Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Bexley Jets CC

The annual Jim Hill game, followed by a barbecue. The game is this year being held at Footscray Rugby Club who have been kind enough not to charge us for pitch hire. Let's make sure we use the bar facilities to their utmost!

The annual fixture to celebrate the contribution of Jim Hill to both Eltham CC and Bexley JETs was played on a warm summer evening, for the first time at ECC's new home ground, Footscray Rugby Club. Thanks must go to Paul at FRC who kindly (and freely) provided a good pitch and barbecue for the event.

Social Secretary Matt 'Brad' Bulpitt had assembled 2 teams for the event, and for the first time produced souvenir team lists. Where does he find the time to educate his pupils? Kiwi Leanne and another English Pete kindly agreed to play for Eltham, filling in for JET's defectors Bulpitt and Fisher. JET's included 2 pairs of brothers in their ranks, but thankfully not Waughs or Husseys.

This was to be a T20 match with each player from both teams, excluding wicketkeepers, to bowl 2 overs. Should be interesting and keep the skipper's thinking! JET's skipper Pete Fisher (the original English Pete) graciously did what all opposition skippers before him had done this season by calling incorrectly and was promptly sent in to bat. All was going to plan so far for Eltham.

Matt Bulpitt and Cowland opened for JET's. Scriven and stand in English Pete opened the attack for Eltham. Runs were hard to come by at first, and Bulpitt's suicidal calling led to him leaving both Cowland and Lenny stranded by a distance. Let's hope he gets this out of his system before he dons Eltham's colours again!

Jason Bevan joined Matt and the scoring rate started to soar with some lusty blows to all parts. Bisley took a hammering from Matt and had to be replaced after 1 over, while Bill's recent good form continued with 2 economical overs of spin from the southern end.

Page replaced the shell shocked Bisley removing the dangerous Bulpitt with a skied catch to mid on, and a tidy spell was rewarded with figures of 1 for 8. Not exactly Umer Gul, but still not bad for T20. Seeds and Wouldham provided a tight middle group of 4 overs before Fisher junior and Bevan belted Leanne for 29 (well that's Kiwis for you), and scored at a good rate off Swain and Fisher senior towards the end. John managed to capture his second wicket of the season (and his 24 year Eltham career) bowling Bevan, and kept family relations intact by calling back his son who was harshly (even by Matt Bevan's recent umpiring standards) adjudged LBW. Bisley returned for the final over with JET's already having amassed a rather competitive total. Would this backfire? Another over like his first might leave a chase even too great for Eltham. Bisley kept his nerve and delivered an excellent final over of 2 for 5. He even managed a bit of revenge by removing Tom Bulpitt, younger brother of the pillager of his first over. The other victim, Flynn, joined Bisley and his motley friends in the ducks gallery.

JET's innings closed on 155 for 6 with the ECC traitors Fisher and Bulpitt contributing 51 and 35 respectively. There was also a valuable 37 from Jason Bevan. Unfortunately the third current ECC player in the JET's ranks, Matt Bevan did not feature, and his entry to the new duck club will have to wait. It was also disappointing not to see the recently retired ECC stalwart Mick 'the mouth' Cohen at the crease for the sledging lessons alone.

A quick turnaround was agreed and the JET's took the field for Eltham's reply. Another chase of 8 an over awaited.

Eltham set about the run chase with Splinters and Swain opening, it didn't take long for Pete to get into his rhythm and six's were being dispatched all over the cow corner boundary (off of the unfortunate Raymondo, who had drawn the short straw). Bisley was trying to keep pace with Swain, but fell a long way short (of the boundary) and was subsequently dropped by Tom Bulpitt twice! Bulpitt junior would subsequently have the last laugh on this matter. Bisley continued to hit some of the bad balls for four, and sky anything else to long off and Swain continued to lob Matt Bulpitt at cow corner, showing him how it is really done.

The first four over's went for 54 runs, with both Ray and Matty Bevan getting a bit of a pasting! Pete holed out for a very fast 27 in just over 3 over's, as (in his words) "it was time to put the shrimps on the barbie", with Matty Bevan tempting him once too often and Collins taking the catch at mid on. Leanne was next in, and promptly got off the mark. Her one aim was to not get out to Jason Bevan, unfortunately for her she spooned one up to the safe hands of Pete Fisher, and we all know how he likes to take very good catches off of Eltham batsmen... (Lessa Aquila 2008, one handed leaping catch, yours truly the victim).

Page was next in and tried to get the game finished despite there being 80 still required. Bisley agreed with this sentiment, and again tried to clear the long off fielder, only to be smartly caught by Tom Bulpitt off of the bowling of his brother, Bisley's earlier and continued nemesis!

This brought Wouldham to the crease, who was looking unusually nervy, and was more than happy to leave a couple of balls. It turned out that the extended Wouldham family clan were all in the bar and watching eagerly for Colin to join the Amelia the duck club, sadly this was not to be, and Colin and Richard both pushed the score along very nicely getting 28 runs each. With Richard being caught by the ever chirpy Cohen and Colin being a rather unfortunate LBW victim of Gary "Trigger" Bill. Gary was promptly replaced as umpire to receive urgent medical attention for the burn marks on his finger.

Kiwi Pete was next in, and he turned out to be firstly a brummie, and secondly a decent looking bat, unfortunately he was caught by Cohen for 7, and this paved the way for Eltham's hero's too boldly stride to the crease. Sir Redman of Shooters Hill, played a rather attractive looking drive through the covers, to help allay any fears that Eltham may not reach the Jets total, Ray "the legend" Scriven promptly hit a four to further allay those fears, helped along by wides and no balls, Eltham edged closer and closer, requiring one run to win in the last over, Ray decide to block the first five balls, and then hit the last ball for four.

Game over, finito another win. Time for the food!

A fantastic BBQ was had by all, with more than enough food to go around; even with two Bevan's in attendance. Compliments to the chef for a fantastic spread, and many thanks for making the effort for cooking for the rest of us whilst we generally ignored you, drank beer, and ate your food!

It was also Lucy Wouldham's birthday, so chocolate cake was shared around and a tuneless version of happy birthday rang around the ground!

An interesting fact for you, in an innings spanning more than 120 balls, Mick Cohen had told approximately 240 jokes, and looked in desperate need of a pint, and new material!

Thanks to all for organizing this, and thanks to FRC for allowing us the pitch for free.

Messrs Bisley and Swain.