Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Greenheath CC

After a long off season where normal order was restored to the international arena with a 5 - 0 Ashes whitewash and third successive world cup victory to the green and gold, it was time for Eltham's much anticipated season to commence. The Eltham line-up today included debutants Richard Page, Adam Price, Ricky Webber and Andy Wells. We look forward to welcoming the other new recruits in the coming weeks.

With Bexley Grammar School not yet available and a late switch from Waring Park, the match was held at Hall Place, pitch No. 2 which, although not quite as remote as some of their other strips, still almost required a pack of horses to transport the gear and tea to pitch side. The Eltham donkeys, however, sufficed. Fortunately, or perhaps wisely, the impressive, and still relatively new, Eltham scoreboard was left at BGS, as it may have required more than Wouldham's newly purchased canny little trolley to get this across the windswept field. The refresher course on how to turn the numbers will have to wait for another day.

Captain Bulpitt won the toss (well at least the author thinks he did) and opted to bat on this unknown quantity of a pitch.

As all good skippers should (just wait till the VC gets to stand in), Bulpitt decided to open the batting himself alongside a more familiar opener, Pete Fisher. The pair started briskly and were finding the boundary with regularity. A majestic six from Bulpitt over long on was followed by an effortlessly timed pull slot from Fisher which Ricky Ponting would have been proud of. Umpire 'Trigger' Seeds was so impressed that he signalled six before it left the bat. Alas it was only four, falling just inside the boundary. More Weetabix for breakfast Pete! Following some much needed catching practice to Greenheath where both batsmen were dropped twice each, Fisher received a straight one from Houghton, which could only be described as lower than a snake's bum, and departed, bowled, for a well compiled 38 including 7 fours. The opening stand was 66.

Wouldham joined Bulpitt and the scoring continued at an admirable rate until Bulpitt received another ball which found the GPG ('George Power Grubber' for our newer readers) length and was bowled for a solid 34, this time from Greenheath's stand in skipper Green (lets assume for the purposes of this report that his first name is Heath).

At 98 for 2 Swain (what was he doing this far up the order) joined Wouldham, and was immediately off the mark with an unorthodox, yet familiar, cross bat swat which just evaded the bowler. The earlier catching practice had clearly paid off and Swain, on 22, followed a good rising delivery just outside off stump, finding an edge and producing a simple catch to the keeper off Green, Heath.

Page joined Wouldham, and at 141 for 3 with plenty of time left, Eltham looked in for a formidable total. However, Eltham are an English team (well almost all the team are), and like all good English teams the tail starts early. Today it started at 5. Page, seemingly over excited about his first Eltham innings, looked to the heavens seeking to despatch the ball to pitch No. 3 over the trees. The sound of wood on leather was alas the stumps being skittled for Hart's first wicket of the day.

The normally reliable Seeds joined Wouldham but could not bring any stability to the batting and did not trouble the scorers today (of which there were 2 with the equally enthusiastic Jones and Redman completing both books simultaneously) when he received a snorter from Green, Heath which took the top of leg stump.

Wells wasted no time in looking for the boundary, but could only find an inside edge for a sharp catch to the keeper, giving Hart his second wicket.

Wouldham was now looking concerned, at 173 for 6, that he may run out of partners before reaching his fifty. Redman, batting at a lofty number 8 offered the necessary support to Wouldham as he reached a well deserved half century. Redman then, having scored 3, brought about the biggest cheer of the day when he was caught off Hart in the final over. Could this have been the Greenheath supporters concerned that he was about to thrash their attack to all parts of the ground? No, it was the Adam Price Fan Club, thrilled that their loved one would bat. Price did not disappoint, and smashed a four over long off from his first ball. The applause from the APFC was rapturous that the match on pitch 1 stopped temporarily. Now that he had his eye in and the APFC expectation was even higher, Price stepped down the wicket to the next delivery, missed and was unfortunately stumped. The collective sighs from the APFC could be heard for miles around.

Webber, now given the chance to also bat on debut, joined Wouldham who now having safely passed his half century was entrenched at the non-striker's end. Never too early in the season to protect one's average. Jones clearly confident of Webber's ability to see out the remaining 2 balls did not even don the pads, preferring instead to complete his innings long tenure at the scorebook. Jones' confidence was well placed, and Webber saw out the innings unbeaten on 1 with Wouldham not out on an excellent 53.

The Bulpitt family served up a delightful tea (of the eating kind), and even brought along a separate packed lunch for Wouldham so that he would not need to muck in with the unclean masses. Well he did score fifty.

Due to the remoteness of the pitch, tea (of the drinking kind) could not be provided, and liquid refreshment was in the form of what we believe was 3% pure orange juice. Good natural stuff full of wholesome ingredients.

Greenheath set about their pursuit of 187 to win with Swain opening from the River End (ok ditch), and Page from the Bexleyheath End (ok road). The first wicket fell in the third over when Guiler found an outside edge and was safely held by Redman. At least one wicketkeeper will not suffer the embarrassment of last season where the statistics of 0 catches was present for some months into the season.

Codd joined Sawyer and despite being struck on the hands and body on several occasions remained defiant. The Greenheath scoring rate was low, but they were conserving wickets as Eltham could not force a second breakthrough.

Price and Wouldham replaced the opening bowlers, but could also not find an early wicket. The skipper turned to the experience and guile of Jones, and later Webber but still the elusive second wicket would not come. The run rate was steadily climbing but Greenheath still had 9 wickets in hand.

Eltham were performing well in the field to keep the scoring down, and the lively Wells was particularly impressive. Bulpitt almost ran out Codd with a direct hit as Greenheath looked to accelerate, but it was left to Wouldham, who had now reverted to medium pace from the earlier leg spin, to finally get the breakthrough as Sawyer looked to force the pace, but missed and was bowled.

Green, Heath joined Codd and looked to slog his way to a famous victory, but was also soon bowled by Wouldham. Eldergill was quickly in pursuit of the runs with a driven 4 off Wouldham before a pull and lofted drive for four and six respectively off Swain's next over. This left Greenheath requiring 18 off the final 2 overs.

Wouldham produced a good solid penultimate over and left Greenheath requiring 12 off the final over. Squeaky bum time as some football managers like to say. It was left to Swain to bowl the final over with the dangerous Eldergill on strike. Did Eltham really need an Aussie to bowl the last over given his fellow countrymen's renowned ability to throw matches away at the death when protecting a total? The first ball, a short one, was pulled high, but agonisingly wide of Webber, for four. 8 required from 5. The next ball was mysteriously called a wide as the batsman advanced down the wicket creating space on the offside. 7 required from 5, and the tension was really beginning to mount. The wide call seemed to focus the bowler, and Eldergill missed the following ball and was bowled for a rapid 20. The next 2 balls were angled in at the batsman's toes, resulting in singles meaning that 5 were required from the final delivery. Another ball on the toes scuttled down to Jones amongst the haystacks at fine leg, and a well battled draw was confirmed.

An enjoyable and tense finish to the opening game of the season.

Reporting: Pete "Not a Pom" Swain