'AWNIOGO': ALDRIDGE (H)**

Sunday, June 25  

STAFFORDSHIRE CUP, ROUND 3 

It’s fair to say that we knew as much about Aldridge Cricket Club as my dog knows about differential equations. However, we realized that they would also be in the dark about us (unless, that is, Doug Eyre’s sixty-year devotion to Moddershall has all been a big cover-up and in a moment of prescience back in the 1930’s he foresaw this fixture and spent the rest of his time as a spy for Aldridge compiling a massive dossier on their future opponents. But that was unlikely, I felt.) The unfamiliarity between the two sides gave the fixture something of an exotic flavour – well, as exotic a flavour as you can get with a team that speak like extras from a Brew XI advert. Yow awe-ROIT, mush?

Aldridge’s decision to bat first was undoubtedly based upon our shambolic fielding warm-up, but it was a decision that they would come to regret. Just as he did in the previous day’s league match, Mauler took a wicket before the score had left zero, producing a vicious climbing delivery that brushed a glove on the way through to Kitbag, who had been brought in as wicket-keeper for the day. Over the next hour Law and McNab restored the balance before we began to whittle our way through an extremely brittle batting line-up. Both these batsmen fell for 23, the former well caught at extra-cover by a now recovered Coke off Addo, and the latter brilliantly pouched by the rotund Kitbag, diving full-length, off Wayne Stones who had forsaken his spinners in favour of left-arm swingers and went on to return the excellent figures of 4 for 27.

Our niggardly bowling was augmented by sharp fielding as Aldridge – having only managed to strike 8 boundaries despite the fast outfield – limped along to 130 for 9 from the full 45 overs. It was never going to be enough. We began the chase full of confidence: Addo was seeing it like a football and, after we brought up the 50 partnership in the 14th over, began to brutalize the bowling. I contented myself with a supporting role and was gradually finding some form as the 100 was brought up inside 21 overs. With only a handful of runs needed, both Addo and I fell in quick succession and it was left to Harv to blast off the winning runs, which he did with typical panache.

After such a lack of competition during the game it was obvious that John Myatt, with pent-up energy to discharge, was spoiling for some sort of contest. So, with him having earlier claimed, ludicrously, he possessed “the best arm in the club”, Addo – Alpha Male pecking order issues at stake – decided to challenge him to a cricket ball throwing contest (distance, not accuracy). It was a pathetic sight, and one that ought to have been accompanied by trained medical staff, but there had to be a winner from amidst the mediocrity and, mercifully for everyone, it wasn’t Mauler. 

MODDERSHALL WON BY 8 WICKETS 

ALDRIDGE 130 for 9 (45 overs)
W Stones 4-27
MODDERSHALL 133 for 2 (30.3 overs)
J Addison 63, S Oliver 40