Sunday 6

th
July
Chulmleigh, 182 for 9 (46 overs), Rodders 48, Danny 41, Alford 4-42
Tipton St John, 17 for 7 (40 overs), Tolley 52, Alford 33, Tom Spence 3-26

Draws come in all shapes and sizes. Last weeks hung its head sheepishly and sloped off to a corner
where it hoped it would not be seen. This weeks bounced up and down, eager for everyones
attention, right to the very end of the party. We had a keenly fought match which neither side
deserved to lose, but neither side was quite good enough to win. The threatened rain held off all
afternoon, Sues tea magnificent. There were plenty of runs, wickets and opportunities for everyone
to shine, though not all of us took them.

Chulmleighs top order, asked to bat on a slow dampish pitch that required some early tenacity, all
found ways to get themselves out when reasonably set. Gidders struck his third ball into the sheep
field for six but failed to capitalise. His dozen became par for the next hour. Buzz was untroubled
until bowled. Bradheimann was caught clumsily at point, done by the lack of pace. Fenton was
composed and elegant then chipped a full toss back to the bowler. James seemed to be bowled by a
straight one. Aidans dark glasses prevented him from seeing exactly where his feet need to be
when the wicket keeper collects the ball. Rodders (48) and Danny lead a rescue act from 72 for 6,
nudging singles into gaps and punishing the occasional loose ball. Unusually, there was grip, turn
and a little bounce for Tiptons gentle spinners. Within grasp of a hard earned half century, Rodders
was caught at mid off. Phin the mercurial was dropped with ice still on the ball but added another
crucial 39 runs against the clock, running daring doubles. Danny, occasionally hitting the ball where
he actually wanted it to go, made a defiant 41. Tea was taken at 182 for 9 off 46 overs. Alford, a
deceptive medium-pacer, took 4 for 42.

Determined to bowl enough overs to maximise taking 10 wickets and keep our opponents
interested, fielders sprinted into position. It is the first time I have fielded at slip and been out of
breath within 10 minutes. Tom
2
got us bang into the game. Gritty Northern paceman, Mr Keighley
was a handful in the corridor of uncertainty, Mr Spence thoughtful as any undergraduate should be
but also more incisive. Early wickets opened up the game; 68 for 5 after the first hour, a calmly
taken run out and three wickets for Tom S (3-26). I reflected on the irony of an earlier neighbouring
complaint about noise from the bowling machine as the sound of John Cains lathe rasped around
the otherwise peaceful surroundings. Tipton Rock Phil Tolley was joined by Alford and through a
dispiriting sequence of several overs, one bonus boundary and at least a single was taken off every
over, reducing the target to just 46 in ten overs. Catches evaded our grasp, none easy.
Bradheimann limped like James Donald at the River Kwai, disapproving of the madness around him.
Then, in his second over, Rope-A-Dope Aidan Davies grilled his own George Foreman, bowling the
danger man Tolley for 52 after three consecutive wides. Deceptively dangerous Alford was then
triggered on the front foot for 33 including most of those gifted boundaries; all outcomes now
possible. Kev Davies seemed to outdo Corporal Jones with blurted outbursts from the supporters
bench. Both sides groped manfully towards victory with neither having quite the cojones to get over
the line. Tipton finished six short when hands were shaken, Tom Keighley bowling the squeaky bum
final over with admirable calm. Well as our seamers acquitted themselves, Chulmleigh were undone
by the lack of a quality spinner in conditions that suited. That search needs to go on. I am not sure
the strain of bowling 20 overs in the first 70 minutes is sustainable. One further positive after the
killing fields of the previous Sunday was that the only injuries were to pride not body and Buzz was
able to return home without being lifted by several team mates onto the Ducati.