Strollers 235-9
(40 overs; Travis 104no, Rogers 43, Oliver 24, Macaulay 12no, Love 12)
Broughton Gifford 166 (28 overs; Broster-Turley 4-4, Brodbeck 2-23, Macaulay 1-7, Oliver 1-29). The annual Cotswolds tour was a maiden journey for this
writer, the summer weekend hyped up as a salubrious event that should not be
missed. It proved to be just that tonic.
Saturday saw what could only be described as a “relatively
strong” Strollers take on Broughton Gifford at their lovely ground in
Wiltshire. The oval noted for its unique boundary surrounded by tall grass was
a site meant for theatre, providing an obligation that the crowd should be
entertained…and so they were.
The pre-match is where we should start. For half the
touring 11 this was Friday night where some craft beers in a Bath industrial
estate opposite a Topps Tiles that had seen better days was the logical place
to limber up before the tour. A distinct lack of mid-strength beers and a food
stall offering only vegan meze proved a catalyst for liquid refreshments, drunk
at pace. With Electric Bear going into hibernation at 10pm that evening, the
parties were left wanting. A night cap at Maggie Patston’s for half of the
group and a cocktail bar for the rest, led to an evening ending in the early
hours of the morning much to captain Alastair Macaulay’s displeasure.
In true Stroller fashion, despite a match time and
directions that had not changed from the printing of the fixture list, messages
of tardiness flooded in just before the game. Some of the Friday night
revellers had no excuse and clearly demonstrated that timekeeping should be
right under catching on the Strollers practice list.
Turning up to the ground it was revealed that the much-anticipated
grass boundary had been mowed! Word was of a greedy farmer who wanted two
yields of silage in a season. The battle arena was no more. A travesty in the
view of this writer, but a blessing for the over-rate.
It was pleasing to see the changing sheds lived up to their
fandom, signs clearly warning all those who pass through to securely close the
doors and not to let the ducks out. Ironically, there were no signs to “duck”
just above the low door frame which took several Strollers as casualties.
Captain Macaulay did the almost unbelievable and actually
won the toss and chose to bat on a slightly green wicket. Two Strollers
gladiators in Rob Wall and Mike Daly opened the batting effort. Prior to the
first ball a rumour had already began to make the rounds that Wall had
proclaimed in the sheds that he had “never been dismissed in his long sleeve
polo”. From any other player this might have been a worthy statement of intent,
but alas Wall had only received the polo the week prior and had played just
once midweek, being forced to retire on 30 not out.
A young bowler that could only be described as an athletic
under-21 colt at the wrong oval opened proceedings. With a very long run-up,
you could already sense Wall worrying about the over-rate and not the pace (you
see dear reader, he had never been dismissed in this kit).
He hits a tentative single to start off the Strollers
innings. The crowd murmurs after a similar single from Daly – this kid could
bowl.
A few more singles settled the openers until the first
wicket fell – a beauty of a delivery hits the off-stump and Daly is the first
victim, an unfortunate commentator’s curse after Mike Pittams is heard noting:
“He looks good for his first game in a while”. Wall and the infamous, and
short-lived long-sleeve, go in quick succession following a repeat delivery that
claims Daly.
End of the first: 7-2
A less than advantageous start meant spin-whiz Steve Rogers
and safe hands Blair Travis had to steady the ship at No 3 and No 4 respectively.
The two led a solid 125-run partnership before the colt came back and got his
third scalp in Rogers.
132-3
Pittams was up next but left prematurely (much like his
recent visit to the barbers) with seven. Much to the vast crowd’s pleasure, Simon
Brodbeck was next in to attempt to reach his milestone 8,000 career runs. He
needed eight runs, or was that nine, or seven? No one seemed to know the exact
requirement but there was a consensus it was eminently achievable.
Brodbeck had to wait his turn as a soft-handed Travis
continued to accrue boundaries and twos. A nasty wide that hit the keeper’s
ankle saw her limp off and a Stroller is asked to assist in the field. Pittams
obliges without thought.
Brodbeck is on strike.
A single!
Another!
A third!
Soon the Broughton spectators know all about the record.
Time moves slowly but then a four!
A great shot as the run tally jumps to seven. Another
single. Eight. It had been confirmed there is one run to go. A fresh bowler
looks to halt Brodbeck’s advance. Facing an awkward length delivery, Brodbeck
pops it up to cover only to be safely caught by no other than a remorseless
Pittams…Brodbeck is caught and out on his 7,999th run!
Travis continues and is forced to retire after 73 minutes
with a lovely ton, his second in two matches as he continued his great run of
form. Glen Oliver adds double digit extras, and the remaining few batsmen endure
a mini-collapse. This writer hits his first boundary for the Strollers.
Captain Macaulay comes in as last man and holds out with
the recalled Travis, who had only just removed his great-great-grandad’s pads.
Macaulay hits two lovely boundaries, one just short of a six, with Travis
adding a few extras to see out the innings. 235-9.
If the first innings was a spectacle with Brodbeck’s
jeopardy and Travis’s ton, the second innings was *chef’s kiss*.
The Strollers bowling attack was hampered due to a serious
lack of spin. Rogers, having sustained an unfortunate repetitive strain bicep
injury, ruled himself and his right-arm out of bowling the innings. The
Strollers needed a fast start from the young pacers in Freddie Broster-Turley
and George Love.
Broster-Turley opened with great speed and set the intent
early with just two singles. Love at the other end was a little loose but got
into the swing of it. End of the second, 8-0.
Broster-Turley fanged it in repeatedly with a lovely maiden
for his second over and Love followed suit with a few singles. The Strollers
were looking sharp.
Broster-Turley opens the fifth over conceding two. His
second ball is edged and caught! A great first wicket. His third, edged again…but
there is no appeal and the batsman remains. His fourth, the lucky batsman’s
luck runs out and he walks with a plum lbw the ump had to call. Fifth ball and
Broster-Turley’s lovely delivery trims the bails. 2-2.
The Strollers converge on the batter like vultures to a
cadaver. With a full set of slips and all the WAGs upright and watching, the
hat-trick was there for the taking.
The final ball from Broster-Turley and he lines up and
fires down a screamer. Broster-Turley’s effort sends the bails flying and the
visiting crowd wild.
TIMBER! HAT-TRICK!
For his efforts, Broster-Turley has to resign from bowling
with immediate effect. End of fifth, 13-4.
This writer enters the fold to keep up the pressure. However,
the opening batsman had other ideas and valiantly began to re-balance the game.
The fifth wicket comes with a lovely ball from Oliver hitting the stumps on his
second over. 101-6.
Macaulay, seeing a need to shake things up, takes the
bowling reins and provides immediate impact. A combination of height, length
and pace works wonders as the opening batsman, and key wicket, mishits the first ball of his second over and is caught
crocodile-style at deep-midwicket by Travis. Macaulay ends his second over with
a wicket maiden.
The next blow to Broughton comes from an accurate pick-up
and throw by Daly to cause a great
run-out from square leg.140-8. Brodbeck then hits the stumps to begin to put the innings to
bed.
It feels appropriate to interrupt the match report briefly
with an exchange overheard on the boundary. Pittams had been seen helping the local
lads in with retrieving their football. Sarah Porter, not one to fabricate,
attests to over-hearing the following exchange:
Local Boy One: “When I grow up I want to be that guy – look
at his moustache!”
Local Boy Two: “No way – have you seen how rubbish his lid
is!”.
The game was well in hand at 148-8 but this did not stop
the Strollers looking sharp in the field. Batter No 10 walks in and after a few
blocks she gets her eye in. She hits a single to Daly at square leg and makes a
poor choice to call the run. Confusion as her partner hesitates and she has to double
back. Without missing a beat, Daly hurls the ball at the stumps for a direct
hit. There was no celebration. 158-9.
The final wicket was Brodbeck’s second of the day thanks to
a lovely diving catch from keeper Love. Strollers win by 69 runs.
Following the game, Stair presented Broster-Turley with his
eagerly awaited 10th cap (read: hat)…fully deserved after that sensational
bowling effort.
The afters and aperitifs (Pernod anyone?) flowed at The
Bell On The Common. The team then made their way to the Green Dragon about an
hour later than booked.
Then the drama began. In an effort to get the orders in before
the kitchen closed – despite six of the 18 diners being still missing – things proved
tricky. Stair managed to bamboozle the waitress simply by ordering four extra
meals that were the same as his. Luckily, sirloin steaks cooked medium rare
with peppercorn sauce were popular among the crew. Wall ordered an extra
starter to complicate matters even more.
A couple of extra prawn starters were the only collateral
damage from the ordering confusion as wines flowed swiftly between the courses.
Brodbeck made a nice tour address, paying tribute to club legends Peter Patston
and Ivor Fiala. Peter’s great slip catch against Cricklade was compared to Oliver’s
general lack of movement on the pitch – to applause. In fairness Oliver’s recent newfound
agility on the pitch and slip was noted, producing a wry smile from Steph,
only seen by this quiet observer.
Time passed and the convivial hosts continued to procure
more wine. Baritone chants of “wine me” and “Delarue my Lord” ensured the rest
of the inn emptied swiftly.
An hour later last drinks were called. Daly managed to
wrangle three additional bottles of red – noting that you could only order in
trios. Festivities continued as Daly endearingly addressed Maggie as a “very
busy lady with coloured pencils” and suggested the group could continue as his
bartender friend has a late tee-off time at 8.36am.
A mere 10 minutes later and with the liquor run dry, Stair
settled the tab, closing the first day of the tour and ending with potentially
the largest Strollers wine bill on record.
Capt: Alastair Macaulay. Wkt: Rob Wall.
Match report: Neale Mulholland.
| 
