Combe CC ... glorious, even in the drizzle
Dark clouds gathered over Combe Cricket Club this afternoon as SpecialEffect Tigers and London Badgers readied themselves for their annual clash in the cricket fields of West Oxfordshire.
The Tigers were looking to level the overall tally to 2-2 after suffering a mauling at the hands of the Badgers in last year's match at Charlbury. But even as the teams took to the field, nature would determine the result of this one.
Badgers captain, Mazza Hayes, won the toss and elected to bat in a pre-agreed shortened 20/20 format. It looked to be a very good call as the Tigers' bowlers struggled to contain the Badgers' batsmen on a much smaller pitch than either team is used to playing on.
Nelly Hayes immediately set about knocking up a big total as he bludgeoned everything the Tigers bowling attack threw at him. His partner, Rich, at the other end however struggled with Brackley's pace and the consistent line and length of Grist-Perkins. As the Tigers strike bowlers changed, Ben McPherson stepped up to grab Rich's wicket as the frustrated batsman attempted to drive through mid-on. James Harrison coolly took the catch at waist height on the run and Rich departed without troubling the scorer.
The new batsman, Kerr, looked only slightly more comfortable as he drove hard and not too wide of Baz Floyd who promptly spurned the half chance. No matter, McPherson decided he'd finish the job himself the next ball as Rich seemed caught between two shots and fed the ball back to the bowler. Rich departed with six to his name.
Tigers bowler, Ed Juszczak, toils away but it wasn't a day for the bowlers
At this point, the Tigers sensed blood and must have been confident of grabbing another couple of wickets. But a cornered Badger is a dangerous animal and as John Ewels entered the crease, he and Nelly Hayes decided it was time to show the Tigers they weren't going to have it all their own way. With a combination of lovely stroke play and good old village green heave-ho's, Hayes and Ewels started piling on the runs. Hayes retired on 50 with ten fours and a six to his name to respectful applause from the Tigers.
Badgers' John Ewels on his was to an unbeaten 32
as Brackley (bowling) and Dobson look on
Ewels carried on the offensive but watched on as Steve Brackley bowled the Badgers captain for just three. He finally retired on 32 having hit four fours and a brace of sixes. Great innings.
Hardy and Ludlow carried on the assault on the Tigers bowling, plundering boundary after boundary before Hardy finally succumbed to a confident leg before shout from Floyd and bowler Newton-Grain. The batsman didn't look convinced but, like a gentleman, Hardy left the crease with 22 to his name to make way for Wood.
Really? I mean, REALLY??? Hardy walks for 22 after being judged leg before
And that was where the wickets ended. Mike Ludlow carried on to make 21 not out and Wood hit a couple of boundaries for his 8 not out. The Badgers had amassed 153-4 off twenty overs and, even with the shorter boundaries, the total looked a daunting one for the Tigers.
As Steve Dobson and James Harrison opened the Tigers' batting, it quickly became clear that it wasn't going to be a day for most of the bowlers from either side. The Tigers total of 23 off the first two overs must have set a few alarm bells ringing amongst the Badgers stalwarts. Wickets were thin on the ground and the first Tiger to walk was Steve Dobson, retiring on 32 after smashing two fours and three colossal sixes.
James Harrison displaying controlled aggression
Harrison was also in aggressive mood as he kept the Tigers ahead of the run rate. The usually reliable and technically brilliant Chris Grain however demonstrated that pure aggression wasn't quite for him this early in the season as he attempted to pull young James Hayes over backward square leg and was snapped up by Kerr.
James Harrison, now on 22, brought some success to Wood as he was snapped up Hardy as he went for another big shot. An excellent, controlled innings by Harrison though who is better known amongst the Tigers for his bowling.
Like Grain before him Barry Floyd also made the mistake of opting to attack James Hayes and, with just seven on the scoresheet, departed the crease in the same manner as he holed out going for a huge hit over mid-off. Zuber took a cool catch as Floyd put more height and less length on his shot than he'd have liked.
Baz Floyd displaying uncontrolled aggression .. and missing
With three wickets down, the Tigers were still ahead of the run rate and not sweating too much with plenty more batting to come. With Floyd's departure, Ben McPherson was joined at the crease by the powerful and aggressive Chris Ellis. He immediately re-enforced his reputation by smashing two quick-fire fours.
But as McPherson became Badgers' star bowler, Hayes', third wicket of the day caught by Mike Ludlow for two, the captains decided enough was enough. The rain, that had fallen doggedly through the thirty overs played, finally put the dampener on the annual ferocious struggle between Tiger and Badger.
Both teams left the field with honour having the declared this tie a drawn match and hoping to meet again later in the summer.
Thanks to every Tiger and Badger who turned out at Combe today. The conditions weren't great but it was an exciting start to the Tigers' season. Well done to all the batsman from both sides who tried to club the opposition bowling into submission and to Tigers' McPherson and Badgers' James Hayes for making sure the willow-swingers didn't get things all their own way.
Click the image for Badgers batting and Tigers bowling
And click this image for Tigers batting and Badgers bowling
