A dull Draw


Mystics versus Erratics at Gras Lawn, 27th July 1991

I had a little organisational difficulty. Somehow my message to Deke that he was in the team had been received as "you're not needed ... there's no way things will get bad enough for me to need you." Nick Howe also didn't turn up, but luckily Matt Redmond was there and agreed to step in.

The Erratics team wasn't a strong one, so I had no hesitation in choosing to bat when I won the toss. Dunc and Adi put on 84 for the first wicket, with Adi's powerful off-side play a foretaste of 1995's Ultimate Destroyer. John Rudlin bowled Adi, and then Sid and Dunc put on another 40 and the score was 120 after 24 overs. Dunc's rather generously given stumping (I was the umpire and gave the match rather than the batsman the benefit of the doubt) was the first of four quick wickets as Tai-Wai, Matt and Deke added little to the score. Windy joined Sid and they took the score past 150; and then Tony Jones and James Burrows hit some fours to take us to a daunting 184 (daunting, at least, to that Erratics batting order).

The Erratics started slowly - inevitable, really, given that David Salter and Paul Auchterlonie were the opening pair. Tony Jones and James Burrows opened our attack to an umbrella of close fielders. Auchterlonie was caught behind off Burrows and then Brian Harris, after clipping a full toss into my forehead, was caught at extra cover off Jones. Dad dominated a stand with David Salter before a run out and then a superb Tony Jones catch at long on did for them both. 53 for four in the 23rd over. Over the next ten overs, 16 more runs were scored and three more wickets fell. But Steve Berry and Dave Hale hung around for the last four overs and neither John Rudlin nor Annie was needed. A dull draw.



Jim Thomson (edited from a diary entry)


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