HM Treasury - 6th June 2007 - Chiswick SSC.

With the cancellation of our warm up game the week before, today saw our first serious outing of the 2007 season. Our opposition had already contested five fixtures this year, providing them with the "match fitness" advantage that had so far eluded us, further compounded by the fact that they were considerably better cricketers than us. However, for the first time in our history, our ranks were bolstered by the inauguration of the Carib Beer XI New Member Scheme, where we were pleased to announce that four additional members have been offered the chance to become regular playing members of the Martin Haigh and the Carib Beer X. Andrew Bowen, who had been carrying the team kit for several months in an effort to sway the committee, was the first to accept the offer, soon followed by Steve Turner, and both were duly given the chance to take the field as a fully paid up members of the team. Whether our faith in their abilities would be rewarded with some solid on field performances remained to be seen, but surely the kudos of being members of such an elite circle should inspire even the most mediocre of players to greatness. Founding member wise, we were without the services of Tour Manager Andy Weaver, Statistician Gordon Berry, Rich Harris, and Middle Order duckmonger and Social Committee member Glen Rayner.

Our venue for the game, our first away fixture, was to be Chiswick Sports and Social Club, in Chiswick, home ground of the Treasury, and a considerable distance from our usual venue of Regent's Park. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the un-nerving sight of a large building, apparently constructed solely for the purpose of the changing of one's attire prior to the match (as opposed to the Regent's Park public toilets that usually suffice). Several people were seen coming and going dressed fully in white, including their jumpers and shoes, and many were seen throwing cricket balls to each other while discussing several devious ways of achieving victory over their hapless opponents. The Carib Beer XI were reduced to sitting in our alloted room chatting, given that our Captain and Team Manager Martin Haigh is the only one who regularly brings his whites to the games, rather thankful that we hadn't embarassed ouselves further by bringing along our usual array of 8 packs of Stella and Fosters, this of course being a category I game.

Once we were all dressed up in our shorts, jeans and Carib T-Shirts, we took to the field with some trepidation, after throwing and dropping several cricket balls on the way, realising that the prospect of a heavy defeat was on the cards. Put into bat on a cold and overcast evening, the Carib Beer XI made slow progress. Ringer Ajay and New Member Steve Turner opened the batting against some accurate bowling by Treasury Sheilds and Shearing. After reaching 17-2, New Member Andy Bowen and Ringer "dot botherer" Rory K.O.P continued the slow progress, Ringer Rory K.O.P. managing to avoid scoring for a full 17 balls before being mercifully bowled by first change bowler Annish. However, our score was kept ticking over by some poor Treasury wicket keeping that would see Geraint Jones blush as byes comfortably outscored the unadventurous hitting of the Carib top order.

Luckily, however, next in was our very own "engine room" in the form of our Aussie Ringer Greg Rowlands who on this occasion clearly displayed the gulf that now separates English and Australian cricket by climbing into the Treasury bowling and smashing a fine 26 not out to see us on the way to a respectable score. With the opening bowlers now out of the attack, the situation was ripe for our Captain and Manager Martin Haigh to complete our innings with another one of his inspirational captain's innings. Unfortunately, however, today was not to be his day and we were forced to watch in dismay as his stumps were flattened after a 12 ball innings that saw only 5 added to the team score. After failing to be dismissed all last year, this was an ignoble end and one we were all disheartened to witness. Team morale was visibly shaken and the innings soon crumbled. Looking to our Vice Captain Barry Willis, last man in, to provide some leadership were were again to be sorely disappointed, as the shock of losing our Captain for such a low score appeared to have affected Barry to such a degree that he was to miss his first delivery by approximately four feet to secure the Team's first golden duck of the season. Surely the saying in these circumstances that the scorers were untroubled is demonstrably false as Peter the Carib Team Scorer was reduced to such fits of giggles that further scoring was to prove decidely troublesome. A short return to the crease of our not out Aussie Ringer Greg to complete our overs saw us finishing on a not unrespectable, under the circumstances, 95 for 8, 33 of these being scored by Ringer Greg, with a further 30 being contributed by the opposition wicket keeper.

Aware that the Treasury fielded a strong top order, it was important that we began our spell in the field well. Opening the bowling, Vice Captain Willis's first over was despatched for 10 runs and the prospect of a prematurely early ice bath seemed on the cards, but taking the second over, into the wind, (and probably up the hill) veteran Carib bowler Peter removed their opener for 10 and restored some control to the attack. With his second over again disappearing for 11, continuing his miserable run of form in the match, Carib Willis was removed from the attack and New Member Turner brought on to claim the second treasury wicket in his first over, to be followed by a further two good accurate overs. With Carib Peter bowling with good control from the other end, including a superb wicket maiden, and with the exhortations of Carib Wicketkeeper, Aussie Ringer "Areas Shane" Rowlands, ringing in their ears, the Treasury line up was forced to work hard for their runs. Unfortunately, however, after Carib Peter had concluded his miserly spell of four overs for 10 runs with 2 wickets, the control that had been built up sadly began to evaporate. Our Captain and Leader Martin Haigh continued his miserable match by bowling 6 wides during his three overs that went for 18. New Member Bowen saw his solitary (12 ball) over disappear for 16, and although both were to claim a wicket, leaving the Treasury six down, there were never really enough runs to play with. Although at one point a couple of quick wickets could have swung the game our way, a solid 23 not out from Treasury Steer saw them home with just over four overs to spare.

Over all, the Carib Beer XI could console themselves with the positives that they could take from the game. We had avoided the heavy defeat that we had experienced last year against the same opposition, scored over 90 (albeit with the assistance of Aussie Ringer Rowlands and the large gap between the opposition Wicketkeeper's knees), and for around 8 overs, excercised some good control in the field. Our fielding had to a large extent been sharp and focused and we had held on to our chances, and all without the usual contributions of our Talismanic Captain Martin Haigh. We had held a team of proper cricketers, in whites and changing rooms, with five games under their belts to a good finish and with some further match fitness, the return to a full strength Carib team, and the contributions of our Newest Members, our feeling is that we can only improve, and can now look forward to some exciting cricket from the team over the coming months (Not counting next week's alcohol soaked wicketfest against the usual array of Bank of England work colleagues of course).