Cairns Fudge (H) – Telegraph Cup

This was meant to be the weekend of the great double header vs Cairns Fudge. But as often seems to be the case when we play each other in the league, the weather had other ideas.

Ideas of playing this cup game as a league/cup double, or playing two 25over games on Sunday aside, the teams turned up at Wantage, on a Sunday, to play a Telegraph Cup Quarter Final.

Luckily, Cairns’ captain has a similar record at the toss to our own Ian, neither had won one all season, I say luckily, I mean for them, that their normal captain wasn’t playing, so of course Ian lost the toss. Cairns put themselves in, which is what we would probably have done anyway.

After a good warm up, a pumped Wantage side took to the field. Mike “The Don” Konschel and Ryan “Fines Master” Martin opened as has become pretty accustomed now. Their tight lines gave nothing away, for the first 10 overs the runs were up with the overs count. A couple of early wickets for Mike, both caught behind off regulation outside edges, got us off to a great start.

First change Duncan “Roly poly” Wooloff and Barry “Sacked Coach” Martin kept the pressure on, Duncs getting a couple of wickets with his trademark short pitched bowling, such pace! At the other end Baz got the big wicket of Andy Small, caught by Konsch at gully, second time round. He then got Mark Small LBW. All these wickets saw Cairns around 60-8. After a tight, defensive spell from Chief it was time to bring Mike and Ryan back to finish off the tail. I say tail, but they took Cairns into three figures. Mike and Ryan got the final two wickets leaving Wantage needing 113 to win.

I would normally now write about the tea, but I can’t, I didn’t have any, I was sat in the changing rooms getting ready to bat.

So batting, standard talk, if we bat anywhere near the 45 overs we will win, play sensible etc etc etc. This ethos worked well for both openers, seeing off the opening spells from the normally destructive Chetan Patel and Steve Shaw. Richard “Holidays a lot” Chapman was first to fall in the first over facing the spinner. A wild shot saw him sky one to extra cover. Bringing Wild Show Martin to the crease who in his style played aggressively. Many comments from behind the stumps of the bar being open, or him having somewhere to be, surely they should know Baz by now? After a mistimed 6, being dropped, Baz was caught for a few.

Konsch came in at 4 and after a couple of slightly nervous looking pushes he got into the groove of things. Then got a stonking ball which would get many people. With the score around 50-3, Ryan came in and Steve Shaw came back on, welcomed by the brass band starting up. His first over back at Colin “Superstar run machine” Mercer was a bit short, and the more Colin pulled him for 4 the shorter he bowled. Until he didn’t bowl one as short and he clipped it to the man who had just moved to short fine leg. Gone for 45, including ten boundaries, bringing Ian “Doesn’t like training” Challand to the crease and the score on 65ish. We needed 50 more, and we were starting to run out of wickets. Ian and Ryan were both bowled, Ryan off a good’un, Ian’s I can’t remember, I’m sure it moved a mile.

This left it to Dave “Stag Hangover” Summersbee and Steve “Pre game beer” Bramley to get the runs. Steve played some cracking straight blows against the quicks, before getting underneath one from the spinner and being caught at long off. At the other end Dave was getting in line and playing sensibly. With Duncan in, we needed 20 odd more, in the last 10 overs. Dunc’s innings went from close LBW appeal to him hitting a boundary. Needing 2 to win, Duncs clipped a length ball from Shaw over mid wicket and we won, by 3 wickets.

A top performance in the field and with the ball, batting could do with some work though lads!

Man of the Match was Colin, for being the rock of the batting innings

Champagne moment was Chapper’s one handed, overhead catch, whilst running back at cover.

Pigs ear goes without saying, it was Duncan, for pointlessly rolling over, landing on the ball, and hurting himself.

TFC was Picnic, enough said!

~Pod