Orsett CC D.Rose takes a five-fer in Under 15’s match against B&PCC

Orsett CC D.Rose takes a five-fer in Under 15’s match against B&PCC

 

My sons have been playing cricket almost as long as I have in the U11’s, U13’s and under 15’s and as far as I can recall they have never beaten the mighty Orsett. When I was at Grays, the team to beat more than any other was Orsett if you was in, or associated with the youth teams, so tonight for the first time ever, I witnessed them being beaten! Yet there was no sense of occasion because the people around the team I guess haven’t had the same agenda over so many years in the same way that I have? We nearly beat them in a final, years ago when Ben was in the U13’s we only needed to hit two more runs for a win and we didn’t quite make it and that was as close as we ever got. Since then they’ve smashed us and bowled us into oblivion, even with Frank Farrington’s amazing spell a couple of years back we still couldn’t get across the line.

 

But tonight we won the toss for once and with the weather being freezing cold again with the light failing as the match progressed, we for once had the choice of batting first and we took it. Right from the outset we made runs and soon Frank Farrington was retiring on 35. All the other boys for the most part made contributions with the bat, without the score sheet, I can remember Abdul Baig scored 13 as the opener, his brother Mohammed Baig hit a few good balls and at least one boundary, U13’s Charlie Blerkom contributed and the surprise of the night was Sam Jones smacking a number of 4’s across the boundary. This put the boys in a pretty good position with 119 to beat after the 20 overs with 3 wickets in hand.

 

Their bowling attack had been pretty average apart from their strike bowler D. Rose (batsman No.3) who came on 1^st change, he bowled superbly taking 5 wickets for just 9 runs off of 4 overs. But despite his superb effort with the ball (No wides or no-balls either), our batsmen kept piling on the runs Rose just didn’t have the support of his team. He them proved himself to be a good all-rounder hitting the ball aggressively scoring runs quickly too. Our openers Sam Good and my son Joe Thompson kept the runs down with the help of the rest of the team in the field who fielded superbly under Franks Captaincy. Sam Good did well 4-0-22-2 as the opening bowler supported by my son Joe at the other end 4-3-5-1. Joe had one ball put down which was a rare fielding error, but significantly Joe took the wicket of bowler/all-rounder D.Rose who was hitting the ball for 4 far too many times, Joe trapped him LBW with the 3^rd ball of his last over for 23 runs. Wickets were taken by Abdul Baig, Mo Baig and Frank Farrington. Adbul Baig had an odd spell, going for 9 extras in his first over, but then he settled bowling well and only conceding another 4 runs in the remaining three overs. Frank Bowled himself which he rarely does, and his wickets came with the help of Charlie Blerkom who assisted with two stumpings. The Orsett boys despite D. Roses valiant effort with the ball were all out for short of 90 runs.

 

I’ll update this when I get access to the score book next. Can’t believe that I didn’t take a camera!

B&PCC v Belhus CC U15's at Holy Cross cricket ground 18th May.

Somehow I've got to come up with a way of writing up these reports in a more concise form. I guess I'm just going to have to write them up from a bowlers perspective unless something worthwhile and of note happens with the bat?

It rained earlier in the day as expected, but then cleared up by about 2pm with a blustery wind and bright sunshine, so the match looked on. I managed to get out of work early and then walking home from the station I realised the wind was in the north somewhere and I'd have to probably take more clothes than normal if I was going to be sitting scoring.

I didn't realise that the wind was coming directly from the North Pole and I was almost fooled by the warm spring sunshine, but getting ready I thought I'd better chuck a coat, a hat and some track suit bottoms in my bag just in case? My God was that a good move...

The venue was a neutral ground Holy Cross cricket ground along Whitmore Way in Basildon...

Got over to the ground to find that we were likely to be a man short. Frank did the toss and the opposition won choosing to bat first, which he was surprised by, but thinking about how quickly the light was going to fail, seemed like a good call to me? Mark the Under 15's manager asked me to score and I said yes, but then Mike Blerkom offered his services, so I said I'd prefer if he did it officially and I'd score alongside him for practice.

Right from the outset Belhus looked as though they were in trouble, getting off to an unsteady start oblivious to the fact that we have a secret weapon... Mohammed Baig the Leg-Spinner and then if that doesn't work, certain death in the form of Frank Farrington.

Abdul Baig, Mo's older brother started off with a shaky start from the 'Pond End' and my son Joe Thompson (13) bowled from the Pavilion end. Joe bowled tightly for his initial three overs and Abdul who was unable to find any rhythm was taken off after two overs.

This brought on Sam Good one of the U13's to join the attack and he got off to a blinder of a start. Bowling seam up his first over went for just one run. Five overs in with all of the byes and wides making a bigger contribution than the batting we were on 20 and needing a wicket. One of their batsman his a ball down to 3rd man and the bloke at the other end shouted yes, but he didn't account for Mohammed Baigs lightning reaction, quick across the pitch, a clean pick up and throw down of the stumps a la' Ricky Ponting. The kid was gone and heading back to the sheds for 6 and he looked like the most promising of the 2 at the crease. That then loose Sam Good... He's not called Sam good because he's rubbish. Gunning was stumped by Charlie Blerkom, Sam Good drawing him out of the crease for 3. Z. Wilson was clean bowled for 5 and then F Todd for 0 and all this in the 7th over at which point Sam was on 3 for 3 off of 2!

 

Joe's spell was curtailed after 3 on 0 for 7 and Frank brought on Tom Paul. Sam then having done some damage suffered some damage himself as he was hit for consecutive 4's off of a series of full tosses. At the same time Tom bowled away with good tight over that included a maiden and then he joined in with the wicket of their best batsman A. Williams who was stopped on 20.

 

Then came the 'Sucker Punch,' Frank brought on Mohammed Baig ... Mo's first ball bowled T Sorelli (name might be wrong)? who was on 2, he followed that with a dot  ball, his 3rd ball bowled 'Morris' for 0. He then had another dot ball and followed that with his 3rd wicket of the over - B.Garwood for 0 too.

  In the 19th over Frank Brought Joe Thompson back on (My son) who then finished the game off with his first ball. As he ran in Travis Singelton was heard to make a ball hitting the stumps noise before it even happened... G-dink! Sure enough his prediction was spot on. They'd been bowled out for 73 in 19.1 overs. Frank didn't even need to bowl himself.

 

Batting - With 74 needed in failing light it looked as though it was going to be a similar story. By now with the long evening shadows stretching across the wicket and that very brisk North Westerly wind, it was getting very cold and I had all of the clothes that I'd brought with me on. It was FREEZING! Over the following hour or so it got colder and colder. If you ever go to a early season cricket match, never assume it is going to be warm, dress or at least take clothes more suited for December! If it is warm you wont have to wear them, but if it's cold - man are they a Godsend! Next week a woolly hat and thicker socks!

 

The batting didn't get off to a good start - new lad Andrew Tokeley was out first ball hooking a ball that bounced up into the air to be easily caught by the bowler. Travis Singleton was another early victim gone for 0. Thankfully Frank and Charlie Blerkom took their time and got off to steady starts and made 25 and 21 respectively. Like last week the middle order struggled and the runs dried up as the last few overs approached and it looked like another nail biting end. Sure enough the runs dried up and it looked increasingly like we wasn't going to get across the line, then their spin bowler at a critical point with little more than an over to get the runs bowled a over the head no-ball, which Sam Good lifted his bat above his head to, to smack through the Gully and Point area and it snuck through and he then ran 3 getting Basildon across the line

 

Some pictures...

Holy Cross cricket ground Basildon off Whitmore Way.

 

 Left to Right - Charlie Blerkon, Anthony Ayres (Umpire), Andrew Tokley, Frank Farrington (Wrist Spinner). Joe Thompson (At back). Random Belhus bloke in foreground nearest the camera?

Charlie Blerkon Batsman/Wicket Keeper B&PCC

 Words of encouragement from Mark Farrington (U15's manager) for Charlie Blerkom.

 Victorious B&PCC U15's leave the pitch Left to right - Joe Thompson, Abdul Baig, Travis Singleton (Green Jumper), Sam Good (Helmet) and Frank Farrington (right).

Left to Right - Travis Singleton, Sam Good, Charlie Blerkom (part obscured) Tom Paul (In football kit), Anthony Ayres, Andrew Tokley, Joe Thompson, Frank Farrington, Abdul Baig and Mo Baig (Wrist Spinner).