Leaden, slate skies greeted the Bays in Tewkesbury prior to this one-sided conflict in the Bloody Meadow, that is the battleground of their cricket club.
Nobby wearing full armour, lost the toss and with 6 Tewkesbury first team players waiting to bat, the omens immediately looked poor. This coupled with injuries to T Liley (hamstring) and Nobby (groin & hand) compounded a difficult situation. Indeed, Nobby was unable to complete his fifth over, surprising his teammates, hobbling away from the crease, clutching his cod piece with two balls left. Gio Capaldi on his Bays debut took the standard from the bloodied captain and claimed his first wicket for the club, with a catch pouched by a sub fielder.
The home side pushed on sensing the injury and hesitancy sweeping through the Bays ranks. With the Abbey looking benignly on, Whitmore, Mcuiker and Hughes put Bays bowling to the sword, all retiring having claimed fifty runs. John Belfield became the third Bays bowler to succumb to wounds. He had to leave the field of conflict to be bandaged up in the local hospital. The spectre of 40 overs suddenly dissipated with a declaration adding insult to the mounting injuries.
Fighting then broke out in the ranks – Nobby and Tom now desperate to be number 11. John still bleeding mildly, reminded them he was unable to bat and had to withdraw from the contest.
With the gloom deepening, Bays began the assault on 222. The only light in the darkness was Van Dyke’s 30 at a run a ball with 4 belligerent fours. Wickets fell like Lancastrian soldiers, until the rout was finally confirmed with the loss of the ninth wicket, that of the limping but resolute captain, who managed a spirited 20 of the team’s 81.
Before the players had a chance to leave the field, an obsidian carrion crow loitered menacingly though briefly overhead to inspect the carnage and see whether the pickings were more appetising that the local Wetherspoons. A shout of Corvus Corone from somewhere near the Swilgate concluded the demise of the Bays. Some of the troops managed to regroup at the Hop Pole before melting away. 1471 it may well have been.
Bloodied and bruised, the team are quite ready for the next conflict.
Your specialist historical reporter the long deceased King Edward IV. ?
Tewkesbury 222/2
Whitmore 50*
Mcuiker 50*
Hughes L 54*
Oliver 30*
Pierce 4.2/2/14/1
Capaldi 3.2/0/36/1
Bayshill 81/9
Van Dyke A 30/30 & 4/0
Pierce 20/27 & 4/0
France 6/2/7/5