Match Report

(Kindly written this week by Justin)

After another thumping win and a great turn out to nets the mighty Lavant CC headed to Amberley for a repeat fixture full of confidence. 

The earlier game had been based off a tried and tested method of batting first, scoring runs and squeezing the side batting second.

So, in true style when the captain was nowhere to be seen and with an excitable bunch of players the talk in the pregame huddle turned to the hilarity of winning the toss and bowling. There was much talk about who would be brave enough to tell our all out bat first skipper.

There must have been some karma to what happened next, we lost the toss and the opposition chose to bat. 

The VC set the plans and people were ready to go. We were frantically trying to borrow wicket keeping kit with Justin keen to improve on his performance against the windball at the summer fete.

At the final moment like a white knight on his trusty steed the skipper showed up, adorned his gloves, set the new plans and we were away.

The first chase of the season…game on.

I have been known to find losing hard…more often in the face of the shame of my own poor performance but I think there can be some important lessons as a team in losing. Hopefully some of those can be exemplified below.

King Richard started things off with a razzle and a dazzle only matched by his usual stunning attire. How he did not get the dangerous opener out in the first over nobody knows. Even the court jester madly waving his gloves behind the stumps was in disbelief. The King bowled with control and variety for a very good 0 for 30 off his 7. Well bowled sir.

New addition Peter opened up from the other end. He bowled with control and guile and was very well set after 3 quiet overs. A costly fourth prompted his removal from the attack but another promising display from a new player bedding into the team. 

The Doctor and The Dentist had combined with excellent precision. Although we found out Peter is one of those less useful doctors in a medical emergency…more later!

Willy Mac was then brought on to find a wicket and had his nemesis – one J Murray – kept his mouth shut the game could have been oh so different. Picture this…Andy after a plethora of what can only be described as average throws round the field is playfully told that, “I can catch” from Justin. Andy smiles with a knowing look…a man that knows Justin has just made a cardinal sin. Justin, trying to rectify this error quickly extols, “You wait, I will drop one now!”

For those of you not in the know…you can guess what happens next. Set opener hits the ball to Justin who drops it like a complete buffoon.

Cricket is a great leveller. We are all out there doing our best but these moments matter. I wonder what if…I really do. 

Will, although very humble, is a classy cricketer, and a class bloke. He took it as well as can be expected. He brought out the Ian ‘Radar’ Rawnsley teapot once but for a man that had 2 or 3 dropped catches, numerous edges, a fairly adjacent lbw given not out he can be please with a good days work. Over his two spells he achieved 2-24. It could easily have been 6-24 but you would have to be some bowler to get those figures!

JB came on and bowled for the first time this season. I think I write for us all when I say it is great to see him back in the whites. He bowled some great balls but a bit of ring rust led to a few to many short balls and the crook was once again deployed. Great to have you back Mr IPL.

Mark ‘The Chairman’ S came on. I thought bowling the end he did with the wind was a bold choice but he bowled undeterred. He bowled some crackers. I think on another day he could have had some success and with some careful managing remains a potent weapon.

Phil came on for a couple of overs and with guns rippling out of his shirt sent down some good balls. As always it is tough for all bowlers when there are set batters. He did a good job in tricky conditions.

Will was bowling death overs one end and Justin came back after a tidy if not particularly memorable 3 over spell. Justin claimed a few wickets, including a marvelous catch from Will Mac, who didn’t once consider grounding it to end with 6-24…I will point you towards a previous paragraph.

The fielders all gave it their all. I looked at everyone at various points and everyone gave the best of their ability. That is something to be proud of. Andy buzzed around, Will T did some beautiful throwing, people put the kilometers in to get to fielding positions. 

Where I would like us to reflect is this. I can be bad at this but I am on a journey of self improvement. We can’t just sing when we are winning. I love playing for Lavant and I love playing as a team. I felt we had an extra gear for encouraging our teammates yesterday. Things don’t always go well. I don’t need anyone to tell me my dropped catch was pivotal yesterday…I know it. We all do our best. Let’s pull together when the game gets tough…that is where the fun is. Whether we win 12 games in a row or lose 12 games it is a big commitment and one we should cherish. It is a beautiful but cruel game.

Tea was taken – and we managed to completely avoid offending anyone with our subtle sharing of grapes and fig rolls. I think this was a feat in itself. I did ponder at tea whether the fact we all brought our own box to wear was a faux pa. We can talk about communal box sharing at the agm.

The batting…it was tough. I don’t like to make excuses for my own performance. I can control what I can and I think it is batsmen’s job to overcome challenges.

However, that turned spicy. I don’t know if it was the new ball, the pitch getting worn out or the skill of the plethora of young bowlers who bowled well but it was very tough.

Justin retired hurt with a chipped bone in his wrist. Peter was marginally more useful than most of his teammates but I think for a doctor it was substandard care.

Richard holed out when hitting out and Willy Mac got a brute of a delivery. 

Andy got hit, Will T ducked and weaved. It was fiery. I think when the opposition gathered in a huddle looking at the pitch they knew it was a little problematic. They played well, they played fair and they deserved to win. But it was very testing. Iain hit a trio of boundaries before he, Phil and Peter all succumbed to catches in the gully or slips.

Robbo came out and took advantage of the opportunity. In sides where there is competition, this is important. The top order didn’t fire and other people had an opportunity to stake a claim for a batting spot. Robbo took his chance. He played solidly on his stumps and guided wider balls into gaps. A great personal milestone to score 21 but also a good way to get stuck in and do his best. Well played Robbo.

The batting was held together by Will T. I am going to say it, I thought it was gutsy. It was under pressure, in difficult circumstances, against a good bowling attack. Will, hats off dude. We have had some gutsy performances this year and this is up there. Full of power, precision, timing and patience…he stood head and shoulders above with a brilliant 60. It was a pleasure to watch.

Cricket is a wonderful game – beautiful in its cruelty. We came unstuck but there are lessons we can learn to improve. We pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and we go again midweek and at the weekend. 

Who knows where we might end up going as a team? But let’s enjoy the journey.

Man of the match: Will T for an inspiring innings. Awesome. Well played.

Champagne moment: Willy Mac’s catch stands out to me…great grab.

The ‘Oops I have been a donkey’ moment….well I am never telling anyone I can catch ever again!