Match Report

For the second time this season the mighty Lavant returned home after 3 weeks playing away fixtures. It was good to be home! After such a glorious summer the outfield looked short, the pitch looked ready after being baked in the hot sun, and the trees looked large and leafy.

On another glorious warm and sunny day it felt like a good chance to trial playing 40 overs with the theory of giving Lavant’s abundant all-rounders a better chance of getting a game.

As was proven by the stand-in skipper during the midweek T20 game that ‘any old jack’ can’t just rock up and deliver the goods, you have to be a special kind of tosser to be able to deliver under pressure. Up went the coin and the toss was lost by the Clanfield captain. Returning to form the skipper shouted ‘BAT’ and walked off. For once there weren’t any grumbles (particularly from the bowling unit who were most grateful of not having to bowl and be out in the field in the heat for 40 overs)!

With the batting positions assigned the tried and tested opening partnership of Justin and the Lavant skipper slapped on the pads and got out to the middle looking to continue their opening partnership form. 

With the Lavant skipper moving around in the order for the last couple of weeks (and struggling for rhythm of late resulting in having to dig in a lot for the team), this week saw a return to the more swashbuckling opening batting the team have become accustomed to, setting the tone with the first ball being hammered to the boundary for 4 and quickly racing into double figures.

At the other end Justin, who is in the form of his life and passing 1000 runs for the season, was not done yet. Sticking to his tried and tested methods he started to get in on the act punishing the opening bowlers. With Eli (his son) ‘blessing’ his bat before he walked out it clearly had worked! 

With one of Clanfield openers bowling sharply and trying to disrupt the Lavant openers with a barrage of lively short bowling, both cricketers were up to the challenge – remaining watchful, lining it up, making positive leaves, and defending with soft hands. With the pitch cutting up early both batters started to vigorously do some ‘gardening’ to pat down the surface as best they could.

With the openers quickly looking to rough up the batters both men got into position well and took on the shorter balls whenever possible to put pressure back on the bowling unit (pulling handsomely in front of square several times and hooking the ball away into the field)! 

Not allowing the bowlers to dominate proceedings the scoreboard raced to 50 in the 8th over registering yet another 50 opening stand for the two great mates. 

In the 13th over (and 84 on the board) the Lavant skipper fell being undone by a ball that moved late off the surface and a top edge, looping for a simple catch out for 40.

Next was Will MC who definitely benefited from a good T20 outing with the bat during the week to finally shake off the ability to hit classy shots straight to fielders with the  ‘master of ceremonies’ looking great touch. 

Will and Justin not only built upon the opening partnership but started to climb into the Clanfield bowlers in a display of brutal batting. With their kids watching it was great to hear the encouragement from the sidelines from the families who had come to watch. 

It was amazing batting. 100 past in the 15th over. 150 passed in the 23rd over. 200 passed in the 28th over! Not giving the Clanfield bowlers a sniff of a chance the ball kept being deposited into the famers field, the road, the river, the bushes, a picnic basket, a water butt, someone’s front garden, under a car, into a celestial body…..at one stage one of the many Ferraris driving past were in danger! 

The gathering crowd were treated to batting of the highest order and every boundary was met with cheers and applause. Justin (registering his 50 with a 6) did the same again registering yet another 100 with a 6! 

It is becoming hard to think of something new to say about someone who has registered as many runs as Justin has this year…..so….after not being able to think of anything I’m going to quote Eric Cantona ….’When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea’

I think we can all agree it’s fitting.

Justin retired on 101 putting his team in a terrific position. Well done again Justin.

Next in was ’Super Steve’ Brooker who was looking weary from his long travels up North and jaded from the egg peeling, cheese grating, bread buttering and baking for the tea. Perhaps feeling a little emotional from recalling to his team mates how he and Mrs B met, he looked good but was undone by a straight ball clean bowling him for 10. Steve showing he’s a selfless player (and a great team man) probably wanted to get back to get on with the tea prep….which entailed standing around watching Dawn organise it and not getting the way (big thanks to Dawn)!

Will T walked to the middle and there was a slight nervousness from his team mates after he had taken such a horrible blow to the face in the T20 game, but the ‘T-Rex’ showed he predatory instincts by getting stuck in and upping the ante. 

With the ‘double Will’ on display the scoreboard was really motoring. Will MC, having the ability to even manage to make a honk to cow look graceful moved into the 90’s but (in an odd moment of the day) hit a shot into the trees and knocked a couple of leaves off. So traumatised by this brutal assault on nature he simply couldn’t continue. Struck with the grief and guilt of denying photosynthesis Will decided to refuse the runs to retire on 93 and was last seen boarding The Rainbow Warrior.

With the score on 261 and 4 overs remaining Lloyd joined the T-Rex looking to get as many runs as possible. It is the plight of a middle order player to be ready to do the job that is required and Lloyd showed good game intelligence, looking to get Will T on strike as best he could to let the more ‘in’ batter have the majority of the strike, and it did the trick allowing ‘T-Rex’ to let out a mighty roar (even with a wounded mouth) and climb into the bowling and smash the ball the boundary. How does he do it with such little arms??

Lloyd (1 not out) and Will T (22 not out)  took the team home in the 40th over with a massive total of 278.

Tea was taken and the legend of Steve’s tea seemed to have spread far and wide, with people suddenly appearing out of nowhere to get stuck into the delights and then disappear after (perhaps to sleep it off). 

After food was eaten, 3 bananas consumed and extra tape applied to more body parts, Lavant returned to the field for the 40 over long haul to start their defense.

The team welcomed back Ian ‘Rawns’ who whenever called upon this season always delivered his skills with high consistency. Given the task of making the most from the new ball Ian was really unlucky and highlighted the frustrations of being a bowler sometimes. Ian kept beating the edge by a fraction but wasn’t backed up by the fielders stationed behind the bat with the ball going to ground, going over, going through without a chance being grabbed. 

Undeterred (apart from the occasional stare at the direction of the batter) Ian kept plugging away but it just wasn’t to be and after 6 overs came out of the attack to save him for later in the game.

At the other end ‘Jean claude van tran’ had a mixed start. First over started tightly and the club’s premiere strike bowler struck clean bowling the Clanfield opening bat for 1. However after this early success Tam looked to lose his rhythm and couldn’t contain the scoring and came out of the attack to be saved for later in the game. 

In the 12th over (and the score racing along to 63) a slight nervousness had started to creep into the home side with the Clanfield skipper looking set for a big score. The Lavant skipper turned to Will MC and Max (who had bowled so well in the reverse fixture earlier in the season) to tighten things up.

Will MC (much like his batting) did the same as always…delivered his high quality skills. Mr consistent hit the same spot over and over with very little reward but certainly stopped the flow of runs dead. Similar to Ian R he suffered with the same issue with the ball flying off the edge into gaps and evading the field. It felt like another one of those days of great bowling figures but no wickets until his 4th over finally the wicket came! With the pressure mounting the Clanfield batter tried to force the scoring and mistimed a shot that looped up to the grateful hands of Andy. The team erupted in celebrations because of a) Will finally getting a much deserved wicket from all his efforts and b) Andy pouching a catch after being so good in the field but not being able to hang onto a chance so far for Lavant. 

After taking his wicket the Lavant skipper rewarded WIll by taking him out of the attack so he could gather his thoughts at long on finishing with 1 for 5 from his 4 over spell.

At the other end Max got straight into the action and from ball one started to turn it big! You could hear the action he was getting on the ball (with it fizzing down) and picking up prodigious turn and bounce. Suddenly the Clanfield #1 (after looking so settled) was hopping around unsure how to play the young leg spinner. After 4 terrific deliveries his penultimate ball of the over picked up the prized wicket of the Clanfield #1 catching the batter in two minds who could only feather the ball into the keeper’s hands! 

Max wasn’t finished there. With a shock wave rippling through the Clanfield batting order in his second over he drew the #3 batter into a false shot which was safely grabbed by Andy (his second catch of the day for the much liked team man).

After a quiet third over (only conceding 2 runs) Max struck again in his 4th over picking up a LBW catching the #5 in two minds who was plum out trapped in front of all three.

Still not done in his 5th over, Max picked up two more wickets with some beautiful deliveries clean bowling #6 and #7 for ducks! I can tell you from having the best seat in the house behind the stumps there is nothing better than seeing a leg spinner in rhythm. Max entered the attack with the team looking for a breakthrough and he bowled so well and blew the game wide open. There have been times this season Max (like all leg spinners) hasn’t quite got it right but today he bowled beautifully and stood up in an important moment in the game for his team and picked up a highly deserved 5 ‘fer ending his 5 over spell with a remarkable 5 for 6 off his 5 overs.

Next the Lavant skipper turned to Andy ‘Roberts’ R to come on and bowl. Such a striking sight of the 6 foot 6 man warming up would strike fear into the Clanfield batting. Encouraged by his team mates to mark out his ‘long run up’ Andy charged in and released the windmill! The pace of delivery, the swing and bounce catching the batters by surprise….someone even had the nerve to describe it as ‘very gentle pace’!

Apart from struggling to keep a consistent line Andy bowled very well for his first bowling outing and finished his 4 over spell 0 for 11.

At the other end it was time for ‘The Professor’ to arrive and educate the Clanfield batters. Using all his academic powers and knowledge the good Doctor was fast into his work giving away nothing and keeping things nice and tidy. With 3 maidens the impressive spell heaped so much pressure on the Clanfield batters (who were desperate for runs at this stage) that it forced the #8 into a suicide run nudging the ball to Max (who you couldn’t keep out of the game at this stage) who swooped, scooped and threw the ball in to the keeper’s hands to allow the bails to be whipped off with the #8 batter nowhere in sight for a clinical run out.

Apart from one slightly loose over Peter bowled brilliantly and ended with 0 for 21 off his 8 over spell. Well bowled Peter.

With the overs ticking down Ian R returned to complete his 8 over spell finishing 0 for 30 from his 8 overs and could be considered deeply unlucky not to have picked up a hatful of wickets, but cricket is a funny old game.

Tam also returned to finish his quota and wasn’t in the mood to hang around! One delivery completely beat the charging #10 bat who was out stumped and then Tam cleaned up the #11 out bowled for a duck bringing the game to an end in the 35th over with Clanfield only managing to post 122 and give Lavant dominant victory. 

Yet again another extremely polished team performance where everyone contributed. From posting a big first innings total and not giving the opposition a sniff, to starting brightly and then having to dig in when the bowling wasn’t quite clicking, to blowing the game wide open and pressing home the advantage when it came. 

With the home team buoyed by the result even the clearing up seemed fun and with Will MC walking to his car with an assortment of bottle donations! Lavant now had a week off before the big yearly BBQ game in two weeks time. 

Man of the match goes to Max. Notable mentions clearly have to go to Justin and Will MC for setting a massive platform but at a point where the game felt like it could start to unravel Max was simply outstanding and picking up the huge (and prized) wicket of the Clanfield #1 and #3 that swung the game into Lavant’s favour (let alone going on and picking up 5 wickets and a clinical run out). 

Champagne moment goes to Will MC for FINALLY picking up a much, much deserved wicket! When it happened, the celebrations and affection from his team mates was obvious for a guy who gives so much control and quality for not much reward this season!

Great day. Great win. Great tea. The Lavant train continues. See you in two weeks!