Baston's Misery Continues

By Ben Hudson - June 20 2012
Baston's Misery Continues
A miserable day at the Shrine, both with the weather and the performance.

Baston welcomed local giants Stamford 2s to the Shrine on Saturday. A good looking pace bowling attack combining with a long batting line-up meant Tim Dyer was very positive as he put the visitors into bat quoting “guaranteed 20 points today”

Doug had played on the condition that he could leave early (after one over), and made his way back to his rightful place on Baston’s long injury list. Despite losing their overseas Pro, Baston made good progress and had a wicket early on; Stamford’s disgraced former skipper MacBeath pirouetted and chipped up for Tim to take a slip catch (a rarity for Baston, but this was no normal slip catch) Tim then had a chance to take a proper slip catch but naturally dropped it. Hilless then had as many wickets as noses as he clean bowled a 14 year old.

stam - adam bowling

Good spell by Adam (3-35)

 

Lee had impressed on debut at Welby, but was not impressing the Captain with an expensive couple of overs from the far end. The Laminator was soon into the attack and picked up a wicket at the start of his spell removing the usually stubborn Flynn.

 

Stamford Old Heads Morley and Peck were ticking along nicely until a fortuitous LBW on Peck (22) left them 53-4 and in a spot of bother, as Suneel Appan walked out to bat at 6. Appan started his innings in a controlled manner, and deservedly reached his 50 after increasing the pace. His partner Morley (34) was bowled by Fluffington’s daisy cutter with Stamford 126-5.

stam - homebase

 

Appan then upped the pressure scoring heavily over the next few overs, including 3 consecutive sixes off the Skipper. Stamford’s captain Birch was bowled by Dyer, scoring 4 in a partnership of 50 with Appan, even night-watchman Felix would blush at that contribution. As Waterloo Road’s Mr. Chalk lookalike Colin Nottage walked to the middle, the rain got a lot heavier and the umpires decided to take an early tea, with a possible abandonment on the cards. Appan was on 92*

 

Tea was enjoyed by all, especially Towns. There was some disappointment at the lack of Coronation Chicken sandwiches, and further disappointment when the rain stopped outside.

 

Stam - Sue Nose

Tealady Sue 'Nose' what she's seen

 

After the restart Appan wasn’t hanging around with rain still in the air and smashed AGF back over his head for a six and a four to bring up an impressive century. He then fell to a return catch, with Chalky being caught by Jono after looping one up.

Stam - Chalk

Mr. Chalk / Colin Nottage

 

There was good work by the Stamford kids to get the score over 200, but it could have been ended sooner, with Towns dropping possibly the worst catch ever. Stood at fly slip, the ball looped up in the air, but the most horrible hash of a catch ever meant he dropped it. It was then agreed that we would never see a worse drop. Not be outdone Ant had other plans as in the very next over, the ball popped up into the air, he called it early, moved 2 yards before juggling the ball to the ground in a horrible mess. This was so funny that even the Stamford team couldn’t stop themselves laughing. Stamford finished on 205 with Morley Jnr scoring a good 13*

 

stam - bowler

Stamford's bowler running in to bowl

 

Baston’s chase got underway, with Towns saying that Stamford had no bowlers, so 205 would be easily achievable. The openers made a steady start before Jono (7) tried to smash a full toss into oblivion and missed it. Ant followed soon after to leave Baston 28-2 with not much hope. Thankfully the rain started to come down again and before long they were off, as the weather made the pitch look similar to something out of Das Boot. With Baston toasting a 13 point abandoned draw, putting chairs away and putting in orders at the Spinner, the umpires amazingly let the players back on with the soaked wicket dirtier and looser than Sporty’s sisters.

 

 

Towns (1) capped off a fine day as he was given out LBW on the sweep. Most of the boys anticipated a typical uproar from Towns, but he walked off and said “yeah I think it was pretty plumb, looked like a good call from the umpire. I’m really pleased we pay extra for these guys to do the job for us. I think I need to go to the nets and practice my technique”

 

At the other end John Lamin was not impressed with something, whether it was the weather, the wicket, or MacBeath’s bowling being followed up with a Louie Spence impression after every ball. John was obviously distracted as he ran out two of his teammates. 1st sending back last week’s top (ginger) dog AGF and leaving him stranded, before hitting directly to a fielder and running out LVP Benny. John’s scoring was so slow, that the Stamford bowlers were teasing him by tossing up balls ‘higher than Dyer’ in an attempt to get him to play a shot. Lamin was finally put out of his misery with Baston 66-6.

Stam - Louie Spence

 MacBeath enjoyed his spell

 

Dyer wanted to get back into form after his horror showing last week, which was officially voted a worse shot than the shovel, and was soon away with a couple of big whooshes as he scored 17. Tim was quick to point out to his team how you need to take your time/get your eye/play each ball on its merit/yada yada.

stam - adam glasses

Adam lost the glasses from his new comedy set

 

Fluffy was batting a typically slow & boring knock as he was joined by flamboyant gay Oxfordshire Deformities League star Adam, who played some lovely shots and showed the rest of his teammates how poor the attack was, including his first ever proper six (deformity league stats don’t count) as he hammered his way to a very good 27 not out. Fluff got himself out in the penultimate over, and Lee “bad day at the office’ Graves couldn’t score his first Baston run as they finished on 120 all out.

stam - Lee

Not the best day for new boy Lee

 

Baston remain bottom of the pile, and need something special to get out of the rut, before they host bogey team Moulton ‘Arrox next Sunday.

 

 

Stam - Suneel

 

Suneel Delight! Appan enjoying a drink in a more friendly environment: Stamford.

Scorecard: http://baston.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11383940