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*.