Coaver Gerries Cricket Club

Gerries versus BJ Old Boys at Taunton on 31 July 2024

20/20

BJOB’s 107 -6 Gerries 111-6  – Gerries WON by 4 wkts

It’s a nice ground at Staplegrove with a good bar, a nice flat if somewhat extensive outfield (contrast to Coaver) and friendly hosts.  However, the pitch is sometimes a bit variable and over the years, scores have been rather on the low side. This was again the case this year.

The Old Boys won the toss and elected to bat.  Smudge opened with Deadly and the Landlord and both made early inroads into the opposition batting courtesy of two fine catches by Guesty, the first involving a quite un-Gerries like forward dive.   Opener Edworthy reached the compulsory retirement score of 25 courtesy of a slightly lucky six as Rob Bethune was unable to complete a really good catch without stepping over the boundary line. 

At the other end, the Old Boys lost a batsman to a painful pulled calf muscle and while a few of the other batters got a start no one was able to reach the CRS and the scoring rate remained modest throughout amid some accurate bowling. There were 2 wickets for Beano and wickets for James and Rob Bethune while Smudge bowled tightly without reward.

At the end of their 20 overs the Old Boys closed on 107 for 6 with only one wide and one no ball. This was to prove crucial to the game. Best bowling from Beano with 2-23.

This looked an eminently gettable target but the start was as bad as we could imagine with Guesty and James going for ducks and at the end of the third over we were 2 wickets down for 5 runs.  Steadying the ship was necessary and the resurgent Jim Masters together with Jonah set about the task with determination. Jonah pushed the singles with Jim scoring the majority of the runs with some fine strokes. Jim reached the CRS and was replaced by Rob Bethune. Rob was dismissed with the score on 50 after 11 overs and was replaced by Beano, who together with Jonah made good progress towards the victory total.

However, things can change rapidly, such is the beauty of cricket, and in the fourteenth over Jonah was stumped for 21 and Deadly was bowled and we were looking a bit rocky at 66 for 5. With 42 needed off 6 overs this was beginning to look a more difficult task then we had envisaged. However, Beano was batting sensibly while playing some confident strokes and while Phil was out playing a rather ambitions slog…..and missing, the stage was set for the skipper to come to the rescue. Smudge would admit that he has not been at his batting best this year but cometh the hour cometh the man and he set about the bowling with aplomb hitting some powerful shots down the ground.

When it came to the final over only two runs were needed and off the second ball Beano hit a 4 square to the legside boundary and we had won by 5 wickets.  In the process, Beano reached the CRS and Smudge was left on 16 not out with three crucial fours.  We all then retired to the bar for cold beers (on what was a very warm evening) and warm pizza with our genial opposition and agreed that cricket was the winner.

A close and exciting game…..and another win.  Well done team. 

The Gerries are on a roll!!!!

PM   1/8/24

P.S. Great to see John and Viv Poat at the game and thanks for umpiring John. It was just like old times!!