Coaver Gerries Cricket Club

Ide CC v Coaver Gerries cc, 2 July at Ide’s new ground.

20/20 CRS 30

Ide 136/4 off 19.2 overs, Gerries 135/5 off 20 overs. Gerries lost by 6 wickets in last over!

With the start of the summer heatwave beginning we made our way to Ide’s new ground, which is essentially next door to the last one, but an artificial track with a larger , smoother outfield without a stream on one side or nettles on the other.

Ide are a really friendly bunch and always fun to play against – even their faithful dogs from the last few seasons  were still there to retrieve any lost balls! Everyone felt the new ground was a great improvement and were keen to see if we could repeat our victory from the corresponding fixture last year.

Sadly wasn’t meant to be which meant that Beano’s previously unblemished captaincy record took a bit of a knock but boy did we run them close. In previous years Ide have been known to get the occasional ringer along and in this case it was in the form of former Exeter Chief professional rugby player – Jaques Vermulaen – who proved to be the key difference between the sides.

However the way our openers, Krish and Lights, set about them in the first 5 overs was a joy to behold. Both comfortably reached their 30* retirement scores with the ball flying everywhere and at 53-0 after 5 we were looking good for a really big score. Jim with 15 and Kyson with 13 kept the pedal pressed to the metal and were really well supported by Jonah with 13 and AB with 16 to help get us up to a competitive score of 135.

Gilo’s first game of the season was a brief but memorable 2 and Kiwi with 2* and Beano 1* completed the scores off the bat with our friend Mr Extras again getting double figures. Mr Vermulaen bowled a very tight 4 overs 1- 15 , and had a rather lot to say in Afrikan when Beano gave Jonah not out… clearly going down leg side! Has to be said though that his effortless catch in the deep to  get rid of Jim was somewhat JP-esque !

At half way stage wise sages felt we were about 10 runs short and so it proved. Their openers – led by the now extremely annoying Sale bound flanker blasted a quick 30*  and they appeared to be well ahead of the rate when our own Gerries legend – Sir Giles was thrown the ball and took a wicket with his second ball and returned figures of 3-15 off his 4 (all bowled) as they wobbled from 101-1 to 113-4 . My how we have missed him!

Despite best efforts of Ian C (1-29), Landlord 3 overs for 28. AB 3.2 overs for 12, Kiwi 2 overs for just 10 and the indefatigable Krish who bowled a fiery 4 overs for 26 they got over the line with just 4 balls to spare. Valliant fielding efforts by all especially Kyson who took a rather looking nasty knock to his shoulder and Jim keeping for the first time this season. Even Beano somehow managed to snaffle a catch at square leg off Deadly – the description in their scorebook says caught “Grey Haired Captain” so it must be right!

We returned to lick our wounds at the magnificent Poachers for a few beers and sausage and chips and talk about what might have been and what we need to do to get over the line with our Sunday fixture in August !

Bring it on!

Beano

P.S not sure who has the bag!