Match Report

After briefly returning home, the mighty Lavant packed up their bags and were back out on the road heading to Walberton for the next away game on the fixture list. On a cloudy but warm day the outfield looked burnt and fast and the wicket felt rock hard.

The toss went up and yet again the Lavant skipper failed. With an upcoming committee meeting due a ‘tossing training camp’ has been added to the agenda (once we had all spoken at length about the new mower…..again)!

Either way the Lavant skipper got what he wanted with the Walberton skipper electing to bowl first!

After being told by the opposition that they were a ‘weak’ side Justin and the Lavant skipper walked to the middle expecting to face an 80 year old and the village vicar coming on to bowl….

…however what was waiting was an array of young fast bowlers! With the two opening bowlers sending down ball after ball on a length and the occasional ball that lifted (one particular brute of a delivery getting big on the Lavant skipper and another hitting Justin on the thumb) it was clear that it was a day the two openers needed to dig in and see off the new bowlers. 

With both opening batters trusting their techniques and defense they got stuck in and slowly started to build a partnership at a decent run rate considering the standard of bowling (and the fielding stopping everything), and they were able to counter attack when required with both men able to dispatch some crunching boundaries and rotate the strike as much as possible (with one 40 odd year old definitely moving better than the other 40 odd year old)!! 

Some things in life are certain….death….taxes….and (seemingly) yet another 50 opening partnership from the two Lavant openers.

With the platform set and the new bowlers replaced with yet another pair of young quick bowlers! With the Lavant skipper dismissed for 17 by a jaffa, next in was Joe who quickly got into his work and it was just what the doctor ordered.

Showing his class Joe counter attacked superbly and it was perfect timing to help get the Lavant innings on its way. At the other end Justin had also decided to throw a counter punch and started to try and climb into the bowling.

In an odd twist to the day Justin was able to dispatch a huge 6 over the head of the Walberton bowler with the ball sailing over the boundary netting and hitting the side of the village hall…but….because of a new ‘local rule’ it was defined as a dot ball! Earlier in the season a huge 6 was hit at Amberly (which was defined as a 4) and similarly a huge 6 today was defined as a dot ball. The madness of village cricket! 

Probably due to the frustration and loss of focus Justin was then out the very next ball (caught behind for 32).

Next in was Andy who was entering the fray at a difficult time with the Walberton bowlers looking to run through the Lavant batting order. Andy did what needed to be done at the crease, hold firm and stick around with Joe. It felt like the type of wicket (against the standard of bowling on show) that would be hard to start on and Andy fought hard. Unfortunately when trying to push on Andy was out caught for 5.

Next in was the ‘Super’ Steve Brooker. This was probably the perfect time for Steve to come in and show his class and he really did. First steadying the ship and knocking the ball into gaps and running the ones and twos hard to make sure the scoring never stalled. 

With Joe looking like he was just about to really go big, and walking down the wicket to the big fast bowler and smashing the ball back down the ground, frustratingly he didn’t quite catch one correctly and was out caught for 33.

With the game starting to enter its final overs next was Lloyd. The plight of the middle order player does mean that you have to be adaptable and on occasions you will be coming in to rebuild but others you are coming in to go hard from the start. On this occasion it was the latter and Lloyd, yet again showing his development, showed good game management and understanding and looked to get going from ball one to try and help push the score up to a competitive total. 

Attacking every ball and running hard with Steve, Lloyd was bowled for 7 but most importantly he had the right attitude in the game context and batting for the team.

In the similar vein was Will ‘T-Rex’ T who also looked to go big from ball one. Another much respected member of the side who was willing to do what was required for the good of the team looked to throw the bat but was bowled for 3.

With Steve now starting to find the boundary with some crunching shots through mid off and extra cover the score started to look more competitive.

With not many balls left next was Chris ‘John’ Maclean who, like Lloyd and Will T, was willing to go hard from ball one and was able to hit the ball hard and also use his Bognor 10k running skills to keep up with Steve! Chris blasted a very useful 10 runs (not out) and was able to walk off the pitch with Steve who carried his bat for a brilliant 42 not out.

With the score set at 160 at the time it felt 20 odd short of a par score, however considering the bowling attack on offer it was a score to be proud of. The Lavant batting unit operated just as expected with everyone doing their jobs / roles correctly. With the openers seeing off the new ball bowlers and setting a platform, to the middle order steading the ship and then counter attacking to then selflessly throwing the bat in an attempt to get as big a total as possible. A great team performance from the batting unit which had given the team something to defend. 

Tea was taken. Foam roller used. Plan hatched. Opening bowlers informed. Belvita bar eaten. 

Out came Lavant ready to try and defend the total. First out of the traps were Chris ‘John’ Maclean and James ‘The Slayer’ Cartmel.

After being denied by the Lavant skipper the end he wanted to bowl from Chris obviously used this ‘dissapointment’ and came roaring in delivering a maiden from his first over. Chris continued in this vein for his whole 7 over spell bowling super tight lines. Although unlucky to not have been rewarded with a wicket from his efforts Chris delivered exactly what the team needed from his opening spell finishing with terrific figures of 0-21 from 7. Great work Chris!

At the other end the ‘Slayer’ was doing what the club had become accustomed to. Initially bowling with a LOT of flight and guile he then switched to pushing through flatter quicker balls (and bowling to his field), and he was able to contain the Walberton opening batters to next to nothing. With the pressure growing in his 3rd over James was able to extract a false shot catching the edge which was smartly grabbed at slip by Peter (who is now part of an exclusive club of people this season who have taken a catch at slip)! 

James completed his 7 over spell with 1-17. Top effort from ‘The Slayer’.

With the opening bowlers completed the Lavant skipper (looking to stick with seam) turned to ‘Super’ Steve Brooker and Will ‘T-Rex’ T hoping they could continue the great work from Chris and James. Setting the field and asking his bowlers to bowl straight, both men didn’t let the side down.

Will T bowled so well. With Walberton realising they were falling behind the run rate and looking to push hard Will gave very little scoring opportunities and was really hitting the keeper’s gloves hard. It was a brilliant spell of bowling under pressure to deliver for the team and was rightly rewarded by clean bowling the Walberton #2! Will bowled so well he was also rewarded by being taken out of the attack by the skipper (sorry Will…but the idea was to hold back some overs for later) finishing his 4 over spell 1 for 18. 

Super Steve had a slightly different spell of bowling. Starting great in his first over he was definitely targeted by the batters (who were finding the T-Rex a handful at the other end) and took a bit of tap in his next two over finishing with 0 for 23 from his 3 overs (he is human after all)!

With the game poised on a knife edge (and the score at 92 for 2 in the 22nd over) the Lavant skipper had been keeping two very large tricks up his sleeve. Holding back Justin (who was embracing this season’s role as the ‘death bowler’) and the club’s premiere bowler ‘Jeane Claude Van’ Tam! Knowing the Walberton dangerous #4 was starting to get into his stride. This was the time to unleash Justin and Tam. Holding them back had obviously worked because like caged lions they were hungry for wickets!

Tam came roaring in and the strike bowler did what he does best….he struck! Bowling a delivery that seemed to give the Walberton #3 the hurry up the the batter chipped the ball high into the air for Steve to take a really good (and much needed catch)! In his second over Tam got another brute of ball to lift and all the #6 batter could do was fend it off for the ball to loop up and a simple catch to be taken behind by the keeper.

Next up Tam was able to extract nip off the surface with a brute of a ball that took the edge of the #10 straight into the waiting hands of the keeper!

Tam had done exactly what was required from him and ended his 3 over burst 3 for 8!! The overseas had delivered yet again! 

At the other end Justin came steaming in and bowled with purpose! In his first over he was able to pick up the prized wicket of the Walberton #4 clean bowling him (knocking back his middle stump). With Tam’s help the door of opportunity seemed to have been well and truly blown open. 

What came next was a Walberton collapse of epic proportion! #5 out bowled by Justin. #7 out bowled by Justin. #8.out bowled by Justin. With the Lavant skipper telling Justin he was coming off soon (in an attempt to give Peter a bowl) this obviously just riled him up even more and the Walberton #11 was out (you guessed it) bowled by Jutin who finished his 3 over spell 5 for 5!

With 6 ducks Walberton were bowled out for 98 in the 24th over giving Lavant the victory! 

A great team effort all round. The batting order worked as it should and delivered a decent score in tough conditions against a very good bowling attack. Everyone who batted played their part in posting a total for the bowlers to defend.

The bowling unit all stood up and did their jobs, and stuck to the plan. With Peter still waiting in the wings there were still bowling options if required but it was testament to the 5 Lavant bowlers being able to defend that total in such a convincing way. Also the fielding shown by the team was terrific with Lloyd in particular (yet again) showing 100% commitment stopping and chasing down everything. He was like a wall at one stage letting nothing get past him!

A brilliant team effort yet again. Well done to everyone, we can chalk that one up in the ‘great win’ column in my humble opinion.

Man of the match is always hard to pin down in a game where the team performed so well as a collective. This week I’m giving it jointly to Steve and Chris. Steve (as he so often does) held the innings together which was critical to have that fulcrum in the batting side and able to score 42 against a strong bowling attack. Chris not only delivered some very quick and useful runs but his opening spell set the tone for the bowling unit. I’ve said before it’s not always about getting a load of wickets (particularly when trying to defend a total) and you can’t ask for more as a captain for your opening bowler to rattle off 7 overs for 21 runs (with 3 maidens)! Well done to both!

Champagne moment goes to Steve for a solid catch at a crucial part of the game. Catches had gone down prior to this moment and was starting to feel like it would be another day of missed opportunities but thankfully Steve not only took a great catch but it was also an important wicket in the context of the game, removing the set #3 and opening up the game for the team.

Great job everyone, on to the next!!