Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Gravesend RF CC

A very late addition to the fixture list (massive thanks to Del for sterling work to get this added at short notice after the game on Saturday was called off). David Jones takes up the story...

Firstly, this report is being written under some difficulty, as the full factual details of the match are not available to me and I'm also being nagged to get my packing done for our trip to Moldova. So, what follows comes from my memories about the match - and as the Government advises me that I qualify for a dementia test in December, those who participated in the match may feel that such a test cannot come too soon!

• As some of the Club's big guns were missing and as the ground was on the wrong side of Gravesend, with SatNavs rendered useless, it was almost surprising that 11 players managed to locate the right field...
• But there was a warm welcome for first-timer [Christian] Webber minimus who, in spite of brother Ricky's coaching during the game, managed to acquit himself very well indeed...
• And it was a pleasure to meet, as our sole ECC spectators, Asjad's parents and daughters; we hope this will be the first of many such visits - especially if son/dad continues to make half-centuries [or better]...
• For a time, we played under slight drizzle but conditions did improve during the afternoon...
• And what a large field to play on! even a jumbo jet would not have had too much of a problem taking off from one side of the boundary to the opposite end...
• Some of the opposition tried to frighten us, before the game, by letting it be known that they would be fielding a number of lst Xl players [perhaps 5 or 6]...but they were taken aback by being advised in return that we fielded ONLY lst Xl players!
• Batting first, Gravesend lost their first 7 wickets on a regular basis: Colin bowled a beautiful length, completing two-thirds of a hat trick... with Ricky, Gary Bill and Peter Swain giving able support and also getting in on the wicket-taking act...
• But a large 8th-wicket stand [lst Xl players?] was ended only by a superb catch by an acrobatic Gary Bill, making amends for an earlier put-down [to be fair, though, almost as difficult]...
• And then a splendid tea! Had we had the use of a doggy-bag, we would have had enough to take back to Footscray Road for our own next home game...
• Now it may have been the sumptuousness of this repast which helped to lead to the very slow start of our own innings: Asjad and Colin found runs hard to come by but the former persevered and eventually reached a splendid half-century...
• 'H'[enry Hicks] merited his high place in the batting order, with some mighty smites - one for 6 - to all parts of the field before hamstring trouble caused an early retirement...
• I was umpiring when Al [why do I want to call him Jolson - I've never heard him sing!] came in and asked to take guard: I obliged only to find that, not believing my advice, he took his own guard well outside leg stump...we must find a time when, together, we can call in at Specsavers...
• Peter Swain, as Aussies are wont to do, upped the ante but Eltham ran out of time [though losing only 5 wickets] but he took us much closer to the target than had seemed likely for some time...
• The size of the field led to many runs for three and four - more than in any other match I've ever played in...
• We should pay tribute to the opposition: the game was played in an enjoyable atmosphere - so much so that a return fixture is being arranged for the end of the season...and thanks to Derek for finding this fixture.

Reporting: David Jones