Lend Me Your Ears! • Bayshill Cricket Club

Bayshill vs Asian Sports — *Chris ready for it!*

Ivor Hugh J Thurston is back once more to report on Bayshill CC’s latest foray in the cricketing arena. A home game played in the ancient Anglo Saxon borough of Winchcombe to Asian Sports CC.

Winchcombe is currently home to the Bays and it must be said that the little ground nestles comfortably in the English countryside in the way no football club ever could. Sudeley Castle gazes on, benignly at the modest pitch and its current white-clad interlopers with a detached and wholly indifferent air. It’s all been seen before by this fifteenth century limestone edifice, whether it be the skill of bowler, the timing of the batsman’s wand, the outstretched arms of the umpire or indeed the cans of Abbot at tea-time. The ‘new’ castle is comparatively speaking modern though, having been built on the earlier foundations of an adulterine castle dating from the XIIth century, which in turn was constructed on an earlier fortified manor house hundreds of years earlier. But enough of the Saxons, the area was already well in use in the Roman times, with a derelict villa bearing testimony to this, lying no more than a mile from the ground. A little known mosaic is available for inspection to those willing enough to trudge through some dense undergrowth. This is trumped though, by Belas Knap Neolithic long barrow, lying like a beached whale high up on the escarpment that overlooks the happy valley. Cricket it seems is the newcomer here, but a welcome one at that.

Now the first thing anyone with a lively mind who happened to venture to the ground, would be to seek out the Black Poplar or Populis Nigra some CD yards behind the pavilion. A very fine specimen by all accounts. Sadly unseen by the writer I inform you, but nevertheless inspected by an intelligent if somewhat reclusive roe deer that seemed uninterested in the cricketing matters. It was possibly thinking, ‘What did the Romans ever do for us?’

Nobster won the toss and the Bays went into the field. Alex Harding and Paul Saunders opened against Mukesh and Ali. Mukesh was the first to go, well caught at slip by Nobby off Alex’s increasingly quick bowling. Keeper Steve Liley then caught Ali off the slightest of feathers, but it wasn’t heard by the umpire. This was repeated several balls later, but this time the snick was clearly audible and off went Ali. Saunders then added Kapil to his wicket haul, before finishing on XXXIII for II.

Michael Harding replaced his brother and clean bowled Milesh for XVIII. Pierce not to be kept out of the action brought himself on to remove Tim, caught well by Alex H and then clean bowling Amit for XLI. Beth Pritchard came on to bowl Jaypesh for II showing her father (senior Ofsted Inspector) what all-rounder means. Chris Thorp (very very good teacher with loads of awards) bowled three corking overs for XVI, taking Aarav’s wicket. Jamie Liley, recipient of ‘Most Improved Cricketer YrVIII MMXXII at Bournside School was then brought on to bowl up the hill. He bowled a good line going for XII off II, with only III scoring shots coming off the bat. Mahesh was then the last man to fall, bowled by Alex harding who had come back on to finish his VII.

Asian Sports CC posted CLXV. XXXI wides were bowled in total, being the second ‘highest scorer.

Tea-time was a quiet affair, apart from the discovery of a bright sparkly jacket, which soon enveloped the vice-captain. Abbot was dispatched and sandwiches chomped – what fun!

A strange start to Bays’ innings, it must be said, with the captain almost on XXX with VI fours and his purple-jacketed sequined vice, on just the single. In the seventh over, Jaypesh clean bowled the Nobster though, who must have been thinking if Chris at the other end was ever going to get going. Steve Pritchard indoor bowler (lucky number XXVIII) joined Chris and immediately struck a four as though trying to teach Chris what was needed. It must be said it was hard watching though, as the score climbed arthricketingly upwards by just XXIV runs in the VIII overs from the VIIIth. With the openers bowled out, things changed somewhat and the score started to climb more quickly.

Pritchard and Horner both retired having passed fifty, Chris first on exactly L in Roman terms off LXII & Steve P LIV off LXXIV. Beth Pritchard had the chance to bat with her aged P and Conrad Holmes, her friend. Beth the only Pritchard all-rounder made IX off XVII and Conrad IV off VII. The score was now very close to what was needed. Steve Liley set about III well-constructed dots before Michael Harding finished the game in style with a driven II and a IV to square leg, finishing on VI not out, with the Bays on CLXIX.

Asian Sports CC CLXV/VIII

Ali XII, Amit XLI, Milesh XVIII, Mahesh XXVIII.

A Harding VII/I/XXXI/II

Saunders P VII/0/XXXIII/II

M Harding VII/0/XXX/I

Pierce A II/I/IV/II

Pritchard B IV/0/XV/I

Thorp C III/0/XVI/I

Bayshill CC CLXIX/III

Pierce A XXIX/XXVII/VI/0

Horner C L/LXII/VI/I

Pritchard S LIV/LXII/IV/II