BB 313-8 of 48 overs Dec
IZ 254 all out
BB win
There are few things in life as worthwhile doing as playing a game of cricket at a ground such as Torry Hill on a pleasant English summer’s day. The I Zingari first appeared in the BB fixture list 162 years ago in 1860 and one must wonder how many glorious sunny afternoons have been thoroughly well spent by members of both clubs throughout the decades playing the beautiful game.
August 21st 2022 was one such day. A group of 22 wandering cricketers arrived at the Mecca of Kentish amateur cricket, keen to showcase their abilities, some on the rise, most on the wane. As ever, the wicket at Torry Hill was flawless, the outfield, kept in excellent condition despite the difficulties faced in this summer of drought. Given that 8 of the BB XI have opened the batting for the club with great success, and the almost complete lack of seam bowling available to the skipper, upon winning the toss he took no time in deciding to bat first. Out strode brothers Roberts and Boucher, possibly one of the tallest opening partnerships in BB history with a combined height of around 13 feet. Both used their long strides to get the BB off to a flyer. Roberts was the early aggressor, striking crisply all around the ground. He hit 10 boundaries in a fluent run-a-ball 47 before, out of nowhere, played across a ball which caught the leading edge to point leaving the BB 80-1 in the 16th over. Boucher, his languid style oozing class, continued the anchor role as he was joined by the exciting Candidate Sharpe who looked busy from ball one, mixing the orthodox with the inventive, reverse sweeping at will. The paid added 109 in just 17 overs before Boucher was caught for 76 on the stroke of lunch with the score on 189. This brought in the fixture secretary in waiting, Brother Bryant, still looking worse for wear from the night before. He took his guard, chose which of the 3 balls he was seeing to concentrate on, knuckled down and set his mind to seeing the brethren through until lunch. He did just that, bowled by the last ball of the session, cunningly allowing himself the pleasure of a longer interval. 189-3 off 33.
With the unthreatening nature of the wicket and the lightning-fast outfield, it was decided amongst the BB that 300 was essential to head off a strong IZ batting line up, and a weak BB bowling attack. Thus Brother Pask entered the fray at no.5 and immediately struck the ball to and over the boundary with Sharpe happy to rotate the strike. It was a surprise when Pask was stumped for 19 having looked set to go into overdrive, bringing Brother Richardson to the wicket. With 39 overs gone and the BB 233-4 the instructions were now clear to put the peddle down and get the side to the declaration as quickly as possible. Richardson and Sharpe both striking a number of maximums before Sharpe, selflessly holed out for a fine 89, thinking of the team first and his milestone second. He was quickly joined in the hutch by Richardson for a quick-fire 36 with the BB 295-6. From here brothers Simpson, Cornwallis and Simmons combined, hitting a number of boundaries between them before the run out of Simmons with the score on 313-8 brought about the declaration after 48 overs, with the skipper carded to bat next and still not in his whites.
Despite the strong batting display, as the skipper surveyed his bowling options it was obvious that the BB’s total was not as imposing as one might wish. Brother Richardson took the new ball, however a side strain had left him at half pace, bowling exclusively with his right shoulder. Brother Simpson behind the wicket was soon up to the wickets under the lid, marveling at how he was now searching for stumpings for one of the terrors of his school career, who, with blade in hand, he was used to roaring the ball past his helmet. Brother Tom Whyte, one of the sole hopes for the BB’s bowling attack, opened with his left arm spin at the Pavilion end and immediately settled into an excellent rhythm but neither could find the breakthrough as the IZ went to the tea interval 50-0 off 12 overs, setting up a mouthwatering final session, needing just under 7 an over, 10 wickets in hand and with the ground at it’s best for batting of the day.
It was Whyte who deservingly found the opening in his 9th over, trapping the opener LBW. This caused a small collapse, with the other set batter falling to a fine catch by Simpson behind the sticks from a Brother Regan long hop. Brother Pask, fielding on the deep cover boundary, had found himself the object of fun from Brother Richardson over his supposedly weak arm. Taking this to heart, he launched a flat throw over the stumps at the keepers end as the IZ attempted to run two. 72-3. Wickets and boundaries both followed at regular intervals from here. The BB fielded heroically, with Brother Cornwallis flinging himself around with vigor in the circle. An outrageous stumping by Simpson, standing up to the medium pacers of Simmons was curiously turned down by the square leg umpire before a dangerous partnership was broken by a splendid inswinging yorker by the same bowler. Still the IZ advanced towards the BB total, first at a trot, then a canter and finally a gallop. A special mention must go to their number 6, Jackson, who struck frequently and powerfully before playing around one for a magnificent 90 off a mere 39 deliveries. This was a knock that left the skipper bamboozled, changing the bowling 3 times in as many overs from one end in an attempt to stem the flow of runs whilst persisting with himself at the other despite fairing no better. Rank does have its privileges.
At this point the IZ were 254-9 with 7 overs left. Nothing was left in the pitch for the bowlers and a draw seemed the most likely outcome. However, the bowling changes proved 3rd time lucky, justifying Regan’s tactics as brother Whyte coaxed a sweep from the last man out to Boucher on the deep square leg boundary who, using his entire lanky reach, dived forwards to take a fine catch to hand BB victory by an overly flattering 58 runs.
A fine day, at a glorious ground in the garden of England. The match was played in tremendous spirit as it always is with the fine calibre of opponents the IZ are. Lady (Brother) Rose, adorned with both BB and IZ colours, could not be coaxed on the side she was supporting, but one cannot argue against the result being secondary to the game itself. Refreshments were taken at the Chequers at Doddington to toast the last game of the BB season at their spiritual home. Our thanks must go to Howard for keeping the ground in such tremendous shape once again and of course to Lady Rose herself for being such a firm supporter of both clubs.
Reegs
