Don't Just Book It!

By Tim Dyer - June 18 2012
Don't Just Book It!
Baston hosted usual strugglers Thomas Cook in another must win SLBL Div 2 match. Read Captain Tim's report below

It’s Friday night and all hell has let loose prior to yet another must win game for struggling Baston.

Lloydy is in a turmoil as a few drops of rain have fallen on the Shrine, and so far we only have 9 players for the visit of Thomas Cook himself.

Fortunately a few of the more discerning members of the club and Ant met up in the Spinner and the phone calls started going out to friends, friends of friends, relatives and injured colleagues. Ant called people as well.

 

tcook - lookalikeAnt reckons these look alike. Sorry Ant, but Greg Rusedski doesn't even wear a hat!

By 11.30 all was sorted. Doug (With seven different injuries) would play, and a call up for debutant Matt Webster, cousin of the Baston legend Paul.

The team was now made up of myself,Lord Ant of Edenham,Jon,Lamin,AGF,Webbo,Ben,Felix,Doug,Adam and Little Ant.

Notable absentees were, Lloydy(in a huff), Liam(No backbone), Bowser(Broken finger), Richo(fallen over) and Towns( shirt still not dried out)

Fortunately the recalcitrant (difficult to budge) Lloydy never showed for the arranged 9.30 pitch inspection. Probably dreaming of two new mowers! So the game was on. 

tcook - lloyd mowerLloyd with his new pride and joy

What an important toss to win!

The opposition began to turn up. No sign of the man himself or his partner Dudley Moore.

tcook - plane

The umpires arrived and immediately asked if we had a super sopper. No chance but we did have a super sulker!

After a fifteen minute lecture from the umpires the all important toss took place. I didn’t lose it, he won it and opted to bowl.

You would need to work hard for your runs this week. A straight bat and giving yourself time to get your eye in were imperative.

Thomas Cook wasn’t playing! Apparently he died in 1775 having been stabbed up the North-West passage.

There was a pleasant visit from Thomas Cook legend Dudley, arms stuffed with the obligatory holiday brochures.

 

Things didn’t start well when Ant was triggered by the umpire. There were to be no grey areas with these two.

Lamin and Jon soon fell to dumb shots, before a revival by Agf and Webbo.

tcook - agf

Good batting from AGF

How many times do I have to remind people to play straight. Get forward, get yourself in.

Ok. My turn after another single from Felix.

I’ve seen and participated in some embarrassing moments in cricket in the past 40 years but my dismissal first ball is right up there.  Having been sledged ten times by their keeper,A.Hole, before even reaching the crease, I decided to assert myself and hit the first ball for four. 

tcook - aholeA. Hole, Thomas Cook keeper

 

Walking back, shame faced, awful thoughts were going through my mind. Should I go and sit in my car for an hour, be really grumpy whilst fielding and drive straight home after the game.

No, I could never condone such actions, after all it is a team game. Isn’t it?

Felix soon cheered up on the arrival of Dick!

A late spurt from Ben got us to 106.

Little Ant and Adam opened the bowling and gave us a squeak. Ant(14) clean bowling A.Hole. At 40-4 the game was on, but patient batting got T.Cook  through with the loss of six wickets.

tcook - tall paulTall Paul Stewart saw Thomas Cook over the line

Baston now find themselves rock bottom of the league,  undoubtably due to bad toss’s, damp pitches, a long list of injuries but mainly bad batting and bad bowling. 

Never mind, at least Felix got his Dick.

Bonjour Trieste.

The real Thomas Cook was born on 22nd November 1808 and died on 18th July 1892 having set up the world renowned travel company.

tcook - deb jugs


Scorecard: http://baston.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11383934