The second occasion this season that we combine forces with another team to make sure that we can get a game. This time, it is our planned opponents for this week, Tonbridge Foresters, who have faced a similar challenge in getting an XI together and Brasted Chart have stepped into the breach to host us. The combined ‘Stonebridge’ XI is a strong outfit and, having won at this venue in the recent past, hopes are reasonably high that we can repeat that result. The day starts in an encouraging fashion when the skipper wins the toss and puts Brasted Chart in to bat.
The battle between bat and ball is fairly even throughout their innings, with the balance shifting back and forth to keeping it interesting for both sides. Their batsmen make a decent start – an opening stand of 44 – before Dino makes the breakthrough and takes a couple of wickets in short order. Then the pendulum swings the other way and the third wicket partnership puts on 61 runs. This time it is Walkie who winkles the established batsman out and this game represents his best bowling performance of the season – 3 for 31 off eight overs in total. Dino gets two further wickets but the elusive 5-for just won’t come. Special mention also needs to go to the superlative catching of Steve Wellard of the Foresters, who takes a total of four in the innings. Brasted Chart end up with 177 for 8, which is good but gettable.
Following tea, and no doubt buoyed by his catching, Steve opens the innings with Blainy, who is in good form himself. Their batting is a treat for all, bar the fielding team, as they take it in terms to find the boundary, including a couple of big 6s from Steve which leads short delays in play as the oppo search the long grass of the nearby fields for the ball. This opening stand is worth 125 from 20 overs before the pick of their bowlers (who finishes with 3 for 28 in five overs) bowls Steve and then has Blainy caught. By this stage it’s just over 50 runs with eight wickets in hand and 18 overs in which to get them. But, as is often the Stone way, we create problems for ourselves at least as much as the oppo forces the issue. Lord Rossington again feels the heavy hand of injustice by ‘snicking one behind’ that he doesn’t touch, on 9. I run myself out trying to keep Scrappy on strike (entirely my own fault, unlike the next incident of that nature…) for 5 and Walkie struggles to find the gaps, scoring only 3 in three overs before holing out. It’s now down to the Tonbridge youth to get some runs and hurry the run rate along, but it’s a big ask and both of them are back in the pavilion in single figures. There are now ten balls remaining and five runs to get – Dino and our wicketkeeper for the day, courtesy of Tonbridge, are the men at the crease. Surely… but alas no. Brasted Chart keep it very tight and only four runs comes off the last over. A draw with the scores level is the final result. Bugger… still, it has been a very good experience playing in these combined XIs this year. The chat in the field is good and it’s always good when oppo players share some of your views about certain members of their teams and their annoying habits…
Awards are dished out, but not noted down (there’s a pattern in that respect this season), plus there’s the Ash “All Stars” game to look forward to next week.
– Paul