The Tarts still look back on their first Hodgkinson Cup campaign with great pride. Despite losing the first game on the last ball, they battled back against the odds, as skipper Jono led them to the final where they lost out to Stroud’s Washday Blues. After such a great tournament, many had expected the Tarts to go on and feature heavily in the latter stages in the next couple of years, but it wasn’t to be.
Baston’s performances in the Bourne Sixes have been remarkably similar to the England football team’s last 4 international tournaments. There was plenty of media expectation beforehand, dependence on the availability of star players, followed by lacklustre displays, internal bickering, with the inevitable group stage exit after humiliating defeats. In fact, the Tarts have only won one game since losing out in the 2009 final.
This year was a bit different. Lower expectations, coupled with a fresh look to the squad, with workhorse Felix Cunningham (Baston’s very own Emily Heskey) finally dropped after last year’s disastrous campaign. There were no senior (old) squad members this year, with young pretender Ben Hudson captaining the side, after a successful stint as skipper in the 20/20 league where he has overseen 3 good wins against Jarvis. Baston also boasted exciting new all-rounder Teddy Paling and Liam Davies so had strength in all departments.
Despite the promise inside the Baston camp, no-one at Bourne expected The Tarts to do well as they were seeded in Pot 3 of the draw.
Pot 1: Smiths Smackers, Rugby Club
Pot 2: Washday Blues, Old Brunnians
Pot 3: Baston Tarts, Motley Crew
Pot 4: Optimists, Happy Hookers
The draw was tough on the Tarts, with the favourites, Rugby Club, last year’s champs Old Brunnians and unknowns Happy Hookers to go past to progress to the semis.
Monday: Baston Tarts vs. Happy Hookers
(Tarts: Hudson*, Howard+, Downie, L. Davies, G. Cunningham, Paling)
The Tarts needn’t have feared the Happy Hookers, Sporty fell early but Jon and Ben both scored quickly before retiring. Guy scored 20 off 5 balls at the end to give the Tarts an impressive 86/2 from their 5 overs.
Happy Hookers never looked like getting the runs as they fell well short on 48/4. Teddy was the pick of the bowlers as he cleaned up 2 of the Hookers in the final over. The Tarts’ bowling wasn’t the tidiest with far too many wides and no-balls as 13 extras were recorded.
http://baston.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11579937
Tuesday: Baston Tarts vs. Old Brunnians
(Tarts: Hudson*, Howard+, Downie, L. Davies, G. Cunningham, Paling)
Old Brunnians didn’t have Charlie Hopkins this year, but still possessed a bunch of chirpy kids, skipper Staino and Mr. Smiley Matt Creaney. Staino was late and one of the Binns bunch opted to bat. Baston’s seam attack of Liam and Sport was expensive and the Brunnians were 26 off 2. Ben & Teddy’s eco-overs pulled it back, and despite more comedy spin from Guy, the Brunnians were kept to a below par score of 54-2 (both wickets were run-outs)
The Tarts struggled in response and were 13/1 off 2 overs, with Teddy stumped controversially. Guy and Liam tucked into the young seamers, with Guy hitting a massive six into the carpark. The Tarts needed 14 off the last over, which was bowled by Staino. Amazingly, Staino’s full bunger destroyed Guy’s middle stump first ball, and a victory looked impossible. Fortunately Sporty was in the zone, and biffed the most magnificent six back over Staino’s head, before running a couple of quick braces, as he was run out for 10. Liam faced the last 2 balls, needing 4 to win. After a miss off the first ball, he smashed the ball past Staino for a boundary and all but send the Tarts into the semi-finals.
http://baston.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11579940
Wednesday: Baston Tarts vs. Bourne Rugby Club
(Tarts: Hudson*, Howard+, Downie, L. Davies, Slinn, Paling)
Guy was now out of the rest of the tournament, as harvest began. Jono drafted in his boss, and all round nice guy Phil Slinn for a game on the Wednesday. The Nassington pro found his form before the game, by smashing some throw downs into the tennis court fence. Ben won the toss against Tim’s new bezzer Jack Berry, and decided to bat. It didn’t seem the greatest call with Ben and Sporty both gone in the first over. Slinn-Dog stabilised the innings, as Liam and Jono were caught out. Slinny finished 15* as Baston stumbled to 42/4.
Rugby Club had a wealth of batting, and set about the paltry Tarts score. Both openers scored 16, before being bowled. Paling grabbing Spike’s wicket, and occasional bowler Slinny jagging one through Bourne 1st Team Opener Berry’s defences. Amazingly the Rugby Club only just got past the line, with a couple of balls spare, but there was time for another wicket, as Liam ran out Binnsy.
http://baston.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11579935
Thursday: Semi Final Baston Tarts vs. Smiths Smackers
(Tarts: Hudson*, Howard+, Downie, Clarke, Lem, Paling)
There were wholesale changes made for finals day, as skipper Hudson drafted in Stamford superstar Lembo, and Spalding’s Mr. Cricket. Again Ben won the toss and chose to bat, drawing the best possible line-up with Jono and Lem opening, and the captain down at 6. Despite losing Jono early, Lem took the Smiths attack apart, including a massive six off “Bourne’s worst ever pro” Robbie Gow’s bowling. Sport (11) and Clarke (10) struggled to get the good bowling attack away, and the Tarts weren’t too unhappy with 54-3 off their 5 overs.
Scott, Lem and Clarkey all went for between 10-12 an over to leave Smiths 33-2 (run outs for Ben and Clak) from 3 overs, and right on top of the run-rate. An unusually economic over from Ben meant that Smiths needed 13 from the last over with main seamer Teddy handed the ball. A heavy offside field and a bowling plan looked promising, as they needed 7 off the last 3 balls. The Tarts thought they’d won it, as Bentley Jnr could only smother the ball back to Teddy, but astoundingly/naively/moronically Teddy turned and threw the ball at the non-strikers end, trying to run out the other Bentley. As the other 5 players all shouted ‘no’, it was too late, as the ball trickled away towards long-on, where there was no fielder. The batsmen ran 2, as Lembo retrieved the ball. A wide followed, before Rob Bentley crashed the ball through Ben’s boundary dive to seal a place in the final for Smiths.
http://baston.play-cricket.com/scoreboard/scorecard.asp?id=11586300
It was their best campaign since finishing runners up, and the Tarts were unlucky not to match that effort, especially with some very dodgy umpiring by Harry 'Nice Guy' Bower and assorted Bourne kids. The Tarts will be back next year (if asked)
