Jono '98' Howard - Long Sutton (home)

By Adam Hilless - July 28 2010
Jono '98' Howard - Long Sutton (home)
Hero!
Baston welcomed promotion rivals Long Sutton 2nds for this important game at the Shrine. Tim won the toss, and stuck the visitors in. Read Adam's report here...

Baston took on in-form Long Snutton on Saturday, looking for a win to stay in touch with the promotion race. Unfortunately for the visitors, their first team also had a game, and so had to settle for playing their regular seconds this year. Tim won the toss and stuck the opposition in on Lloydie’s “half and half” wicket.

Doug Russell and Steve “Sevenfer” Richardson opened the bowling and kept things tight early on. However, with no wicket falling, Tim decided to bring on Liam Davies (who was bored, incidentally) and swap Rico to the Pavilion End. The move paid dividends as Rico castled grumpy skipper Wright Snr. Steve eventually received some congratulations from the boys once Tim had shut up about his brilliant captaincy.

Astonishingly, Liam was showing some interest in the game and bowling well. He finished with a well deserved 2-26 off his 12 overs, having bowled the other Long Snutton opener, and had S. Boy caught by Dyer – more brilliance from the Baston skip.

Wright Jnr was batting solidly at the other end and put on a decent partnership with keeper Bird. The partnership should have been broken earlier than it was, but Adam misjudged the catch at square leg and ended up dancing around it rather than catching the ball.

Rico also bowled out for a tidy 1-33, leaving Tim and Chris “Bow-Wow” Bower to rip through the oppositions middle order. Bowser claimed the important wicket of young Wright in his first over for Baston, Dr Ant finally remembering how to hold a catch. Despite being totally exhausted after his first over, Bowser just about struggled through 2 more, claiming figures of 2-21 off his massive 3 over spell. Water, bananas and massages were called for in the vague hope of keeping Bowser conscious until teas.

Bower just about got his breath back, in time for the run chase

Tim picked up 3 middle order wickets, including two boundary catches by all-rounder bowler Liam, and a smart stumping by Jono. Adam bowled the final two overs from the far end as Bowser was too knackered to walk back to square leg, let alone bowl. The customary leg-side guff accounted for a cack-handed tail ender. The Baston boys were gobsmacked when former Bermuda legend Dwayne Leverock marched to the crease at number 11! The portly tail-ender hit his first ever run in competitive cricket off Tim, congratulations to him.

The innings was wrapped up when T. Boy was talked out by his own teammates who insisted he score 36 off the final over. The poor lad fell slightly short as he picked out Grumps on the boundary first ball, giving Tim figures of 4-44. Not quite a seven-fer but not bad. Long Snutton were all out for a reasonable 158.

There was a debut in the tea-room for Sue, who laid on an impressive array of food, and even provided hot tea. There was some controversy however as she quite selfishly took the £40 she was owed for doing teas, much to Tim’s disgust.

Further controversy ensued after tea. Tim sent Jono out to open with Rahul Dravid tribute act Ant Morris, naming John Lamin and the Bow-Wow at 3 and 4. Felix was far from impressed with this, insisting he should be batting at number 4, having averaged a monster 7.5 in the league this year. He was later seen skulking round the boundary muttering and moaning to his imaginary friend.

Meanwhile, Jono was taking offence to the opening bowlers, despatching them into the snettles and worrying light aircraft. Anthony was off the mark in the 4th over, a season’s best! Felix was still in a strop.

Anthony eventually fell to Ed Geller for a patient 17, bringing resident comedian John Lamin to the crease. Lamin (0) continued to struggle at the Shrine though, and became Dwayne Leverock's first ever SLBL wicket, to add to his first ever run earlier in the day. Felix had a bag on.

Jono had decided today was going to be St. Jono’s day and sensing others might score some runs, decided to run out Bowser (1) and Liam (0). In fairness though, it did take Bowser 2mins 36s to reach the far crease, and Liam forgot to back up. Felix still had a bag on.

Felix was cwying

Rico (5) also came and went, bringing captain fantastic to the crease. Jono was still hooking, snudging and snurdling his way past the Long Snutton bowlers, and approached his maiden century with aplomb. But with just 10 required for victory, disaster struck and Jon was bowled by SB Ed Geller for 98. The resulting bag-on eclipsed that even of Felix’s.

Tim (9) got carried away trying to hook an offside wide and was caught, giving should-be-four Felix his chance to finish the game off with Ben (4*). Felix didn’t let anyone down, hitting a mesmerising two runs, an innings that will surely see him open next week. Not wanting to be a run hog, Felix was bowled with the scores level, leaving Adam (1*) to hit the winning run.

After the game, Tim had to fight to get his bat back, after Jono started carving a 98 into it. Felix, not fully understanding the situation, began scrawling a 2 on his bat with his trusty crayon.

The Baston boys celebrated the excellent victory down the Spinner, with the exception of Felix (went home to sulk), Liam (still moaning about dropped catches), and Jono (busy phoning the Times, Telegraph, Reuters, and the Peckham Echo about his 98).

Jono decides to pay some money off his account, leaving him owing £196 in subs

Some of the younger pigs carried on partying in Bourne with all the faces, including Bourne’s Pakistani pro Masood, who seemed happier sitting alone in the corner than talking to Ben and Felix. The boys were surprised later on as John Lamin put his glad rags on and came to the Jubilee. After consultation with Claire, it was decided that Jono had cheered up about missing his century by approximately Tuesday.

Adam, Jono & Lamin in the Jubilee

http://baston.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=10891759