Witham and against them
Witham and against them
The squad may have been reduced by illness, injury and sad family events (our thoughts are with you David) but on Sunday morning: ‘by the time we got to Witham we were thriving….’ With apologies to Glen Campbell
All were looking forward to a match as exciting as Hampshire’s last ball (twice) win on Saturday evening. We were disappointed, sadly, but an unlucky defeat by 8 wickets with nearly 12 overs to spare had within it many magical moments – and moments of fun and fallibility – but most notable of all John ‘Carol’ Griffiths got another nickname, more of that later……
LSCC 141 for 7 (B.Collis 34, T.Collis 26 retired) – 30 overs
Witham Friary CC 147 for 2 (Berkeley 1 – 22, Run-out by Sykes) – 20.4 overs
Arriving just before high noon, it was hot as hell but our kindly hosts had set up stout gazebos to give us all some shade. The Pearce family group was able to set up very cozy but coolly with their foldable furniture whilst the rest of us settled on hay bales. The Pub also opened at 12.00.
Of course, DT – having used up all his luck on Friday night winning the Quiz – lost the toss… However, using his Welsh inheritance of the gift of the gab, he persuaded the generous oppo skipper to let us bat first. The track had a slight green tinge but looked fairly flat.
Now I wouldn’t say the outfield was long but the shorter members of the team couldn’t field in the deep as they were unable to see over the grass. The combination of grass, clover and old grass cuttings clung onto even the most fiercely driven ball and the opening partnership of Collis Snr and JG was confined to running singles. After JG departed – for more than he got on Saturday – Tiger came in for a brief cameo that included the first boundary, before missing one that ‘kept low’ bowled by Witham’s impressively accurate bowler Charlotte.
This left Collis Senior to soldier on with Young Oscar who injected some pace into the innings. All too soon it seemed, 20 of the 30 overs had passed and, in the heat, more youthful batting was needed. Collis Snr retired unbeaten on 26 (it would have been worth 50 plus on any other outfield!) and Collis Jnr took to the long handle for a rapid 34 that included two sixes and four fours.
There were contributions from DT and Mike, who also added moments of joy with Mike straight driving the ball and hitting DT a mighty blow right behind the knee, and in need of a good rub. Fortunately, the skipper was able to carry on, so Tiny tried again this time flooring DT as he tried to get out of the way. As the ball did get through he set off for the available single only to arrive at the other end to find that Dave had turned turtle and was still there lying on his back like an upturned tortoise. Mike rapidly returned to the other end but his request for a run, as he had run both ways, were disappointingly turned down.
But for traditionalists, the most notable part of the rest of the innings was the selfless sacrifice by Lord Lucan who after a streaky 4 to third man ran himself out to give the strike to the 6 hitting Collis Jnr.
And so it ended at 141 for 7.
There had been regular drinks breaks for the elderly in the heat so the break between innings was fairly short (the burger barbeque beckoned at the close of play) so it wasn’t long before the carnage began. Faced with batters called Biffer, Tonker, Wacker and Wild, our weakened attack stuck to its task admirably but the ball flew to many parts of the ground negating the gripping outfield. However, honorable mentions must go to Mike who managed 4 overs for only 7 runs and even sent down a maiden, frustrating opener Tom so much that – thanks to a magnificent direct hit by Oscar there was a dramatic run out.
Peter perspired and persisted taking a rare wicket, and the skipper also manage to stem the flow briefly before successive sixes off his bowling (by Biffer, or possibly Tonker) finished the match.
But amongst this struggle there were brighter moments. The throw and catch relay to get the ball back to the bowler was in the main exemplary, give or take the occasional stiff back drop. Once again, however JG brought joy to the proceedings. Taking his eye of the ball (easily done in the bright and baking sun) he took a dropping ball to the side of his face. Understandably discombobulated, when asked if he was OK, Carol shook his head and said ‘I can hear bells’. Now this was a shock to the locals as the bells of St Mary’s Church (which was originally part of a Carthusian Monastery) have not been heard since it was rebuilt and extended 1875 by William White in “Muscular Gothic” style.
We believe John was channelling the spirit of The Hunchback of Notre Dame which has presumably been homeless since the 2019 fire in that Cathedral. It is probably not a coincidence that Notre Dame was also constructed on the site of a Carthusian Monastery. So we now have our very own Quasimodo Griffiths, and we have submitted JG to the Guinness Book of Records as the cricketer with the most nick names ever, we await a reply…
So despite the heavy defeat: a very enjoyable day in the country. Our boys coped with the heat and outfield in a spritely manner. The oppo were kind and generous and the burgers beefy.
The Champagne Moment?
Several candidates: JG channelling Quasimodo, DT turning turtle in his crease or Ben Collis taking 18 off a George, the opening bowler, over. All great fun but it is that great moment of exuberance that was Oscar’s run out of Tom (possibly the Tonker) that gets the corks popping.
Man of the Match
It was very much a team performance but – and I may be biased – a top scoring 34 including 18 off one over, lively fielding and even managing two overs of roughly accurate bowling earns a MoM for Benjamin Collis.
LSCC Innings
1. John Griffiths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b Keenan cooper 3
2. Terence Collis . … … . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . retired (not out) 26
3. Paul Pearce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . b Charlotte Hazel 15
4. Oscar Sykes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. b George Wilcox 16
5. Ben Collis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . b George Wilcox 34
6. Steve Keenan . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . – run out (Will Wild) 4
7. Dave Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. b Keenan cooper 14
8. Mike McIntyre .. . . . . . . . .. . . . c George Wilcox b Ralph Bartram 8
9. Peter Berkeley . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . not out 2
10. Gary Speedtwin DNB
11. Paul Jackson DNB
Extras 19
Total 30 overs 141 – 7
Witham Bowling
Charlotte Hazel 6 1 25 1
Keenan Cooper 5 0 18 2
George Hyde 6 1 32 0
George Wilcox 6 0 22 2
Ralph Bartram 5 0 26 1
Will Wild 2 0 7 0
Witham innings
- Tom Hyde . . . , , , , , run out (Sykes) 4
2. Ian Lanning . . . . ……. b Peter Berkeley 26
3. Will Wild . . .. . . . . . . . retired (not out) 38
4. Brad Perry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .not out 49
5. Sam Pritchard . . . . . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . not out 0
Extras 30
TOTAL 147 for 2
LSCC Bowling
- Oscar Sykes 4 0 35 0
- Mike McIntyre 4 1 7 0
- Paul Pearce 2 0 19 0
- Peter Berkeley 3 0 22 1
- Benjamin Collis 2 0 18 0
- Dave Thomas 2.4 0 17 0
- Terrence Collis 1 0 26 0
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