TRADITIONAL SEASON OPENER – TRADITIONAL RESULT! ALL’S WELL WITH THE WORLD
Sunday, April 29 v British Library.
By Frodo
It was a slightly overcast but warm April day, the perfect start to The Tabard’s first unbeaten summer. The British Library were to be the first victims of our invincible season. Or so we thought...
Penthouse strolled out into the centre and won a commanding toss, sending the terrified Librarians into bat first. We had a young side out and The Pilgrims took the field full of the joys of spring.
Snaffle
Farmer and Juggs launched the attack, causing all sorts of problems for the openers, while athletic fielding by the youthful side immediately put pressure on the watchful batsmen. A tidy snaffle by The Bishop saw Juggs dismiss the opening bat, and a neat run out saw the end of a very nervous number two. In came three and four, who played extremely cautiously, but started to build up a useful partnership.
All ten players in the outfield got a bowl but none managed the decisive breakthrough until we brought on our secret weapon, Cus Cus. In he lumbered, up the ball went, and down went middle stump. Number four was trudging off, beating by the flight, spin and pace of the dreaded doosra. If Murali had been watching, he would have admired a master at work.
Lightning
Three times Cus Cus sent batsmen packing, once thanks to the lightning reflexes of Penthouse, who was clearly invigorated thanks to his recent engagement. The innings was polished with a superb caught-and-bowled by The Kommander and some tidy swing bowling by Whippet.
Tea came with the Library at 168-9. The Pilgrims ate their egg mayonnaise sandwiches with gusto, confident in the abilities of their batsmen.
It started off quite brightly, despite the early loss of Cus Cus to a full toss outside off that he brilliantly contrived to play onto his middle stump. Penthouse and Clint kept the score ticking over at a healthy rate, with the latter showing deft touches to guide the ball through the only gap in the slips at waist height. Clint fell LBW and the Bishop joined Penthouse at the crease to start off another healthy partnership.
Oh b****r
But The Library’s plan soon became apparent – bring on two slow bowlers, load the leg side and bowl on leg stump. The Bishop went first, and then Kommander, caught on the boundary, Farmer, Clarence, Penthouse (for a fine 56), Juggs, Whippet and Frodo, leaving Hansie unbeaten on five. All out 131, after being 100 for three! (I refer you to the Colonel’s message on the bulletin board. Ed)
Next year we’ll do ’em.
It was a slightly overcast but warm April day, the perfect start to The Tabard’s first unbeaten summer. The British Library were to be the first victims of our invincible season. Or so we thought...
Penthouse strolled out into the centre and won a commanding toss, sending the terrified Librarians into bat first. We had a young side out and The Pilgrims took the field full of the joys of spring.
Snaffle
Farmer and Juggs launched the attack, causing all sorts of problems for the openers, while athletic fielding by the youthful side immediately put pressure on the watchful batsmen. A tidy snaffle by The Bishop saw Juggs dismiss the opening bat, and a neat run out saw the end of a very nervous number two. In came three and four, who played extremely cautiously, but started to build up a useful partnership.
All ten players in the outfield got a bowl but none managed the decisive breakthrough until we brought on our secret weapon, Cus Cus. In he lumbered, up the ball went, and down went middle stump. Number four was trudging off, beating by the flight, spin and pace of the dreaded doosra. If Murali had been watching, he would have admired a master at work.
Lightning
Three times Cus Cus sent batsmen packing, once thanks to the lightning reflexes of Penthouse, who was clearly invigorated thanks to his recent engagement. The innings was polished with a superb caught-and-bowled by The Kommander and some tidy swing bowling by Whippet.
Tea came with the Library at 168-9. The Pilgrims ate their egg mayonnaise sandwiches with gusto, confident in the abilities of their batsmen.
It started off quite brightly, despite the early loss of Cus Cus to a full toss outside off that he brilliantly contrived to play onto his middle stump. Penthouse and Clint kept the score ticking over at a healthy rate, with the latter showing deft touches to guide the ball through the only gap in the slips at waist height. Clint fell LBW and the Bishop joined Penthouse at the crease to start off another healthy partnership.
Oh b****r
But The Library’s plan soon became apparent – bring on two slow bowlers, load the leg side and bowl on leg stump. The Bishop went first, and then Kommander, caught on the boundary, Farmer, Clarence, Penthouse (for a fine 56), Juggs, Whippet and Frodo, leaving Hansie unbeaten on five. All out 131, after being 100 for three! (I refer you to the Colonel’s message on the bulletin board. Ed)
Next year we’ll do ’em.