Coaver Gerries Cricket Club

Gerries versus Sunset at Coaver on 11 June 2024

Sunset 150-4 Gerries 125-2 LOST by 25 runs (20/20)

The first match this season against our old friends Sunset was very competitive but we lost narrowly (a common outcome this year) so we were hoping for revenge in this fixture.  Sunset won the toss and elected to bat, opening with Smalley and Smalley, not a firm of solicitors, just father and son.  They batted aggressively and the treasurer was in tears when Smalley senior (Howard) deposited the new…and expensive…. Duke’s ball into the tree at long on in the first ball of Deadly’s second over.  It was never seen again!

At the other end the talented Smalley junior (Josh) was also playing aggressively and we were resigned to them both reaching the compulsory retirement score (crs) of 25 when both were out in quick succession and 45 -0 had become 47-2.  Josh was out courtesy of a good catch by Guesty off Lights and Howard to an lbw off Deadly given by their umpire. 

The scoring rate slowed but only slightly and only temporarily.  The next two batsmen put on a partnership of 64 before Halkyard was out for 24, an excellent running catch for JP off the bowling of Andrew Grant (his first for Gerries?)

Our only other success was a clean bowled for James Evans and Sunset closed on a very challenging but not unbeatable total of 150-4 given the fast outfield.

Bowling Figures

Clewlow 4 I 27 1
Sewell 4 0 35 0
Lightowlers  4 0 14 1
Hughes 4 0 34 0
Grant 2 0 17 1
Evans 2 0 16 1

We made a bright start with Lights and Padders, the latter playing his first Gerries game of the season. However, an unintentional beamer then hit Padders a mighty blow on the head. Thankfully he was wearing a helmet as otherwise the outcome could have been very serious indeed.  However, obviously shaken up, it was clear he could not continue.  Jonah offered the view that Padders’ helmet, which had cost £20 was not up to the job but that a ‘proper’ helmet would have resulted in no ill effects……(and  possibly 5 no balls instead of 1?)  Seriously though, it was a nasty moment.   We wish Padders well and hope that he recovers fully and quickly.

Upon the resumption, the Earl was out cheaply but both Lights and James Evans reached the crs.  However, we were never quite up with the required scoring rate due to the tight Sunset bowling and in the later overs, an ultra-defensive field which converted a number of would-be boundaries into singles. Despite our best efforts and an excellent knock of 25 not out by Guesty we ended 25 runs short of the Sunset total.  

Nonetheless it was a creditable effort against a strong team that we do not often defeat these days.

PM 13/6/24