Golden Ball CC vs Bradford CAMRA CC - 20 May 2007

Standing: Kev Scully, Mike Berry, Gary Millward, Tim Tatlioglu, Tim Wills, Whitty Whittingham, Alistair Cross.
Kneeling: Michael Charno, Pete Mitchell (c), Geoff Arnott (w/k), Pete Kilbane

Match Report by Whitty

Bootham Park hosted its first Golden Ball CC game of the season under bright sunshine for most of the afternoon. Stumps was delayed for around 15 minutes for the air ambulance to land and deliver a patient to the hospital. This gave the team an opportunity to gather their thoughts for the game plan and to take the team photo for the season. The two captains walked out to the wicket for the toss of the coin with both teams waiting tensely back at the pavilion for the outcome. Golden Ball CC were put into bat and moments later Mitchell (C) and Arnott walked out for the first time on home turf for the season. Coultous opened the bowling from the Asylum End against Mitchell who hit two fours from the first over. Clough, from the Shallow End, made an incisive breakthrough with his second ball, dismissing Arnott who misjudged a straight slower ball. Scully came in one down and held the end up whilst Mitchell attempted to hit out. However, this tactic failed as Mitchell was bowled by Coultous for 9.

Cross came in to bat and looked strong, playing some textbook straight defensive shots whilst Scully played some delightful shots with some beautiful footwork lining himself up with the pitch of the ball. However, Scully didn’t quite push through a lofted shot to mid-off which landed safely in the hands of the fielder for 8 runs off the bowling of Bredabs. Cue Charno. After one over facing Bredaus Charno had accrued a quick-fire 10, dispatching his first delivery high over long on and into the car park. Cross at the other end was bowled by Hoey for 3 and was replaced by a confident Tatlioglu. However, Charno’s innings was prematurely ended when his bails flew after he misread a straight ball attempting another home run [six]. His threat and fear that he struck into the hearts of his opponents was highlighted when the bowler, Boothroyd, waved him back to the pavilion. A very unsporting gesture, not in-keeping with the rest of his team’s excellent sportsmanship or the spirit of the game.

Whittingham came in at seven and was fortunate to escape his first ball with a single after he almost dragged the ball onto his own stumps. The ball crept past the otherwise clinical wicket keeper to leg slip. Tatlioglu and Whittingham had a very brief partnership with some quick singles picked up before Whittingham attempted a leg glance but was bowled for 3. Tatlioglu’s wicket fell shortly after being bowled by George for 4. Berry and Millward came in at the top of the tail and immediately walked back both having been dismissed by Boothroyd for ducks. Kilbane and Wills came in and Kilbane settled very quickly, playing some lovely shots and unluckily hitting just short of the boundary due to the length of the grass in the outfield. Wills at the other end played some well crafted defensive shots, waiting a week for the ball to drop from the sky and gently prodding it forward defensively. Kilbane was caught off the bowling of Boothroyd. This looked like the end of the innings with the Golden Ball CC having lost 10 wickets but Bradford CAMRA CC allowed a 12th batsman; the one who had hit the fewest runs. Arnott walked out to the crease again looking more composed and hit a few runs and backing up Wills who hit a huge six over deep square leg. Arnott then was unfortunate to end the Golden Ball CC innings after thundering a shot straight into the palms of one of the more senior fielders at short mid-wicket. At the mid point of the match Golden Ball CC had accumulated a paltry 79 all out. (Charno 28, Wills 10*)

After an extended tea break Golden Ball CC took to the field knowing that it was going to be tough to defend their 79 total. Wills opened from the Asylum End and was rewarded with a wicket after three balls, trapping Fawcett leg-before wicket for a duck. Millward from the Shallow End bowled very tightly and was rewarded by conceding not one run off the bat. Millward was replaced by Kilbane who bowled superbly finding the spot every time. Wills struck in his final over, bowling Holden for 5 meanwhile at the other end Kilbane was bowling maiden after maiden eventually going for four runs from five overs with three maidens. He took one wicket which was a nick by Taylor which was expertly caught by Arnott. Taylor very sportingly walked immediately which was greeted with gentlemanly applause by the fielding team. It was during Kilbane’s spell that the Golden Ball CC fielding was at its most flamboyant. Cross attempted to dive to stop a shot to long-on but in doing so caused a 4.2 Richter Scale earthquake which dislodged roof tiles on Gillygate, causing the road to be closed for several hours. Whittingham dropped Taylor at silly mid-off but then made up for it by single-handedly stopping a powerful drive then holding his Adonis-like body in a threatening pose ready for a direct hit. Canadian Berry was brought on from the Asylum End and bowled well spurred on by the support from the wicketkeeper including the morale-boosting politically-correct positive encouragement ‘Come on Mike! Just imagine his stumps are maple syrup. Or a bison.’

After this spell of bowling pressure Charno was brought on from the Asylum End with Whittingham replacing Kilbane from the Shallow End. Both Whittingham and Charno bowled tightly and accurately before an injury to Sicknote Arnott’s finger forced a deep-freeze break. This break disrupted the bowler’s rhythm with Whittingham in particular struggling to relocate his radar. He did however bowl Wilkinson for eight with an excellent straight delivery having rattled him previously with a bouncer which pitched outside leg then viciously cut back in clearing the stumps and the batsman around head height. Mitchell brought himself on from the Asylum End and bowled two overs and brought Scully on from the Shallow End. Scully, electing to bowl from 25 yards, bowled tightly but the score for Bradford CAMRA CC to chase was simply too few and with the extras totalling 39 Bradford CAMRA CC beat Golden Ball CC by three runs with six wickets remaining.
(Wills 2-10 off 5, Millward 0-8 off 4, Kilbane 1-4 off 5, Berry 0-16 off 3, Charno 0-3 off 4, Whittingham 1-11 off 4, Mitchell 0-8 off 2, Scully 0-6 off 0.5)

The third innings was completed in the Golden Ball afterwards with a lovely spread of quiche, sandwiches and pork pies washed down with plenty of ale. Bradford CAMRA CC left to return home and left some of the Golden Ball team musing over which hats to order from the catalogue. Most of the team had a short third innings however Charno, Cross, Whittingham, Tatlioglu and Cocker managed to stay at the crease. However, the inexperience showed as Charno, Cross, Whittingham and Tatlioglu retired hurt leaving Cocker at the crease at 11*.

Rose and Crown CC vs Golden Ball CC - 13 May 2007

Match Report by Whitty Whittingham

In a game played in excellent spirit and in a manner these two teams have been accustomed to playing, the match was drawn after rain stopped play.

After a week of fair weather the forecast was not promising for the opening fixture of the Golden Ball cricket season. However, there was an air of optimism as the team gathered outside the pavilion at Heslington. Rose and Crown won the toss and elected to bat on a damp wicket.

Andy Hellewell opened the bowling from the Wilderness End and went for a modest 14 off the opening over. Tom Fremlin, from the Halifax End equalled these figures with the Rose and Crown opening pair settling into their innings comfortably. Nad Sadiq was fortunate to be dropped by Pete Mitchell after skying a Hellewell delivery to mid-on. Mitchell brought himself on from the Halifax End in a tactical switch which paid off, slowing the run-rate to around 10 runs per over. The weather conspired against the bowlers who were struggling to find rhythm and unable to develop pace due to the slippery creases. Judi Paul was brought on from the Halifax End but struggled to beat the batsmen although his figures were not helped when the big-hitting opener uncharacteristically tickled one towards extra cover where Hellewell dropped him [he absolutely smashed the ball as hard as he could and Andy bravely/stupidly stopped a certain boundary with the tip of his finger, breaking it in doing so].

The weather was closing in after around 10 overs but the score was already in triple figures thanks in part to some gargantuan sixes; one cut past deep fine leg and another hitting the Hubble Telescope before landing somewhere near Fulford Golf Course. Michael Charno was brought on to replace Judi and bamboozled the batsmen with his textbook action, however, rain stopped play just as Whitty Whittingham was about to start bowling from the Wilderness End.

Spirits were high in the Golden Ball dressing room with the players confident that they would be able to knock off the projected score of 1300 runs and be in the pub in time to watch Sheffield United get relegated.

It was agreed that the overs would be reduced to 25 and after a short intermission Whitty resumed with Jack “Rooney” Gabbatiss from the Halifax End. Whitty was slightly more economical, going for just 5 off his first over. In his second over the batsman almost dragged the ball on to his stumps on the first delivery and eventually fell to the superbly pitched ball which he pulled from around his ears to square leg where he was caught by Charno. The crowd went wild. Gabbatiss, at the other end, bowled superbly well in worsening conditions and was rewarded with two wickets; one bowled and one superbly caught by Neil Grady at deep mid-wicket. Whitty finished his spell by dismissing a middle order batsman who top-edged one which was caught by Judi Paul, replacing Gabbatiss behind the stumps. Charno and Fremlin came back on and demolished the middle order; Charno sending Rose skipper Surge's bails flying with a superb yorker, Fremlin ripping the middle stump out and then setting Grady up for the catch of the day.

The Rose and Crown, visibly shaken by this bowling masterclass, managed to see out their overs with few runs taken. The bowlers finished with Hellewell 0-44 off 4, Fremlin 2-14 off 3, Mitchell 0-21 off 2, Judi 0-42 off 4, Charno 1-40 off 4, Whittingham 2-13 off 4, Gabbitas 3-18 off 4.

After a fine tea break, with garlic bread and cake, Mitchell and Judi padded up and walked out of the pavilion into much heavier rain. The fielders changed round as quickly as they could between overs with Judi getting some unconventional warmth by snuggling up to the umpire. Both batsmen hit out but struggled to find boundaries with the outfield being completely flooded with standing water. After some lazy trotting between the wickets [sensible, cautious tip-toeing so as not to injure themselves] the umpires and captains decided to end the farce with Mitchell on 17* and Judi on 14* and continue the innings in the pub.

The rain certainly came to the rescue of the Rose and Crown who were facing a humiliating beating by a Golden Ball team that looked sharp and incisive in the field and intimidating with the bat and ball. All in all a good fun, if not bloody cold and wet, day out was had by all. Best wishes to Andy for a speedy recovery.

First Game of the Season

Well, the rain did stop. Sunday morning dawned bright and breezy and it all looked very positive until fifteen minutes before the scheduled start. It began with a smattering of drizzle, which we confidently predicted would blow over quickly. It didn't. In fact, it's still raining now, almost 24 hours later.

We started the game anyway. I lost the toss and was condemned to fielding. It's not really that the opposition chose to bat, it's more that they chose to get wet two at a time rather than all at once. Although the game didn't go the full distance, there were positives to take away: Some fine bowling in testing conditions from Messrs Hellewell, Gabbatiss, Whittingham, Fremlin and Charno; Great commitment in the field, particularly from the Brothers Cross; A pair of brave cold-handed catches by Neil Grady; A soggy cameo with the bat featuring some lustily-clumped boundaries from Judi Paul and I. The day's most unfortunate incident was Andy Hellewell's bloody and broken finger, resulting from a courageous attempt to catch a tracer-bullet cut shot from Nad Sadiq.

So we got soaked, fell over and spent more time than we'd have liked plodging about in muddy fields looking for the ball. Yet through all this, the team spirit never flagged once. The smiles and banter kept coming all afternoon and I have to admit that in a weird way I had a good time.

Full match report to follow.

Back from the (nearly) dead

Here we are again, on the brink of another season and guess what? It's raining! Of course! This is England, land of inappropriate weather. It's been bone-dry for weeks, but as soon as leather threatens to meet willow, it pisses down. Ah well, it was ever thus. You tend to forget just how much of the summer is traditionally spent squinting at the sky and willing rain clouds to bugger off.

There were times over the winter when I thought the club wouldn't make it this far, we were "between pubs", skint and consumed by apathy. Thankfully, things have now changed for the better. We've relocated to the Golden Ball and unearthed a clutch of handy new players.

Now all we need is a bit of sunshine...