Match Report
Sunday 21 July –v- Westcombe Parkers at Chislehurst
With the majority of the side away, merrily partaking in copious quantities of Tanglefoot, it came as some surprise that we managed to assemble a full eleven, but no surprise that we failed to achieve a winning result. Absences meant the debuts of The Forest Hill B.O. connection, in the forms of Lee Pidgeon and prospective brothers-in-law, Ian and Glen Fearn. The side was completed by Nath, who rustled up his brother and Neil Chapman who made his season’s Sunday debut.
Designs on winning the game were at a minimum from the start, as we were asked to field. The skip had already decided to get as many as possible on to bowl and despite putting the oppo into dire trouble early on, his decision to vary the attack enabled Westcombe to recover to a reasonable total. With no one particularly threatening the stumps from the Football end, it was left to the clockwork accuracy of Steve Martin to produce our dismissals. At one stage a Laker-like performance looked a distinct possibility, as he whittled out the opening five bats, with the aid of some solid out cricket. The unlikely hands of Neil put paid to the ten wicket notion and after a brief rest he returned to remove the remaining four.
His final match figures of 9-29, breaking Spud’s previous Club best 8-15, proved both painful and ironic as the final victim was caught by the woeful skip. Set a daunting 161 to win, with a side containing virtually no batting talent, it was of no great surprise that we struggled in' our reply. Our newcomers, despite brave intent were found out all too quickly, and the regulars batted with little more endeavour than they had previously shown. Man of the Match Old B'Stard attempted a Headingley Botham against the late introduction of spin, but was eventually was last out for 19 in a total of 98.
Our oppo hurried back to Blackheath obviously disturbed by the arrival of some yobbos,from the south coast, who turned out to be the missing chickens that had cost us the game. Never sour in defeat a few of us adjourned to the Bull for post match refreshment and contemplation of the big crunch with Woolwich Postal.
Pen Pics
Spud Whale -Attempted to come out of the batting wilderness. Only high point was not getting bowled behind his legs
Gordon Schultz - Beaten by the straight one that he was trying to extravagantly pull over mid-wicket.
Nath-Probets -Bowled as well as he batted. Arrived in time to relieve Carole, but that’s another story
Neil Morrison - run out, by the skip just when he was threatening to get himself out
Neil Chapman -Took a catch as stand-in keeper. Graham and Gordy take note.
Ian Fearn -Carved a rapid fifteen and stopped Steve getting all ten wickets
Glen Fearn - Far too similar to his brother to be of any use to the side.
Matt Probets - Far too similar to his brother to be of any use to the side.
Lee Pidgeon -Saved the day by producing players from nowhere, but that was the only contribution.
Ian Browne - Helped lose two balls with some short, shit bowling.
Steve Martin -Seasons best 10 not out in final partnership of 29. -paid his subs.
