Strong Show From Stiffs

A crushing victory for the Stiffs away at old friends Trumpton banished all memories of the previous week's capitulation.

Tuckers' commitment to our Youth Policy was already paying dividends as some late withdrawals allowed us to draft in spring chickens Lay, Beeton and Baldrey, with a combined 200 years and 1,300 appearances between them. At least young Chris Soar kept the average age of the side below 50.

Cowlard, still unbeaten as stand-in skipper, expected to be Captain Flack when calling incorrectly at the toss. But, we were amazingly given use of the new ball on a track more spicy than an Indian Night's vindaloo after heavy morning rain.

This week we were wound up and ready to play from the off. Strongy, promoted from the Firsts, was licking his lips bowling down hill and got trampoline bounce from the off, quickly getting a caught behind off the gloves. Paul Lay then almost pulled off a miraculous diving catch at point from one of many edges as the Trumpton batters were happy just to survive. Opposition skipper TVS had most of the Millers' dreaming of listening to TMS, digging in for a wartime occupation of the crease.

Cowlard had struggled to bowl up the hill and brought on Leggy for his best spell of the season. Opinion was mixed at the fall of the 2nd wicket in the 20th over with the score on just 35. Drurs dived to take a sharp catch at mid off to dismiss TVS off Leggy, but soon realised this might lead to the home side posting more than the 88 they had managed the previous season. This looked more ominous in Leggy's next over as Glassback dropped a much easier chance.

Cowlard then struggled to bowl down the hill now regretting a 4.30 am finish, though for a change this was due to a session with new arrival Charlie rather than Carling. Rocky Rainsford took over and was soon recording a personal best over 10 yards charging in wind assisted down the hill. And Bazzer soon had a breakthrough getting the dangerous no.3 to sky a leading edge to Drurs for 35. In the next over a carbon copy saw Drurs take a third catch off Leggy removing the no.5 for a duck. Leggy sensed good figures were on the cards and asked Cowlard for a fielder at Pete Hardy's cow corner in his penultimate over. This fell on deaf ears so the Boss promptly bowled two long hops which raced to the boundary as if to prove a point. Leggy finished with a maiden though for great figures of 2-26 off 12.

The Skipper was now desparate for a wicket and tried a third spell back up the hill, only to see Dimps drop a sitter at gully, day-dreaming about his tea. One-Gets-Two told Dave to visualise the ball as a fairy cake and this paid dividends straight away as the Keyworth Legend leapt like a salmon to take a great catch at deep gully off the returning Strongy.

The home side were miles behind the rate and this led to a calamitous run out with both batsman in the middle of the pitch allowing Jonty Legge the choice of ends. Glassback then took a fourth catch in the deep off Strongy. And before we had time to ask if four catches in an innings was some kind of record, Barry had been through the 300 score books to unearth the following.... "12 other performances of 4 catches in a match; the record is 5, by Ernie Lay as a wicket keeper v Clifton in 1984, of the 13 performances of 4 catches, only 3 previously were by non wicket keepers".

At 115-7 with two overs left the game was almost up. Strongy still had time to show his First team fielding skills letting a sitter through his legs at deep long on. The chances of Cowlard replacing Carol Vorderman on Countdown were looking slim as he had miscounted the number of overs leaving an odd one to be bowled at the end. Big Tone was told to fire up his Vespa, but had barely got out of first gear when his first ball was slogged over Pippin Fort and bounced off about three cars. The home side ended on 135-7, Strongy taking 3-31 and Barrie 1-24.

The highlight of tea was that there was enough to go round after Dimps used one plate for savouries and another for sweets.

In reply, Evergreen Ern' and Drurs batted sensibly, never too quickly, never too slowly, on a pitch that still had plenty of bounce. Despite a few edges the opening pair posted a 50 partnership by the 6 o'clock whistle and were well set to make an entry into Barry's archives, only for Drurs to be caught sharply in the gully for 51, with the score on 93.

Cowlard had been sent to the scorebox for some homework after his poor adding up in the field.

Strongy was delighted to trot in at no.3 and mixed some handsome shots with a few rusty wafts in an unbeaten 26. At the other end Ernie was defiant to the end, despite copping a bouncer on the helmet, not out on 44, as we cruised to victory in the 40th over.

Sadly our 16 points didn't match Caythorpe's 18 so we're just back into 2nd.

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