Match Report
Sunday 28 April -v- Brasted Invicta at Valence School
Despite staunch support from his oldest friend Makker, a player well respected for his cricket brain, Bill's tenancy of the Crusader hot-seat was severed, at an emotive extra-ordinary meeting in The Bull's Head. A run of poor form at the beginning of the season, combined with tactics that at times baffled some of the more senior players, were the most obvious reasons for Bill's position becoming untenable - the nadir in his sorry demise - the appalling man-management of the 'Burham Four'. When perhaps a word in private would have returned the miscreant players to the straight and narrow, Bill opted for an approach bordering on public humiliation. The lonely figure of Chris, dolefully patrolling his ninety yard stretch of boundary, etched an indelible memory, that proved to be the final straw'.
Into the breach stepped Gordon, who until reading confirmation on the back of the fixture card seemed strangely amused at his appointment His assistant for the season is the equally bemused Slack Timms, who rather like Botham, felt the responsibility had come too soon, when he plunged the club to the brink of extinction in the dark season of 1985. It is hoped that the added responsibility will reduce Glen’s catalogue of tweaked muscles, which restrict his availability for matches.
A rather disorganised pre-season, left us a little under prepared, so we were rather fortunate to be playing Brasted on our opening day fixture.
We arrived at the ground to find that preparation was still in full swing and that the pitch differed only by way of its lighter shade, from the rest of the playing surface
With the weather forecast set for rain, the likelihood of completing the fixture looked bleak, but having lost the toss and been asked to bat, Gord made sure any precipitation would not interrupt his participation in the game by partnering 'The big Oz' to the middle. At this point accurate reporting was deferred, whilst two of the infamous 'Burham Four' accompanied Spud to the cosy confines of The Bull. Two Pints and sometime later, we returned to find our openers and the laughing fellow had not made best use of the facilities. Timmo alternatively seemed to find the pudding of a pitch to his liking and was despatching the ball to all quarters. He found brief support from Ex-knob and TC Grrreggains, but the spectacle was very much a solo effort as GT racked up a 59 ball ton, at which point Gord called time on events. Brasted were never going to get the runs, but with the ever darkening skies it looked unlikely that we would have time to winkle them out. And so it proved. Chris opened the season with a long hop (much as he has started many seasons) and Brasted's opener could not resist the cherry, holing out to TC at mid-wicket. The only other moments of note also involved Chris and his long hops, with Movsey guilty of, not one- but two dropped catches from successive deliveries. The rains came in force, with Brasted 40-4 from 20 overs, but with no sign of brightness the game was quickly called to a close.
