2023-05-28_Rotten_Livers

Match Data vs Rotten Livers on 2023-05-28 at Barnes (Season 2023)

  • Result: LOSS
  • Game Type: 35 Overs Game
  • Rotten Livers: 178 all out (28.3 overs)
  • Salix: 145 all out (29 overs )
  • (Salix Batted Second)
  • View Match scorecard in a new tab

Report by Ollie

May 28th saw the lads back to our old home of Barn Elms. Things were much as before. The ground is still pretty, the wicket still true and TFC still turns up hungover.

After losing the toss Captain Raj was pointed to the field and in we went.

The wicket was true and far from fast. What pace was available was to be generated by the arm alone. This was a task which debutant Fergus took to with alacrity. Sending down some really threatening deliveries, it was only 4 balls before he struck, rearranging the timbers of a batsman who looked a bit bemused as the cherry sailed past him.

At the other end Teenwolf made a welcome return to the side and bowled as well as ever. Those who have heard tell of the man’s formidable fitness will be unsurprised that he bowled 5 overs straight-through, taking a deserved wicket and going for very few runs.

As Fergus started to be a bit wayward, Rog was bought into the attack in his place, finding his rhythm well. At square-leg I had the opportunity of chatting with the umpire as this titan of Salix bowling trundled in. The umpire made appreciative whistling sounds as Rog beat the edge or squared the batsman up. Then, admiring Rog’s gait back to his mark, the umpire as the key question; “tire easily does he?”. Well, not today. The pride of St John’s (pronounces singents) bowled 4 overs, getting his reward twice.

Next came the skip, having gone through 4 Berocca and 2 cups of coffee, he was ready to go. TFC didn’t bowl badly, but went wicketless, and as the half-way point loomed we had a problem. Wickets! Sure, we’d worked out way through the upper order, but the middle batters were pushing the scoring up nicely and the game seemed to be getting away for us. That’s not to say we were playing badly; we weren’t. The fielding was good, catches were (mostly) held and the keeping was excellent. Teenwolf particularly excelled, putting younger men to shame. But, at drinks the oppo had 108 runs, 6  wickets in hand and 18 more overs to play. The general consensus was that a chase of more than 150 would be a challenge; we needed to bowl them out. And quickly.

So what would the skip do? The only thing he could. Turn to Salix’s answer to Shane Warne; Elvis.

This, time showed, was a very, very good move. Elvis bowled beautifully. Flight, spin, guile. Slower balls and faster ones. His bowling was prettier than Dillan in a ballgown. Elvis’s first delivery bought a wicket and after 2 overs he’d have 3 in the bag. In the end Elvis would finish on 6-0-45-4. He was only denied his Michelle by very sportingly holding a catch off my bowling to account for the last of the oppo.

After some sandwiches we were in to bat, needing 179 to bring home the win. This, we felt, was tough but not impossible. What it would need though was a couple of the lads to dig in and get a score. Unfortunately this was not meant to be. A lot of the lads got starts. TFC made 9, Rory 16, Teenwolf and Fergus 10 apiece but none could kick on. Most were caught in the deep, going after balls which, in truth, we probably could have let go past. Even Rory’s mighty bat, forged in the fires of Mount Doom by The Dark Lord himself (I paraphrase) couldn’t get us the runs we craved.

The bright spot, as so often, was CK. Having been dropped early on he made a comfortable 32. But as batsmen fell around him, and the tail came to the crease, he knew he had to take some risks and push things on. He got some support from Rog, who chipped in with a few boundaries, but in the end CK1 too was caught and the rest was inevitable. The tail wagged a little, but in the manner of an old dog which knows it’ll catch no more rabbits.

In the final account we were all-out for 145; presciently close to our earlier prediction. Never mind though. A lot of fun (20 wickets down in less than 60 overs). We consoled ourselves at a local pub, whilst Ben and Rory told us tales of champagne-fueled student life…

A very pleasant day, lovely weather, gentleman in the opposition and a good game all round. Cricket was the real winner. And whomever sold Rory his bat.