Week 18

Brompton Ralph – Away

My first away game of the season which also doubled up as my last away game of the season as it was the last game of the season, well the league season anyway. I do like travelling away, so this season has been disappointing as I only made one away trip – oh how I hate rain.

The game can only be remembered for comments made by the Stowey fielders when defending a low total. Dan likes to go down on one knee and Adrian was comparing sweating to a disgraced celebrity.

Enough said of that. Stowey lost and are officially the strongest side in the West Somerset League, as they are holding up the rest. A well organised Brompton side was always on the front foot, right from the first ball and if Rabbit didn’t score 43 the game would off been over sooner.

So what are my highlights of the 2014 season? Well not much to be frank. So here are some:

• Carl’s match report v Lydeard St Lawrence
• Matt Coombes’ 97 v Fitzhead
• Julian losing his way going to LSL
• The every improving Lee Rich, he must be the leading wicket taker in the 2nds.
• Stephen Miller making the step from Under 15’s to senior cricket and in some matches showing the seniors how to play!
• Generally being a very sporting division to umpire in, especially as it is my first full season as an umpire. Oh no, Bishops Hull are coming down!

In all the games I umpired, I only had to give the following decisions:

• 3 x LBW’s – please know the laws before you appeal, but that doesn’t mean I’m right!
• 2 x run outs (both in the same game)
• 2 x caught behinds to faint nicks

That is apart from boundaries, wides and no balls which is part and parcel in any umpires book. I am very happy with my first full year, but something happened on Sunday which was brought to my attention. Apparently there has been a rule change in Law 42 – fair and unfair play.

But when I looked it up when I got home on the MCC Laws of Cricket website nothing has been changed, it clearly still states:

(b) Bowling of high full pitched balls

(i) Any delivery, other than a slow paced one, which passes or would have passed on the full above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker.

(ii) A slow delivery which passes or would have passed on the full above shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker.

Though I whole heartedly agree with Jub in how do you define a slow delivery, I still think I was right in not giving a no ball. But hey, if someone can tell / show me different I will accept that, but I did get the above from the MCC website and that is what I have been taught. Is it a local rule to the West Somerset League?

Right, enough of that, the Under 30’s v the Over 30’s. For once the oldun’s won, by the narrowest of margins and Mark Sortwell got bowled by an 11 year old, well bowled Kieran, shame your dad caught you out.

Other good news is that Nosworthy has gone (hurrah) and Australia lost to Zimbabwe (double hurrah!). SMS will return next week, but now it is Thatchers time.

Week 17

Fitzhead – Home

With the fear in getting a verbal lashing from Carl, I did not ask him for a match report from Saturday’s game. Even though the players enjoyed the read – see week 16 - Carl did expect some editing before it went on the social networks. I did edit it for the written press however!

So Saturday, a full 80 overs of umpiring, that was five hours worth, and if Fitzhead held their catches I am sure it would have been about three hours of adjudicating! Well, thankfully the visitors dropped loads of catches, which enabled Stowey to amass 231 (this is not a typo), yes 231 in 40 overs; Lee Rich ran out his captain in the last over trying to gat a not out and playing for his average!!!

Matt Coombes was the star with the batting scoring 97, which included plenty off four’s and sixes! One six he hit off their spinner was quite amusing; in fact I think the bowler went for a few boundaries that particular over. In handing his jumper to me at the start of the over he realised that he lost his lucky charm, and after he was despatched for 20+ runs, he found it, mumbling to myself “I told you it was lucky!”

It was unfortunate for Matt to get so close to three figures, to be fair he was going for another big shot and got the faintest of edges to the wicketkeeper. I was gutted to give him out caught behind, knowing he was so close to a ton. To be fair afterwards he said he would off walked if I missed it – questioning my ability to umpire Matt?

Another decision I have to give this week was a run out, my first of the season; in fact I gave two, like buses eh? Poor Mark Sortwell, picked the best fielder in the side to run two to, well, he wasn’t even the frame. I don’t mind easy decisions like that to give. LBW’s I hate. You have to think off at least four things before you can come to a decision and when the ball hits the pad the rest is just guess work.

When the Fitzhead opening bowler, (left arm over) appealed, which I subsequently said “not out”, he had the nerve to question my decision (which he has every right to), but not I aggressive manor. “Which of those three stumps was that missing?” he asked. When I replied that the ball pitched outside leg stump and therefore you cannot be out LBW, he shook his head, trudged back to his marker and ran in a bit quicker. The next over the same thing happened, he went to appeal, said not out to him self, went left arm round and after the over asked to change ends!

Lee Rich come of age during the Fitzhead run chase, taking six wickets (his first “Michelle”) and took them at the right time of the innings. Three quick wickets in his opening spell, then another three important wickets when the Fitzhead batsmen showed a lot of fire and was slowly taking the game away from Stowey.

So Stowey won, still mathematically possible not to be bottom, and there was two jugs back the club after. Happy days indeed. Next Brompton, last game of the season, and Brompton need to win to become champions. Looking forward to a drink with Roy after.

Thatchers’ time.

Week 16

Lydeard St Lawrence – Away

The most exciting weekend this season for Over Stowey, and where was I? Sulking, as my Victoria Sponge didn’t get a prize in the local flower show!

So the mighty 2^nd XI travelled to Lydeard St Lawrence and came away victorious. I asked Carl for a match report and this is what he came up with:


Mark, I hope the flower show was worth it, you missed a cracking match to start your tour: Having won the toss Lydeard batted first in a game reduced to 30 overs a side and finished on what should have been a winning 168-7 (M.Redding 55. Julian 5-39). Shit can take wickets because this was the worst I've seen Julian bowl for a very long time. Stephen and Carl both bowled well but didn't have much to show for it, Lee Rich, for a change, had a nightmare and the figures to prove it. 

After tea Stowey lost wickets regularly but scored runs all down the order, with Dan 25, Pikey 34 and Dig holding his nerve and the innings together to win the game with a six with only five balls left and Stowey nine wickets down. A really enjoyable game played between two shit teams who both enjoyed a game that was competitive and played in the right spirit. Shame you missed it not least because I ended up doing a lot of umpiring....I could try batting a bit longer!!!
 

Several points of note Dan and Dig both hit their first sixes in senior cricket, both to the longest part of the ground. Stephen Miller, probable not for the last time, opened both the batting and the bowling. He only opened the bowling because not for the first time Julian got lost and missed the start. Julian then had to leave early and for the second time this season left his boots behind. Never a dull moment in the 2^nd’s.


This victory was not enough to move the 2^nd’s off the bottom of the league, however there are two games remaining against Fitzhead and then away at Brompton – will that be my first away game?

For the first time this season both senior sides won, with the 1^st XI winning against Lydeard 1^st XI, I have been told in despatches that Jack batted well – in fact Jack was the one who told me.

Will that victory be enough to save the 1^st XI from the drop? Will the 2^nd XI avoid the wooden spoon? Will I actually get to umpire an away game? All these question will no doubt be answered over the next few weeks, what an exciting climax to the 2014 season.

Now for a Thatchers or two to calm down my nerves.

Week 15

Crowcombe III – Home

A very enjoyable game indeed, a game played completely in the right spirit, unfortunately the mighty 2^nd’s came second best yet again this season and are now firmly routed to the bottom of the table, as Lydeard St Lawrence won on Saturday.

As a bowler, you set a field to stop a batsman scoring in their favourite areas, hopefully forcing them to make a mistake and then claiming his wicket. One such incident happened on Saturday; unfortunately a Stowey batsman was in the receiving end of such cunning.

Dan Butson was going well, scoring strongly on his leg side and despatching the bad ball for four. The Crowcombe captain decided that a change of bowling was in order, and duly the opening bowler came off, to be replaced by what can only be called a very slow bowler. In setting his field he asked one particular fielder to move back seven paces, not five of 10, just seven, as “you will have a catch in a minute.” The fielder counted out seven paces, the bowler sent down his first delivery, and Dan duly obliged in giving the fielder a catch, in fact he didn’t even have to move, straight to him and out. Much hilarity amongst the away side, poor Dan was completely mystified.

I used to like bowling to Over Stowey’s most prolific batmen Phil Rich, as I would sometimes get him out. It may cost a few sixes, but I would eventually get my man! Phil’s favourite shot is over cow corner or straight over my head. So I would have four fielders protecting these areas, sometime five. The first couple may go out of the ground, but I would try to send a flatter delivery or one with a bit more tweak on it and the mistake would be made, not enough distance and right down the throat of a fielder, the only thing left to do was to catch it!

As I said in my first paragraph, the game was played in completely the right spirit, as one of the Crowcombe players pointed out that Division Five is a real friendly division to be playing cricket in. I didn’t have to give one decision on Saturday, only had to signal four’s, sixes, wides, byes etc.  A sort of game I like. I do have a big issue in giving LBW’s, so not to make any judgement on such decisions on Saturday was a blessed relief. I only ask that the bowlers know the rules, not thinking that if hits the pads its automatically out, the ball may be hitting the stumps, but it is where the ball pitches is the key. Anyway, enough about that.

I did, however, give a back foot no-ball, the first time I have ever done that, and when I explained it to the bowler, it made him slightly bemused; he then bowled the next few overs a bit quicker and he took a few wickets, in fact five in total.

Next Saturday is the big one, a game which will go a long way to see who will have the unfortunate pleasure in getting the wooden spoon, either Over Stowey or Lydeard St Lawrence. With Lydeard winning on Saturday, even victory for Stowey over Lydeard will still mean that Stowey would have to find another win somewhere to get off the bottom of the league.

The game next Saturday is away, and guess what, it looks as if I am going to miss that one, well some of it anyway. So it would just mean I will have one more chance to go away when Stowey play Brompton on the last game of the season. But I have a nagging feeling that I have a wedding to go to that evening.

Ok, it’s Thatchers time.

Week 14

Stoke St Mary – Away

A fixture which has long been in my diary as it would have been my first away game of the season, but it was never to be.

Carl had 12 players available, plus myself as umpire on the Friday evening, and within minutes of him ordering a pint at the Social Club on that Friday he had lost six of them to the 1^st XI. So with half of the 2^nd XI playing for the first team against Carhampton I suppose this sort of counts as week 13, so I may have to change the heading:

Week 13

Carhampton – Home

With a downpour at about an hour before play was due to start it looked unlikely that this match would go ahead, but with the sun beating its ray down on the ground the match started a little after 3pm, with the game reduced to 30 overs.

Carhampton batted first, they scored 123-8, which proved to be too many for Stowey, as they only made 92. The second team players did contribute, scoring some valuable runs at the end and gaining extra bonus points, which could help in the long run.

Anyway, what did that journalist, Martin Johnson, once say about the England touring team to Australia one year, “there are three things fundamentally wrong with the English team: they can’t bat, they can’t bowl and they can’t field.

Well here is some examples form the Charity Six-a-Side weekend recently held at Over Stowey:

 

 Thanks Shane for the pictures, might try a Thatchers or two now me thinks.

Week 13

Hemyock – Away

With any luck the recent 2^nd XI game against Hemyock will be the last game I will miss this season. Admittedly the last three weeks I have missed were unavoidable, but my thoughts were for the Stowey lads taking the field on Saturday, how hot was it?

So what happened last weekend, well the 2^nd XI hit more runs than the 1^st team and they hit more runs than last week, however they still lost, whereas the 1^st team, who scored less, won.

What is evident from the weekend, in fact the whole season, is that Stowey are crying out for a couple of decent batsmen, a couple of guys who can bat through 30+ overs to post a competitive total. There are bowlers a plenty, and the fielders back up the bowlers, albeit the first game of the season when 13 catches were shelled.

Stowey now boast some of the best facilities in the area to play cricket, and with a newly artificial wicket recently installed, everything is there to help, train and improve player’s ability, especially the batting. Somehow my attempt to attract two Taunton Deane players on Friday night at the County Ground was not that successful, even my offer of as much cider as they can drink after the game was a bit futile.

Back to what happened at the weekend. The 2^nd XI batted first, to the relief of Carl no doubt, firstly because it was very hot, and secondly Hemyock is nearly in Devon! A much better performance batting display than the previous week as Stowey almost doubled what they scored against Kilve, amassing 95 runs. Hemyock knocked them off with the loss of only two wickets.

However, trying to pick some positives out of the performance, the Super Two’s picked up three valuable points, moving them off the bottom of the table. So there we have it, three positives from the trip to Hemyock: a better batting display, three points amassed and no longer bottom of the league – things are looking up guys, so who’s next? Ah!!!!!!

Over the weekend there has been some great individual performances and Over Stowey 1^st XI bowler Gary Thomas had exceptional bowling figures in their win against Bridgwater Pointers on Saturday. 3.5 overs bowled, two maidens, four runs and six, yes six wickets taken. Exceptional stuff Gary, surely that makes you favourite to win an award at the presentation night.

Somerset’s James Hildreth and Lewis Gregory dragged Somerset from the jaws of defeat to a very unlikely victory on Sunday against Durham in the 50 over competition. Needing 312 for victory Somerset were 21-3, then 106-5, the home side was staring down a barrel. Gregory joined Hildreth in the middle, and set about smashing the Durham attack all round Taunton. A 70 ball century from Gregory ensured victory for Somerset with 20 balls to spare.

Lewis Gregory can consider himself unlucky not to be picked for the England Lions. 2014 has been a remarkable season for Lewis, taking wickets for fun and now scoring runs, surely his call up is not far away. On that note, congratulations go to Craig Overton in his call up to the Lions squad.

Lastly, well done Somerset, as they will be holding a beer and cider festival during the four day game against Warwickshire later this month. I think I will need a lift in to work those days!

Time for a Thatchers me thinks, with TMS in the background, sitting in the back garden thinking about mowing the lawn.

Week 12

Kilve – Home

Yet another game missed, and to be fair, where I was amongst the thunder and lightning I didn’t think there would be any games played in Somerset, let alone at Over Stowey.

I was in Gloucestershire, enjoying a well deserved break, with the rain coming down like stair rods, not much venturing out was done, only to the local bar. I was very surprised to learn that the mighty 2^nd XI managed to get a game in on Saturday, in fact both Stowey sides played. I am also led to believe that there was nearly a full fixture program in the West Somerset League.

So what happened, well, by the looks at the Stowey score, not a great deal! 56 all out and zero points collected. Ironically Stowey would off picked up more if the game was cancelled, as eight points would off been awarded to both sides. With Stowey picking up no points, Kilve picking up the maximum and other wooden spoon candidates Lydeard St Lawrence gaining six points, Stowey now plummet to bottom of Division Five of the West Somerset League.

Six games left and it looks as if the away game against fellow wooden-spoon candidates, Lydeard St Lawrence, on August 16^th will be the one who decides who collects that wooden thing. But before that there are games against Hemyock, Stoke St Mary and Crowcombe to concentrate on. I am pretty sure that apart from the Hemyock game I am available to umpire for those games in August.

Following up from last week, I have now seen the state of Kieswetter’s eye, wow that looks a mess. Judging by the recent results against Surrey and Kent, Somerset have most definitely missed him – sorry Taylor, the results and the Somerset batting performances show that. He may score at slow rate compared to other T20 opening batsmen, but he does not give his wicket away cheaply, something which other players could learn from, especially that game against Kent. Qualifying for a T20 quarter-final pace is now out of Somerset’s hands. Just concentrate on beating Middlesex first and then we’ll see what happens.

Kieswetter’s injury reminds me of the story about Mike Gatting being hit on his nose by a Malcolm Marshall delivery. His face was an absolute mess, two black eyes, a squat nose and cuts being hidden by plasters. On his return to England, he was asked by a so called reporter, “Where exactly did he hit you?”

Gatting got bowled off his hooter by that delivery from Marshall. I believe the West Indians call that type of delivery a “perfume ball”, a delivery where the batsman can smell the leather. Gatting certainly done that and when the ball was returned to Marshall, the West Indian bowler found a bit of bone lodged in the leather.

As for the reporter, Gatting didn’t reply, as he was a bit bemused by the question. Now if he was quick enough he could off replied “Jamaica!”

For those of you watching the Test match over the past five days you may of noticed that England used a substitute fielder for a bit during India’s first innings. Somerset’s Alex Barrow was on 12^th man duty for England for the Test, which reminds me of another Somerset player who was also on 12^th man duty some nine years ago, and he made a bit of an impact.

James Hildreth was on duty during the first Ashes Test in 2005, and boy did he make an impact, catching skipper Ricky Ponting out. I don’t think Punter was best pleased and he did a bit of a double take to see who caught him, as Hildreth and Ponting were Somerset team mates for a while.

Bad luck Ricky, and on that pleasant note, I think I will have a pint of Thatchers, it is cider time after all.