Carib Beer XI vs UKGI, Greenwich Park,

Tuesday 5th June 2018

It was a slightly chilly June evening as both teams arrived in the usual slow trickle. This was to the extent that the match didn’t start until nearly half an hour late due to those with the bags being delayed. Much muttering about the new train timetables being a popular subject. Fortunately this meant that the 2 skippers agreed to the 2 runs for a nb/wide rule much favoured by the sides more limited bowlers. Our skipper for the day was the newly promoted official vice captain Carlin Weaver, aging medium pacer Carib Rogerson having stepped down from the role at the AGM. The whereabouts of captain, chairman and best batsman Mr Haigh remains a mystery as this was one of the fixtures that had been deliberately arranged around his hectic social calendar of walking up Scottish hills and attending the opera.

Due to the numbers of players present on each side the toss was cancelled and it was agreed the UKGI team would bat first. The Caribs numbered 11 thanks to late recruitment of new Ringer Burgess, some tenuous connection to the absent Northern Bakery Pie Magnate Carib Cordey. UKGI numbered only 7 so was agreed we would lend them fielders and they could bat twice if needed. The Carib numbers included 4 frontline fast bowlers like Windies of 80s. The quartet of Tanveer/Rogerson/Kant/Worthy a fearsome proposition for any opponent.

It was a good start for the Carib quicks with the UKGI openers both dismissed in the first 2 overs thanks to accurate bowling from the Carib pair of Adam and Rogerson. Rogerson could have had even better figures had Essex boy Carib Gooch not dropped a skyer at mid-on. The first change pair of Carib Sean/Shawn/Shaun and new member Carib Horn kept things just as tight. Carib Horn showed his usual golden arm with a classic bowled dismissal. UKGI Maggs took an almighty swing at a ball miles down the leg side, missed totally and the ball hit his pad and slowly trickled onto the stumps. Inspired by this fortuitous dismissal Carib Horn made a case for inclusion in the fast bowlers clan with a proper bowled dismissal that saw the middle stump cart wheel out of the ground.

So UKGI were struggling at 29-4 off 8 overs. However UKGI Wragg and Kedia steadied the ship without taking the game away from the Caribs, Wragg scoring 25no, part of an incredible all round performance- see his bowling later. The rest of the UKGI innings was unremarkable, no more wickets fell, but all the Carib bowlers kept it tight. Even bouncing bowler Carib Worthy despite his usual array of half pitched bouncers didn’t go for too many.

So the UKGI innings finished on 108-4. A respectable score but one the Caribs felt attainable.

Ringer Kiwi Burgess and usual Carib opener Holmes opened the batting. Our new antipodean Ringer showed his class with hardly a dot ball in sight on his way to a 14 ball 25no. At the other end Carib Holmes was playing with fire, keen to get the scoreboard ticking he thrashed at his first 2 balls which were both dropped catches. Sadly Alex wasn’t able to make the most of his good fortune and he was out for a duck, which was certainly not to be the last on the Carib scorecard. New member Carib Horn backed up his bowling performance with another tidy batting display in a handy partnership with Carib Moss who even managed to hit his requisite one boundary for the season. This meant the Caribs were surely cruising to victory at around 60-1 from 9 overs. Carib Horn also retired leading to new deputy vice-captain Carib Rayner inspired by his debut victory as skipper last week to come to the crease.

With the Caribs in such a healthy position Carib Moss was justified in slogging one up in the air to give UKGI Wragg his first wicket. Thus started arguably the most incredible over seen in Carib history. Carib Kant strolled to the crease only to be sent packing for a golden duck. UKGI Wragg was on a hat trick. Carib Bowen denied the UKGI man his hat trick but succumbed second ball for the 3rd wicket in the over. The next man in was the usual steadying influence of skipper for the day Carib Weaver. Incredibly Mr Weave was also our first ball, somehow losing his bearings and hitting his own wicket. So UKGI Wragg was on a hat trick again for the second time in the same over. However he was to be denied by the resolute defence of the next man in Carib Worthy who played his usual classic forward defensive block. Still an incredible 4 wicket maiden over from UKGI Wragg. Throughout this chaos Carib Rayner was watching from the other end bemused by the collapse. Goochie showed some steely determination to steady the ship helped by some further forward defensive shots from Jarrod. However UKGI Wragg was not finished, he stayed on to beat the Worthy defence and claim an lbw, swiftly followed by clean bowling Carib Rogerson to finish with amazing figures of 6-11.

Throughout this collapse the Caribs had in mind that we had our 2 retired batsmen could return. However this was nearly not the case as Carib Horn needed to leave urgently and was fully changed ready to leave. However dressed in his work clothes of shirt and trousers he was persuaded to stay in case he was needed.

Meanwhile our number 11 batsman Carib Tanveer was now in partnership with the rock solid Gooch. The run rate was not an issue but wickets in hand definitely was. However this duo, helped by the fact that UKGI Wragg had bowled out managed to steer the Caribs home with 2 overs to spare but certainly jittery after the almighty collapse.

So the Caribs won again leaving us with a 100% record for the season. A terrific start and we look forward to our next match against a strong NT side next week.

Carib Beer XI Win by 3 Wickets

Scorecard