The firsts travelled to Bledlow Ridge, perhaps some more in hope than anticipation. New ground for all of us, I think. Perched on top of a ridge (unsurprisingly), and above Bledlow too. Amazing!!
It really is a picture; tree lined and with views all around over beautiful countryside. On a sunny Saturday it would be one of the best places to play cricket anywhere. Sadly we arrived in a cloak of drizzle that only permitted occasional views and showed little sign of lifting.
Luckily 12 people wanted to play a game of cricket, fortunately one of them was Ridge Captain, John Rolfe.
Diddymen will always make the best out of any situation so the playfair cricket quiz book came out as Simon (I'll have a P Bob) Pritchard did his best to confuse with a quiz that seemed to be themed on providing the answer to a question slightly different to the one asked. We had a session of beat the intro on iphones that provided further proof of the gulf in taste and class between todays callow youth and us veterans who were around when they made proper music. (Note to said callow youth: try listening to music where a) guitars feature prominently, b) Someone in the band wrote the music and words, c) they use a drum and a bass, not drum n' bass.)
The oppo. were locked in their changing room to stop them all going home; they made occasional appearances to moan about the rain and complain that we should all have gone home hours ago.
Skipper Gates remained ruthlessly positive throughout, insisting that it would brighten up and that we would go on to record a famous victory.
A rather splendid tea was taken at twenty past three, Sir Mel of Cookshire attempting to beat the record for the tallest pile of sandwiches record set by Brockett at Sandford last year. Forget it Mel, that record will stand for ever.
Anyway, we finally got some cricket started at ten to four, Gates calling correctly and inviting Ridge to have a bat for up to 40 overs, leaving us with 20 to try and beat their total. Incidentally can anyone else imagine a more ridiculous way to split 60 overs?
I felt that restricting them to 150 would be a par score and anything less was very gettable. We were still full of energy and raring to go. Ridge started positively before the Caretaker took a smart catch at square leg from the bowling of Morne, who again looked threatening and kept things very tight. Northern Gravy flew down the hill, the wind at his back. I lost count of the number of times he was edged over the slips or beat the outside edge. Matt accounted for numbers 3 and 4 to leave Ridge on 66 for 3. Top bowling Bongo.
Cookie replaced Morne and took the edge 3 times in his first over, meanwhile Ridge opener Brooks had scored a neat half century and was looking like he might go on to make things difficult for us. We needn't have worried as Cookie threw down his deadly half volley again and it was spooned weakly to Morne at mid off.
Ridge were looking less and less up for it with every passing moment, searching the heavens for divine intervention is a risky strategy for winning games of cricket, much better to stay positive and focus in my book. Sure enough our strategy seemed to work as Cookie took another 3 wickets in 6 balls with two exceptional catches from Bris whilst standing up. Even better when you factor in a painful and stiff knee. Well done Brockett, I love the commitment you showed yesterday. Cookie finished with 4 for 13 from his 7 overs, another top spell from the 'Westlife fan of the year (2008)'.
We had enough time for one over from the caretaker, who turned one through the gate to leave Ridge on 103 for 8 from 31 overs. The heavens opened at this point and we trudged off knowing that was it for the day. The naysayers and doom mongers were, I suppose proved right. We could have gone home at 1pm and achieved the same 6 points.
We were born and raised to play cricket however, and that is what we will do until the great man in the sky (Sir Viv), prises the ball from our bony lifeless hands many years from now.
Until next week, Cricket fans
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