SCORECARD

Ghosts of Grove Lane

After a late switch of venue from the main Dorridge CC ground to their 2nd ground out in the wilds of Lapworth, so it was that we convened for a 1.30pm start under a blue-ish/ grey sky to do battle with, as it turned out, the cream of the local school’s crop of young up and coming players. It was by no means a foregone conclusion that the game would go ahead after the first significant rain for what seems an eternity had fallen overnight and continued to do so intermittently until mid-morning. Thoughts inevitably turned to events about to unfold at Wembley and other more local sporting temptations on offer that were unlikely to succumb to the weather. “Yes, it’s like night time over here too mate, but what if we cancel now and then the afternoon turns out to be an absolute pearler?? We’ll never hear the end of it?!” was the general gist of the conversation held by yours truly with Simon, the genial and pragmatic Dorridge groundsman. Having consulted Shefali’s latest predictions one last time, the weather looked to be set fair and the game was on!

Toss duly won (1st time for this Fitmen skipper, hoo-bloody-ray!) it was time to don the pads and face the music. With some early swing at one end and a naggingly accurate opening bowler at the other, the pitch was proving to be a particularly tricky proposition to contend with and both Sammy Moore and I struggled to get to grips with the variable bounce and find any gaps in the field. After 4 or 5 overs of vigilance however that began to change with the skipper hitting a couple of boundaries before being tempted by a peach of an away swinger and edging it to the keeper, gone for 13. Enter Stevie ‘the cat’ Nicks at Number 3, who began his innings patiently and watchfully, and alongside Sam began to build what would turn out to be (so I believe) his highest score for the club thus far. After dispatching a number of sumptuous drives to the boundary, Sam was out for 33 square cutting straight to backward point who took a fine diving catch. Next up was Monty who was asked to fill the number 4 slot and did so admirably. Talking of impressive, the energy and general standard of fielding demonstrated by the spritely and eager opposition was excellent, and it was observed on more than one occasion by those sitting around the boundary edge, that it could well prove to be crucial in deciding the outcome of the game. More of which later…

Once Monty had perished for a short-lived but stoic 4 runs, it was the turn of Sam Nokia to enter the fray at number 5 and he duly nullified the Dorridge attack by nurdling his way to 4 before being given out lbw by Billy the Bard. Although Steve was ensuring that the score was still ticking along nicely enough, at the same time the haemorrhaging of middle order wickets continued apace. Bicey was run out for a duck in part by some ‘Yes...No... maybe!’ calling shenanigans with Steve and also due to the aforementioned brilliance of the opposition in the field, closely followed an over later by Ade holing out to mid-off. It was only after the entrance of Billy that the tail began to seriously wag, much to the relief of the skipper who would like to place on record (with fingers and toes firmly crossed) that this was exactly how he had planned for the innings to play out…. Billy proceeded to smite a series of huge boundaries, most memorably one which landed in the adjacent lane for six. Once Steve had gone for a hugely impressive and crucial 73 runs, Billy the Kid was joined at the crease by Raja who also wasted no time in taking the game to the young bowling attack, this time hitting a huge maximum into the field on the other side of the ground. Billy eventually went clean bowled for a very handy 32 whilst trying to heave one on the leg side and it was then Sharif who joined Raja to keep the tail wagging very nicely indeed. It was just left to the ever-dependable Tony T to come in for a last over cameo and he duly survived to make the final Fitmen total 239 – 9, a decent and eminently defendable score.

Now it’s abundantly clear that we all get a serious buzz at times from playing for the Fitmen, but what transpired during the tea break and in the hours immediately afterwards could have come straight from the pages of a Boy’s Own manual or indeed a Marvel comic. As the players sipped the last of their drinks and ambled their way out on to the field, quite out of the blue Sam Nokia was stung on his hand by a particularly angry wasp who had been happily consuming the last dregs of a San Miguel tin. Fortunately for all concerned it was on his left hand… A first aid kit was urgently sought and then an ice pack, many witnesses were fully anticipating the sound of an distant ambulance siren approaching… Play began with the Fitmen one man down and Raja opening at one end with his fizzing leg-spin. The two young Dorridge openers showed great technique and also a strong tendency to play the late cut and as a result we had a field which didn’t look too dissimilar to those set by the Windies in their 1980’s pomp with five players laying in wait behind square on the off side. At the other end Ade bowled a tight and controlled opening spell of 4 overs without any joy before being replaced by Billy…….and still there was no sign of Lockyer… where in heaven’s name had he gone?? had he been whisked off for treatment at the local Waspital…?? (I’ll get me coat) It was only after the 5th over with one Dorridge wicket down to a jaffa from Raja, that our 11th man appeared on the field of play and the teams fortunezzzzzzzzzzzzz began to dramatically improve!? The opposition batsmen had looked relatively comfortable up until this point, but after a low catch had been fumbled at mid-off by the skipper, the wickets began to tumble with Lockyer clean bowling one, having one caught and snaffling two caught & bowled, celebrating each with a primal roar that had the Dorridge youth absolutely quaking in their boots… What in god’s name did this venom contain??!

The fine bowling performances continued, with Sharif replacing Billy just before the drinks break and continuing with his spell afterwards, which is when another momentous event was to befall the game. Standing quietly and sheepishly out at deep mid-on, just minding his own business (honest guv), Billy was called into action with a beast of a shot that whistled towards him like a howitzer shell… Into his hands went the ball and quite unbelievably there it stayed for the first time in at least 9 attempts?! The wild celebrations could be heard over in Henley-in-Arden and would not have been greater had he just bagged the wicket of the great Sachin Tendulkar himself!?! With that, the momentum of the match was now well and truly with us and a couple of dropped catches, a run out and a belated flurry of runs from the very useful looking Dorridge tail ender later, the game concluded with Dorridge falling short by 53 runs. A few cricketing ghosts had been well and truly laid to rest at Grove Lane, and after a couple of welcome and refreshing Stellazzzzzzzzzzzz provided by Stevie Nicks, the team all went on their merry way.