The Canes faced a stern test at St Fagans against strong opposition from Willows League team Eclipse Print – though thankfully their scary fast bowler from the winter indoor league wasn’t in their squad.
The Printmen clearly had a strong batting line-up and some big hitting saw them amass an imposing total of 142 for 5 off their 18overs. However, their cause was helped by some poor catching from the Canes with (according to Jaffa) a total of 9 chances being split, with one particular incident stunning the crowd into silence. Yes (and this is not a misprint), Griff dropped a catch. This was especially shocking as it’s an event that’s about as rare as finding a lettuce leaf on Greg’s dinner plate.
On the positive side though, Lewis did take an absolutely stunning caught and bowled to get rid of one big hitting batsman at a time when we were really under the cosh and desperate for a break through. I have to confess to a slight feeling of guilt over the one drop by Clive though. As we were a man short one the Eclipse guys was fielding for us. A skied shot was heading straight to him – but thundering in on his blind side was Clive. Both had eyes only on the ball and a collision was clearly imminent. I wanted to call it as the Eclipse guy’s catch – but realised that I didn’t know his name. The words ‘quick’ and ‘witted’ have rarely been said about me, and all I could come up with was a late (far too late) and unhelpful ‘Clive’s catch’ before the inevitable crunch. But even Jim wouldn’t DC me for that – would he? Hey – maybe the other guys name was also Clive, that would explain it?
A very tough target for the Canes to chase then – especially as the bowling was pretty good with very little loose to hit out at. I can’t remember the details too clearly as several days have passed since the match – so I’m relying some scribbled notes made following a peek at the scorebook after last night’s game against the Wizards. According to those notes Jaffa top scored with an amazing innings of 72. However, even with my diminishing mental faculties I’m sure I’d have remembered that – so I think maybe it’s my handwriting that’s at fault. I do recall an excellent knock of 20 (against some very good bowling) by Griff though, and then a tremendous effort by Lewis (36) which briefly brought us in sight of unlikely victory before he was bowled going for another big hit. I think it’s about time Lewis was given a decent nickname after his exploits over the last few years. How about Basher Bowen?
There was barely a dry eye in the house as the next batsman strode to the middle. Actually ‘strode’ is probably over-stating the case a bit – make that ‘made his way slowly and sedately to the middle’. Phil hasn’t been seen in a Hurricanes shirt for over 2 years. The last contact with him was when I rang him on his mobile to check he was OK to play in a match that evening. His reply was a typically masterful example of Cadenne understatement. He said that he may be struggling to make it as he was actually talking to me from a hospital bed in Hemel Hemstead – where he was lying gowned-up and and waiting to be wheeled off for heart surgery. This was surely the end for this legendary Hurricanes stalwart – but no, here he was again looking as good as new. He now passes the landmark set by Norman Longley to become the oldest player ever to represent the Canes – and the German’s all time world record must surely be in his sights.
Sadly though, the target was just a bit too tall even for the Bionic Man himself in partnership with his sidekick Imran the Immense (another making a comeback from career-threatening injury) and we eventually fell 12 runs short. However, we shouldn’t be down-hearted as this was a brave performance against strong opposition – and with the likes of Slogger Rees, Greg the Gloves, Evans Above and the Chris’s to return to the fold then the future looks good.
Man of the Match – Basher
- Danny