Harpenden Dolphins C.C.

Scorecard

Harpenden Dolphins C.C. v Bamville on Sat 25 Apr 2009 at 1.30pm
Harpenden Dolphins C.C. Lost by 2 runs

Match report It’s been a long, long winter. Two hundred and thirty eight days since we last played cricket. In that time the Dolphins have appointed a new captain, new vice captains, new team secretary, new club secretary, new fixture secretary and a new welfare officer. It seems only the tea ladies have remained in post (and a jolly good job that is too.) Would the new brooms sweep clean? Well it has to be said that the Dolphins wintered well and look lively for the season ahead. Some have less hair than when we last saw them, some have a more silver barnet. Some still have signs of feeding up for the winter, others have been in serious dieting and training.

So Dolphins got to the blocks keen for the starters gun to fire our 2009 season into action. We welcomed our friends from Bamville CC to the park for our traditional season curtain raiser and we were treated to an exciting afternoon’s cricket.

Skipper Tom Roche won the toss and chose to bowl. Delighted to be able to take the field the team quickly got into whites and the team huddle welcomed Neil Bolt, Roland James and Chris Lang as new Dolphins. We also welcomed back Bonzer and later in the afternoon we realised just how important it was to have him back in the team. Dolphins have never had “ends” like the Nursery end or the Vauxhall end so in an effort to put that right I’d like to say that Andrew Gregory opened the bowling from the experimental station end. Nothing experimental about his bowling though as his tremendous form of 2008 has come through to this year. His first spell of the new season returned figures of 8 overs, 1 wicket, 4 runs – that being a boundary off the only scoring shot he allowed the batsmen. Ron Giovanni started up from the Orchard Avenue end and bowled very well into a strong breeze, keeping the score to about 2 an over for a long time.

George Finch, in a cameo performance for Dolphins before he takes to league fixtures with Harpenden CC, bowled very well with a smooth fluent action that produced some pacy deliveries. Uncle Zippy misfielded a shot from George’s bowling so next shot tried to dive to stop a similar fate. Brett likened this to a “demented ginger salmon”. In an afternoon where Tom wanted to see the full repertoire of his Dolphins seven bowlers were used, including Brett (very tidy and full of promise), Zippy (very tired and full of pies) and Deano (giving them lots of air and being successful in the flight). Those old “Burford Bombs” are still a joy to watch as the batsman goes through a choice of 8 or 9 shots in his mind before committing to a defensive on the back foot. Nice work Deano – good to see you out from behind the stumps – you could be our secret weapon this year. Tom himself finished off our 40 overs with him and Ron very ably restricting the runs in those last crucial overs. Tom seems to have generated more pace as a result of his winter workouts and strict diet.

So Bamville scored 122 on a very tricky early season pitch and it would be up to the Dolphins batsmen to launch a reply from the foundation set by the bowling and fielding. Not before we enjoyed an excellent tea, including home made cakes and sandwiches served with some lovely melons. The tea ladies may still be in post but a high standard has been set!

The reply was launched by Roland and Brett who both looked comfortable. But the Bamville bowling was decisive and runs were not easy to come by making it difficult to grind out a score. Brett was first to go, bowled when going forward to a fast delivery. Andrew Gregory and Dean Burford graced the 3 and 4 slots with Andrew threatening to grab hold of our reply and push the rate on. However he was soon grabbing hold of his soap back in the shower. As the run rate started to move up from its initial 3 to nearly 5 our middle order tried to arrest the sliding run rate. In so doing we lost some cheap wickets (Zippy, George, Chris) but Paul Bonney had dug in and was looking set to hold up his end. Skipper Tom came in at 9 with Dolphins still needing five an over yet we looked capable of getting the runs with two sound and sensible batsmen at the crease. Sound and sensible. Paul nudged a delivery straight to mid-on. Tom started to run from the non-strikers end. Bonzer shouted “NO!”. And “No!” again. And again. And again and again. And then he didn’t need to shout because Tom was standing there right next to him, whilst mid-on lobbed the ball to the bowler who whipped off the skippers bails. Nasty.

Neil Bolt strode out to join Bonzer and helped pushed the runs forward. All was certainly not lost for the Dolphins. Both could see that Paul would be needed to hit the big shots, with Neil playing the supporting role. In so doing, after Neil had let one whizz past him towards the keeper standing well back, Paul seized the opportunity to run and take strike. Amid a “Yes!” and a “Run!” Paul sprinted towards the strikers end. The keeper – alert to Paul’s intentions – had taken the ball cleanly and fell forward lurching the ball towards the wicket. Lady Luck had deserted our Bon as the ball made direct contact with the wicket and Paul didn’t break stride in turning towards the pavilion.

So last pair – Neil and Ron Giovanni. We needed 20 off the last 4 overs. Then 14 off 10 balls. Ron and Neil played a blinder in getting us nearer and nearer the target. The small supporting contingent, who had battled bravely in a very cold and very strong breeze, were now on their feet walking towards the boundary. And then the last over was bowled well, too many dots for Dolphins liking. Seven runs needed of the last two balls. Ron on strike. The penultimate ball was bowled a little too short and it sat up nicely. Ron swatted it legside to the short boundary. Three needed off the last ball. Sensing some greatness the crowd small gathering were almost thawing in their excited state. Good bowling on that last ball gave the honours to Bamville – a more full delivery, on the off-side making a nudge or an edge the only possible scoring shot, certainly not big enough to run 3 or reach the boundary. Good bowling under pressure and a great finish to an enjoyable and friendly game.

A good win for Bamville and a season full of promise for the Dolphins.


Match reporter Zippy

Bamville Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 5 wickets
0
122 (0.0 overs)		     
Moss P Bowled  30
Heyes T Bowled  0
Oliver D Caught  17
Norrish B Not Out  34
Oliver P Bowled  4
Divers G Bowled  11
Peet J Caught  2
Oliver V Bowled  0
Massen I Run out  1
Armerich M Not Out  0
Anderson L  

Harpenden Dolphins C.C. 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Andy Gregory8.07414.000.50
Ron Giovanni8.0021121.002.63
Brett Row6.002000.003.33
George Finch4.0015115.003.75
Dean Burford3.0013113.004.33
Tom Roche5.001929.503.80
Graham Downes6.0028128.004.67

Harpenden Dolphins C.C. 1st XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
120		        
Roland James ct  Anderson 18 1
Brett Row b  Peet 6
Andy Gregory ct  Hussain 0
Dean Burford b  Armerich 3
Paul Bonney Run out  39
Chris Lang b  Oliver D 3
George Finch b  Oliver D 7 1
Graham Downes lbw  Oliver D 0
Tom Roche Run out  1
Neil Bolt Not Out  9
Ron Giovanni Not Out  11 1

Bamville Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Hussain7.0116116.002.29
Anderson8.0224212.003.00
Armerich4.0015115.003.75
Moss4.01700.001.75
Oliver D8.012337.672.88
Divers2.001000.005.00