Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Prospect Park CC

A Sunday fixture against a familiar opposition. Off to Hesketh Park and the skipper finds himself stuck on the M25, with ideas and plans trying desperately to hatch! "If I'm not there, win the toss and bowl" was the text to VC Swain. M25 clears, Bulpitt navigated the roadworks and arrives with 5 minutes to spare, wins the toss and changes his mind!

Out strides Pete Fish and Asjad. The Eltham batsman scatter to take refuge in the pavillion and await a mighty platform. The trusty looking pitch dealt poor Pete a ball even Hall Place would have been embarrased by. Not a grubber but a full-on welsh coal miner's ball complete with hard hat. The first time a stump has been upended from below!

So out goes Bulpitt, and after using up all of his lives in the first few overs, feeling the heat a little and not wanting to run between wickets Asjad and Bulpitt begin to despatch the ball to the boundary. 62 runs was on the board, and a large score was on the horizon when the all too familiar Bulpitt "adjuged LBW" sent Colin to the crease. Five runs more and Asjad returns. Colin is joined by John Fisher and Colin's front pad, shots to third man and a nurdle from John pushed Eltham towards the 100 mark. Out of the blue in a manner akin to a gentlemans agreement between leggies, Colin palmed a ball onto the bails - 87 for 4.

Cool hand Fisher was joined by swashbuckling Page, and together they raced the score to 144. When came skipper's advice number two, "could do with 200 Richard". Page caught 30, Swain bowled 0, Fisher caught 32 (passing his 3000th Eltham run in the process!); Eltham 144-7. Hicks C&B 1, Jones bowled 0; 145-9!!! Into the fray steps Three-pens Redman, to join Derek. A product of his own nursery meant that Seeds and Redman pushed the score onto 166, with 1 more over. In steps skipper's advice number 3, "170 would be good!" So with the second ball Andy dispatches a 4 through square leg, 170. third ball, bouncing half way down the track and Andy eyes up 174. A top edge into the face and three-pens Redman becomes Four-stitches Redman, with more blood than the red pen he uses to reord all of the wides in Bulpitt's column!

Tea, and whilst Redman is off to A&E, Cohen appears with a list of players who are coming to the club meal. (A fact that there are still players who haven't replied - come on, First Friday in October. The club has subsidised it to ensure an excellent venue - pay up and get yourself along).

On with the pads and Cohen, I mean fielder "sub" comes into the fray. Richard and Colin begin the bowling, keeping a tight line and wallet. Colin takes two wickets, and Prospect look to be reeling. However Harbert is being particularly difficult to dislodge and is taking Eltham for a couple of boundaries each over. Prospect were edging thier way to 100 and when 20 overs is up and with a drinks break up steps skipper's decision number four "Bowl medium pace Colin, try and get a break through?" Fortunately, Swain and Fisher were on hand to make more sensible decisions. "Bowl some spin - take the pace off" and two balls, two wickets and Eltham, more accurately Skipper Bulpitt, was breathing more easily.

Colin took the wicket of Harbert taking his tally to 9 overs, 8 maidens, 5 wickets for 1 run! Truely excellent bowling. This left DJ to take the final wicket, caught Swain and Prospect Park were all out - Eltham win by 63 runs. A good game again against the excellent sports of Prospect Park. Well played everyone, and Happy Birthday Colin!