May 4th 2008 - Drovers v Salix CC

GlaxoSmithKlein GC, Greenford, London, 35 overs

DCC Won by 37 runs

by AD Curr and M Teodorczyk

 

The Drovers continued their march towards a perfect season with a 37 run victory over Salix CC on Sunday 4th May.  It was a true all round demolition job by the Red and Blue Wrecking Crew, who excelled in all aspects of the game.

However, having been put in to bat on a saturated wicket, the Drovers struggled in the face of some uncharitable bowling - an early breakthrough came when Nailz, retained as opener, did nothing to justify the captain's confidence in him and was bowled for a single.  Next up was debutant Adz, who soon departed despite a couple of well-timed turns to the leg side.  And Senior soon went but was able to look resplendent out there wearing a lovely new blue lid, craftily borrowed from the nearest kitbag.  Standing firm throughout this was Weslos, the highlight being a massive pulled six over square leg.  However disaster struck as a pumped-up Weslos tried to smack the new bowler's second ball onto the A40 and was caught behind - not-a-lot for 4 and the Drovers were up against it.

In came the repair team to frustrate the Salix fielders.  While scoring was initially steady against the decent bowler, Hillsy picked things up with some booming fours and large sixes to get the Drovers into 3 figures.  The catalyst for this was undoubtedly a clear and very needed "make loud noises" call from El Presidente himself out in the middle.  Having got to a (sadly not acknowledgeable at the time) fifty he drove a sharp one to mid-on and departed, job done, with the Drovers back in the game.  Able support was offered by Ted, who started off watchfully before gradually opening up like a tulip in springtime - first with ground-based strokes into the sodden turf followed by some agricultural action to contribute a useful 28.  

It then needed someone to step up to the plate to turn a good score into a very good score - enter Patrick "Who's The Paddy?" Dawson.  After some initial discomfort at the wicket, Paddy unleashed a bevvy of boundaries to send the Drovers into ecstasy.  Massive sixes sailed over long-on, including one that tempted the Salix skipper into a catching attempt, before he realised the inevitable and watched the ball clear the rope for another maximum.  The 41 not out, made from half the number off deliveries, was as spectacular an exhibition of strokeplay this side of the IPL.  His partner at the time, Woodman, provided ample support although the occasional scampering of quick twos did little to help his lung performance and general joie de vivre.  With the prowess of G Man, Blade and Kirt not required, the Drovers finished on a highly respectable 172 for 6 from their 35 overs.   

So with runs on the board it was time for the Drovers to defend a total for the first time this season, and boy were they pumped. G-Man, taking the new ball and free from his day job, was in no mood to take prisoners. In his first outing of the season he produced a lively first spell, tight and fierce that had the opposition wondering what they had signed up for. With the Chairman opening up from the far end this was a pairing that many a Test side would cry out for, and many others would cry in the face of.

Much like the previous fixture against a hapless Maladroits side, wickets did not tumble in the opening exchanges, but neither did the runs flow. Last time out we saw that rarest of rare things, a Droving maiden(insert your own maiden gag here), and like London buses you wait years for one then two come at once. G-Man having one to his name, to go with an early wicket. Breakdown? Breakthrough. 

So which sultan of swing collected the other maiden I hear you ask? Up stepped Frenchman Price to deliver his first spell as a Drover. Left on the sidelines at the Ice Cricket World Cup this man was chomping at the bit, and boy, did he bite. With a run up longer than the Great Wall of China, he did not flatter to deceive. While his two spells failed to weed out any of the opposition there can be no question that a hidden jewel has been unearthed.

Bowling in tandem with Price was a man with much to prove in his first full season as the Drovers overseas pro. Sri Lankan Nailz had registered a solitary run in his two outings with the bat thus far , and his bowling had not exactly set the world alight either. That is of course, until skipper Hill made the call to leave him on for a fourth over, and then the turmoil began.

A double strike ensued, the second coming courtesy of a swan-dive catch from Hillsy, and suddenly Salix were deep in the mire, Nailz finishing with figures of two for 16 from four well measured overs. Congrats my man, you have contributed.

A couple of dropped catches later(Blade x 2, Wes and Woodman behind the stumps) and suddenly Salix looked to be putting together a partnership, but this mini-revival came to a shattering halt when G-Man was summoned for a second spell and tore the heart out of the home side's middle order. Wickets tumbled, a dodgy LBW and a caught behind that prompted appeals from fine leg to mid-off, with the honourable exception of bowler and wicketkeeper, and yet the Umpire Hugh Jarse raised his finger to the sky. G-Man had four.

Hills returned to collect a wicket when the well set batsman holed out to long off while Paddy and Wes also turned their arms over. Then came Kirt. Sledged by the umpire of all people before the start of his over, he delivered an array of deliveries never before witnessed by man, woman or child. The umpires were at a loss of what to signal as ball after ball either hit the ground two yards in front of him, or sailed at head height into the keepers gloves. After his 13-ball over was completed he did make the point however, that he conceded no runs off the bat. An excellent point, expertly made. Rumour has it the batsman is still in hospital recovering from his trauma. He may never play again.

Honourable mention must also go to Senior, who gave the ball a good old fashioned tweak and spun a web of indecision in the batsmen's minds, even prompting one to hit the ball straight up in the air where Blade of all people, nervously watched the ball land in his palms, nothing quite like third time lucky. The fielders raised their games and suddenly direct hits were all the rage, G-Man from the covers and Kirt aiming at one stump, to name but two.

So, with Salix needing 48 from the last two overs, and 42 from the last, G-Man was presented with a chance to enter the annals of Droving history. Could we see the first ever Drovers Five-wicket hall?? We could. The rabbits off stump was pegged back and G-Man had his Michelle. 7-1-20-5. Figures sent from heaven and lockdown initiated. All that after working a night shift. C'est Incredible. That's French for 'it is incredible'.

So, a meagre 135/9 in response to our mammoth 174. Two in two folks, and suddenly the committee are left desperately trying to locate more fixtures to make this season a truly great one. It seems to be shaping up that way already. Man of the match went to Paddy for his violent batting, which essentially proved the difference between the sides, although an honourable mention to Kinsey who picked up two votes without playing, but for buying a lot of sausages and beer.

Until next time my good men. Until next time....

April 20th 2008 - Drovers v Maladroits

Sheen Park, London, 30 overs

DCC Won by 4 wkts

by AD Curr

 

On the the kind of day that reminds all of the sheer joy cricket can produce, the new Droving season of 2008 got under way at Sheen Park against the Maladroits. With last years heavy defeat still strong in the memory, the contest was approached with a sense of trepidation, and with the toss lost and rules put in place that Skipper Hillsy didn't remember until the fat lady had almost sung, the men charged with rectifying the horror of a year ago stepped on to the field of battle.

Tomo stood at the end of his run, relishing the moment that could potentially carve his name in the annals of Droving history, and produced a quite forgettable first over. His new-ball partner for the day started his first with the score at 13-0, and then ran in to bowl the spell of a lifetime. Who was this maestro of pace and bounce...Blade. Bending his back and grunting, nay, almost roaring in his delivery stride, the pressure was back on the Maladroits as they struggled to score for the next seven overs...including what is thought to be the first maiden in Droving history, certainly in Blades.

Despite this exceptional display, wickets were hard to come by and the Droits opening pair soon brought up the fifty partnership, but a change of bowling, and umpires, provided the breakthrough. Charlie '2008 is going to be my year' Campbell gained reward for his miserly line and length and with Teddy shaking the bottle behind the stumps the none that were coming turned in to a lott'le. Campbell finished with figures of 2/18 from his 6, quite phenomenal in a 30 over contest and perhaps a turning point in the mans career, I don't even remember him putting down a catch and was even dishing out fielding advice for Weslos and Patrick 'my 2006 fielder of the year award seems a long time ago' Dawson.

So who stepped up next I hear you cry? Well, cometh the hour cometh the new Chairman. Bringing himself on to bowl(I shall gloss over Naliz spell) in tandem with Paddy cleverly taking the pace off the ball, he recorded two delightful caught and bowled's, the first being the prize wicket of Carrington, the Droit with the bad chat, and bringing the skipper to the crease. Bathurst-Norman, targeted in the build up, ran himself out all too quickly by chancing a second to the bullet arm of Hillsy and as Ted whipped off the bails the vanquished opponent hung his head in shame and the tears welled up in his eyes. He won far more friends with the teas he produced than with his batting and calling.

So it was left to the man with his name on the front of his shirt to hold the innings together. Charlie Brewer mustered 40 runs, mainly off the second spell of Blade, who was unable to return to former glories and served up a host of full tosses. Mental disintegration has rarely been more amusing. Tomo at the other end however, was simply a magician. Reminiscent of Malcolm Marshall in his pomp(only whiter) the man generated pace a swing to clan bowl two Droits on his return, and with Hillsy taking a third before running out Brewer in the final over, the Drovers had indeed taken all ten wickets for the small amount of 173 runs. Game on.

And so to the Chase. A top order boasting the talents of Nailz, Senior, A Frenchman and Curry promised much and delivered little. In fact, little is probably a bit generous. Two runs between the four of them meant The Drovers were 7/3 and after Weslos was dismissed after a commanding 40-odd the halfway score of 60/5 looked terminal and the Droits were licking their chops. But they had not gambled on what was to come, neither had the crowd, the bookmakers or even the Lord God himself as just a single wicket fell in the next 15 overs - surely a record?

Breasty arrived at number six after turning up an hour and a half late when he wasn't down to play anyway and somehow talked his way in to the batting line up after Blade fell foul of his obligatory injury, the back now added to the list of shoulder, groin and butt cheek that have impeded him in the past. But boy did the man prove his worth. Having left his wife on a train in Croydon and using up a host of points with her in the process, a big innings was a must, and 27 is a big innings by any Drovers standards. Combined with Hillsy, who made batting look unerringly easy, the chase was back on only for fate to intervene once more.

Breasty was dismissed playing a quite extraordinary reverse sweep that no man would be proud of which brought Teddy to the crease. Could the Droits sense an opening? They could. Did it come? No it didn't. A quite sublime partnership saw the Drovers to within 25 from five, home and dry...? Hillsy moved passed his career best and into the 40's and a gentle nudge brought up his 50. With his bat raised and teammates in good voice, disaster struck. The skipper had agreed, in a hungover stupor, for 50 to be the retirement mark and was sent packing. In walked Paddy to words off "ooo this one looks nervous", only for such chat to be silenced as he got off the mark with a towering six over midwicket and his 13* was a flurry of strokeplay that combined as beautifully with Teddy's batting as their songs do on record.

Ted finished 28* to bring home the bacon and said in his post match interview: "After all my previous contributions off the pitch it does feel rather nice to contribute something on it for a change." Never a truer word spoken. He kept wonderfully, using all parts of his body, and saw the boys home. Super stuff that.

A win by four wickets with two overs to spare, comfortable in the end, and a marvellous day had by all, but beware the wounded animal, rumours are abounding the the Maladroits will be upping their weekly net sessions to twice weekly in an attempt to rediscover form, the Drovers meanwhile, will spend the intervening weeks basking in glory and talking fondly of their current 100% record.