Carib Beer XI vs IBM - July 8th 2010

The usual slow trickle of arrivals at Wray Crescent were again greeted by the unfortunate sight of a locked dressing room and there were fears of a repeat of the previous week's debacle with us having to use bags for stumps and jumpers for boundary markers. However our fears were unfounded and the groundsman did turn up and so the match against IBM was able to start at the usual time.

For some mysterious (possibly drinking related) reason aging stand-in skipper and former Fastest Bowler Carib Rogerson was unavailable, however this was mitigated by the timely return to playing action of talismanic proper captain and Best Batsman Mr Haigh who promptly won the toss. Sir Martin graciously acceded to the request of the Carib drinking members and elected to field first to allow greater opportunities to take on beverages later in the game when the Caribs were batting.

Carib White opened the bowling and was promptly dispatched all round the park by IBM Mandip, the first over costing 22 runs and including 3 sixes that all had to be fished out of various bushes from the Wray Crescent end. At this stage there were some nervous Caribs in the field wondering if we were going to receive another hammering on a par with those handed out by the Dodgers and Battersea Badgers earlier in the season. We need not have worried as Carib Willis was on hand to drag down the scoring rate with a maiden over bowled at IBM Graeme. However it has to be said Graeme was far from being in the same class as IBM Mandip and Essex boy Barry was bowling out of the sun from his favourite Tollington Place end.

New Carib member Bouncer Bowling Jarrod also bowling from his preferred Wray Crescent end, came on to replace the demoralised Essex boy Rob and bowled a decent containing spell. His figures of 0-26 may not look too spectacular but he had to bowl at IBM Mandip (who retired on 26 having faced 7 balls) and IBM No. 3 Aman who was nearly as destructive as his opening batsman. There were some mutterings in the outfield about the need to pitch the ball up a bit more…. Carib Willis was also bowling a good spell (at the lesser batsman for IBM) and even managed another wicket maiden to finish with good figures of 1-11.

Ringer Quentin then came on to bowl an excellent spell in the middle overs which tore the heart out of the IBM middle order. He took 4 wickets including at one stage being on a hat trick. We still have to wait for the momentous event of a first Carib hat trick as the hat trick ball flashed through the gully area just out of reach of the fielder for a boundary. Carib Cordey who was itching to get on after his record 5 wicket haul last week and was finally utilised in a two over spell before he was taken off to be saved as the "death" bowler.

With IBM Mandip and Aman both retired the Caribs were able to keep the scoring down and keep picking up the wickets. Carib White bravely returned to the attack and bowled two consecutive maidens to shore up his own figures. Rob then managed to take a good caught and bowled chance from the second ball of his last over. However his joy was short-lived as he slowly began to realise that we had worked our way through the entire IBM order and this meant his nemesis Mandip was strolling to the crease once more. Rob was once again dispatched to all corners of the ground by his foe including one mighty six which was launched out of the ground with the ball never to be seen again.

With the IBM score on 113 there was one over to go and Mandip was facing, so we feared having to chase down a score of around 130-140. However what followed was an incredible over from pie-man Carib Cordey who continued his good form by bowling a maiden at the IBM star man. This seemed to have turned the game in our favour and we left the field in high spirits.

So Ringer Guy Butler and new Carib member Dan Tungate took to the field as our opening pair with 114 a gettable target but still a challenge as we expected IBM Mandip and Aman to be as useful with the ball as they were with the bat. This did prove the case but our openers batted sensibly by blocking out the good balls and hitting the weaker bowlers for many boundaries. They both quickly retired with Ringer Guy scoring a quick-fire 27 from 17 balls and Dan with a run-a-ball 25.This brought Carib Willis to the crease to face the dismal bowling of IBM Stuey. However there then followed a moment of high controversy.

IBM Stuey bowled a high full toss which Willis swung a bat at above his own head managing to score 4 runs from it. However in playing such an unorthodox shot Essex boy Barry lost his balance and hit his own wicket. He started to trudge off the field but quickly stopped after a couple of steps as he realised square leg umpire Moss had called a no ball due to an above waist high full toss. This was an easy decision as it was actually an above shoulder high full toss. Batsman Willis then rightly stood his ground whilst a bit of a discussion ensued, umpires Moss and Berry both decided that the batsman could not be out hit wicket from a no-ball, but this was hotly disputed by a couple of IBM players. Bowler Stuey to his credit accepted the umpire's decision admitting that the shocking quality of the delivery did not deserve a wicket. Eventually IBM agreed to continue the game with much talk of looking up the rules after the game.

A fired up Mandip then sent down some extremely quick deliveries that even aging fast bowler Carib Rogerson would have been struggled to match when in his prime. Somehow Willis managed to get a bat on one of these balls which rocketed to the third man boundary. IBM eventually got their man when Willis was comprehensively bowled with the weighted springy stumps sent cart-wheeling by IBM Mandip. However returning captain and Best Batsman Martin was now at the crease and the Caribs were able to cruise to victory.

The usual post match activities of arguing over the bags and a slow walk to the Worlds End pub then followed. After a couple of drinks we remembered the laws of the game were in the back of the score book so we verified the "out from a no ball" rule. We were glad to see the umpires were correct that you cannot be out from a no ball. To ensure our honour was maintained we quietly pointed this out to the IBM players who in the friendlier atmosphere of the pub had to concede the point.

Following a tough start to the season the Caribs have now won two games on the bounce so we look forward to the games to come with much anticipation.

Andy Moss

Carib Beer XI Win by 8 Wickets

Scorecard