Detail: 24-05-2015 - Shamley Green

Result: L by 1 wkt
The Blues, 131-7 (Git 37) lost to Shamley Green 134-8 (Isaac 3-14)

This game proved that even with 7 players and a dire weather forecast, the Blues can still engineer an enjoyable game of cricket in the Surrey sunshine. Thank you to Cormac for his perseverance in cobbling together a team, despite May half term bank holiday weekend absenteeism. Also thanks to Guy Packenham, the Shamley skipper for making sure that all involved had a good afternoon?s cricket.

The seven brave Blues who mustered at 2pm were put into bat on the traditionally sporty Shamley wicket. Our numbers were boosted to 8 when Isaac, an U15 from Dunsfold guesting for Shamley was gifted to the Blues to make it 8 vs 9. More of Isaac later, but suffice to say that El Pres has been in touch with Isaac?s parents, papers were signed, money changed hands and he is now a Blue.

Anyway, the Blues opened with Truelove, fresh from runs vs Crossbats and Das making his bow this season. Truelove unfurled a couple of sumptuous drives before being snaffled at slip wihtout really troubling the scorers. Burmeister, on debut, made his mark with a well-crafted 2 ball duck and the Blues were rocking at 10-2, effectively in to the tail in the middle of the second over. Out strode Gary Gilmour, also on debut, with a steely look in his eyes. There followed a golden period in the Blues innings, as Das and Gilmour after an initial period of consolidation, took the fight to Shamley with powerfully struck blows. The score rattled along to 50-2 before disaster struck and Gilmour pulled a hammy running a quick single. A runner was called for, Truelove was umpiring and Burmeister refused so Ellen dutifully trotted out. After 10 minutes working out who should stand where, Das had a big mow and was bowled for 22. Gilmour succumbed to his injury and was out shortly thereafter for a well made 16. Ellen, in a desperate bid to impress his boss, was comprehensively bowled by an U13 and the Blues were 60-5 with 2 wickets remaining.

Git and Cormac were having none of it. Git took the game to Shamley, standing tall and smashing it everywhere, but mainly over cow corner, he put on 30 in quick time. Cormac at the other end was respectful of the good ball but brutal with the bad ones, a little ripper of a cover drive stands out in the memory.

At Shamley there is a curious local rule whereby a six hit over a house counts as a dot ball, where one that actually hits a house counts as six. Anyway these rules were explained in huge detail to Ellen who comprehensively failed to pass them on to any of his team members. This proved crucial, as Git proceeded to smite 2 huge blows over the houses only to be informed that neither had advanced his score. One over later he succumbed to his frustration out for 37, and it was left to Cormac to nurse the Blues score up to a meagre but defendable 131 -7. Cormac finished on 20 not out, which will do his average no harm.

After an excellent tea ? the beauty of being 8 is that there is a lot of it ? Ellen and Git opened the bowling. Ellen sprayed it all over the place and fell on his sword after 4 fruitless and expensive overs. At the other end Git had more luck and after some probing stuff snaffled a sharp return catch. An over later he had the other opener LBW and Shamley were 60-2, the Blues had a sniff. Burmeister replaced Ellen, for his first bowl in 15 years. The muscle memory came back pretty quick and soon he was tying the Shamley batsmen in knots with his bag of spinning tricks. It was no surprise when the Shamley skipper gloved one behind, with Das doing the honours to leave the home team at 90-3. At the other end Git had been replaced by Isaac. After a few looseners were cruelly dispatched, Isaac began to find his range and picked up his first wicket courtesy of a catch in the deep from skips.

Truelove came on in place of Burmeister and quickly began to spin his web. When he had the no.5 bowled, Shamley were suddenly 110-5, still 22 runs shy with 3 wickets in hand. The runs kept trickling but so did the wickets. Isaac was on song and despite leaking a few runs, picked up 2 further wickets one bowled the other caught at short leg, to leave the score delicately poised at 125-7. Truelove and Isaac tightened the screw, the Blues were throwing themselves around in the field...tension reigned? Sadly Shamley had just enough and knocked off the final runs. A heroic effort but not quite enough. If only Git had hit, rather than hit over, the house it could have been a different story?

A 6pm finish at least enabled a couple of drinks in the Red Lion?
The Blues are on 8 for Slinfold this Sunday. Great game, rock hard wicket, will be a run fest. Please get involved.


[updated 29 05 2015]