Earls Colne Versus Bury St Edmunds. At Bury. 7.7.07.
Sir Henry John Newbolt (June 6, 1862 - April 19, 1938)
This poem could have been written for our game at Bury!
After heavy rain all day Thursday, the Bury pitch was rescued by a breezy sunny warm Friday, which went a long way to making the pitch playable. Rob lost the toss and we were inserted. A good start was needed.
But Oakers, Gwyn and Stuart Prestney were back in the pavilion with just 12 runs on the board - a terrible start, but Dave Brooker and Rob Gibson set about repairing things, adding some respectability to the innings, before Dave was out for 13 . Nevertheless the score at 20 overs was 81 - 4, not too bad, with Rob Gibson well set and big Will Castleman keeping him company at the crease. But both Rob and Will both perished in quick succession, Will going LBW and Rob offering a catch to mid off. 85 for 6. Oh dear, more repair work needed, but cometh the hour cometh the man, and Johnny 'no knees' Lee eased the score well past the hundred mark, and a score approaching 200 started to look possible. Willy Willsher kept rotating the strike but Johnny fell for a very much needed 40 runs. But shortly afterwards Willy and the remaining tailenders fell away quickly = three wickets falling in just a few balls, in perfect symmetry with the start of the innings and we were all out for 148 with three overs not bowled.
Earls Colne 148 all out. J Lee 40. Rob Gibson 24, Will Castleman 21
Excellent lunch in the main pavilion. Eggy sandwiches and home made cakes and shortbread. Suitably refreshed we wondered there would be enough of a total to defend?
The Bury innings started purposefully, but a breakthrough came in the fifth over with a thin edge to the keeper, off the bowling of Rob Gibson and their number 2 batsman was back in the hutch. Game on. Their other opener slapped an easy catch to mid on. Two down. Then their very good looking (no not that way) number three got himself out with a gentle chip to Stuart Prestney at square and suddenly we were in the game. The fourth wicket (caught as well - can't remember who by!) fell with the score on less than 40 and, and the impossible now looked possible. Four wickets, all caught. Could we hold our nerve - and our cathes? But the fourth wicket pairing starting to build up a reasonable partnership, a couple of catches were dropped at crucial moments and the game looked as if it might go away from us. But just as they seemed to be taking the game away from us two wickets fell in quick succession both clean bowled by Oakers, and the game started to come our way. Will Castleman picked up another and the tension started to mount. They only needed three an over but never got ahead of the rate. With just six overs to go their experienced number 8 batsman lost his head and hit a skied catch all the way out to long on, where Peter Shury snapped up the chance for this week's champagne moment. Eight down. Bury still needed 12 runs from the last three overs, but a tight over from Rob meant that suddenly, and for the first time in their innings, they needed five runs per over to win (off two overs, with two wickets in hand). Four runs and a cleaned bowled from Oakers brought the total to just five to win off the last over, with last man in, and Rob Gibson steaming in to bowl it (see poem above!).
Rob wasn't having any more of this nonsense! Clean bowled first ball, for a five run victory, and massive relief all round. Great contribution from all the players, even Busby who reported that he didn't touch the ball all game, and was this a record? What for, misfields? Only kidding.
Bury St Edmunds 143 all out. Gibson 4-33. Oakley 3-33. Earls Colne won by 5 runs
And if you thought that our game was tight, Woolpit lost by just ONE run, and Hadeligh by TWO (and Maldon won by only 14). A great weekend - we are clear at the top of the Division 6 table!!!! Let's stay there.
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