Carib Beer XI vs Delta Rail - August 11th 2009

Our last midweek game of the season saw us take on some familiar faces in the form of Delta Rail, a motley collection of ex work colleagues of our Captain Martin Haigh, who currently don't possess the experience necessary to be elevated into the ranks of the AEAT Old Boys, another of our favourite opposition, and a fitting end to the season as the Delta Rail boys always provide us with an entertaining evening. The Match was categorised as Level 2 (off field drinking allowed), meaning that the more thirsty among us were able to quietly open a tin of lager upon arrival at the ground, ensuring of course, that Martin didn't spot us at it, but nevertheless fearing the shame and disappointment that would undoubtedly result if he did.

For a change, the Carib Boys were the first to arrive at the ground so were able to unpack our kit and throw several cricket balls to each other from 10 feet away, taking care to avoid the carefully placed lager tins of course, hoping that the additional intimidation of watching such supremely fit individuals practicing away would throw our slowly arriving opposition further into doubt as to our improving abilities. However, by about 6pm, our Captain and Leader Martin Haigh was keen to press on with proceedings, and co-opted a member of the opposition to discuss how to get the game under way. Although Martin initially suggested that the Delta boys should bat, on account of their late arrival, a quick count up revealed that in fact, they already had 8 men, and as such, if we were to lend them a couple of players, fielding could actually be an option for them. Unhappily, Martin agreed, and he and the opposition stand in captain took the toss, with Martin calling, incorrectly of course, and we found ourselves batting instead.

There was a minor moment of ceremony to take care of before the game could get underway, however, when our most recent member, the pacy, hostile but somewhat erratic fast bowler Uttam was presented with his new team shirt by our proud as punch captain Martin Haigh. Obviously it was a big moment for our erratic opening bowler too, as he has had to wait quite some time for the honour of his own shirt to be finally bestowed on him. The moment was captured for posterity by our Keen Wicketkeeper and Official Photographer, Andy Bowen.

As usual, Martin now began to round up a couple of candidates to open the batting, however, on this occasion, there seemed plenty of volunteers, given that those without an immediate task to perform would likely have to go out and field for the opposition. As it was, Martin eventually settled on the hard hitting flair of our Newest Member "Carib" Uttam, and the rather less than graceful Andy Bowen to kick off our innings. Carib Willis, still angling for a stab at the batting award would bat at 3. With everyone else either press-ganged into fielding or umpiring only the padded up Mr Willis and Official Scorer Carib Rogerson were left on the boundary line as the game got underway.

Opening Bowler Delta Fradeep began his overs downhill, and immediately generated good pace. Facing first, Carib Uttam was able to get his bat on one of them and scamper through for a quick two, but 4th ball, he only got half a bat on it and Martin Fuller, (standing in for the still missing Wicketkeeper) was able to snaffle a smart chance, and one of our best batsmen was already back in the hutch, bringing Carib Willis hastily to the crease for what he was hoping would be another of his marathon 25 not outs. It is surely luck that only Carib Rogerson was around on the boundary to hear Barry's cries of delight upon seeing his rival for the batting award lose his wicket, and the subsequent halving of his average, believing that he had now been presented with a perfect opportunity to cement his claim to the the award this year.

Next over was bowled by Delta Rail Patrick, but sadly was also to witness the end of another Carib as our Keen Wicketkeeper and Slow Scoring Opener, Carib Bowen, completely missed his second ball and watched in horror as his stumps were flattened for a sad nought. Fourth man in saw the somewhat untested batting skills of our Hapless Line and Length Bowler Carib White put to the test, promoted somewhat against his will to such an exalted position in the line up. As it was, Rob White was only able to last three deliveries before his stumps too, were smashed asunder by the pacy Fradeep deliveries, and in the fifth over, with only 10 on the board, we were already 3 down and the conveyor belt of stand in fielders, rushing off the ground to quickly pad up became somewhat frenetic as the wickets began to tumble.

However, the carnage didn't end there, as Carib Willis, after flat batting it mercilessly for 20 deliveries for a meager six runs, spooned up a chance from the innocuous bowling of Steve Curtiss, to be safely taken by Delta Patrick. The resultant toy throwing would have put the great Matthew Hayden to shame as the now incensed nurdler began his slow and angry walk back to the boundary line, ruing the damage such a soft dismissal will have done to his batting average, and with only a single game left to snatch the award from his erstwhile challenger, the Carib's newest member, Carib Uttam.

At 16 - 4 what the Caribs really needed now was for someone to knuckle down and show some Collingwood like character. As it was, two of the Caribs were to step up to the plate and provide the solidity that our innings now so desperately needed. One of them needs no introduction, being of course our Captain, Best Batsman and most reliable run machine, Martin Haigh. The other, however, was the permanently out of form Old Bowler, Carib Rogerson, who consistently fails to replicate the form he shows in the nets by actually scoring any runs in the middle. Both of them sensed the opportunity that now presented itself, Martin, to surge ahead in the batting rankings, and Carib Rogerson, to improve on his career batting average of around 6, given that there was still plenty of time in the game, and very few hard hitting run scorers to follow. It appeared that a crucial moment in our innings had now arrived.

Martin Haigh began as he usually does nudging and nurdling the ball around, punctuating his innings with the occasional textbook cover drive, but showing a resolute defence to anything too straight. From the other end, Carib Rogerson began to score much more slowly against the still accurate second change Delta Rail bowlers. However, although the runs didn't flow immediately, there was little to trouble either of the Carib's most senior players as they edged the Caribs scorecard back to some degree of respectability. Steve Curtiss came on to bowl, and in an effort to confuse the rapidly settling batsmen, punctuated his overs with full tosses and wides, and the Carib score increased still further. The introduction of Delta Rail John helped further still, as although most of his deliveries were head high and Harmison like in their direction, there were enough bullet straight balls to reign in the Carib old boys at the crease and prevent them from launching into anything too flamboyant. Nevertheless, it wasn't long before our Captain and Best Batsman, Martin Haigh, began to see the ball like a football and his scoring rate began to increase healthily. Even the reticent Carib Rogerson began to push on and began to score from most of his deliveries, sensing, just perhaps, that a retirement score was on the cards.

Martin Fuller was introduced into the attack, and sensing blood, Carib Rogerson prepared to replicate his only other previous not out score, a bludgeoned 26 not out of 12 balls a couple of seasons ago (and still the Carib's fastest) against the very same bowler. However, on this occasion, the length just wasn't there, and the old Medium Pacer had to content himself with ones and twos, but crucially both he and Martin remained at the crease, and after the initial flurry of wickets, we looked almost certain to be able to post a score that would challenge the Delta Rail boys.

Martin Haigh was the first to reach the landmark 25 and retire from the field, leaving his Old Opening Bowler there to nervously edge towards his own landmark, to be joined at the crease by Carib Nurdler in Chief and Team Accountant Gordon Berry. Carib Berry too began slowly, but with our big hitters back in the hutch, it was still important that we continued to build a score. However, after what must have seemed an age to those watching from the boundary, the old Medium Pacer, Carib Rogerson, eventually reached his retirement score (off a somewhat staggering 37 balls) and was forced to leave the field, exhausted after his long vigil, in favour of the heavy hitting middle order pie thrower, Carib Cordey, hoping that he could smash one of his customary fours before missing the next one and losing his off stump.

As it was, it was a full two balls before Carib Cordey found one in his slot from the hapless Martin Fuller, and with a huge flourish, smashed it back over his head for a quite mammoth six. Carib Berry, however, wasn't so lucky and managed to miss a straight one from Delta Patrick, bringing Chief Selector Rich Harris to the crease for the final few balls of our innings. Although between them, they were only able to scrape together a few more singles, our score had by now passed the respectable one hundred mark, which although not a score that would challenge some of our better opponents, could possibly be enough to secure a victory against the Delta Railers, and certainly, after the first four disastrous overs, a quite respectable recovery, given that it could so easily have been much worse.

After a quick turnaround, in an effort to complete the game before the light closed in, we found ourselves out in the field ready to face the Delta Rail top order. Initially, Martin considered giving the ball to his most reliable opening bowler, the old Medium Pacer Carib Rogerson, but perhaps through magnanimity, or maybe just the Hubris resulting from a successful season, Martin instead threw the ball to two of his less reliable sixth change bowlers, promising the old bowler that he was being "saved for later". The two opening bowlers would be the rather unpredictable off spin of Team Selection Manager Richard Harris and Part Time Long Hop and Wide Bowler Andy Moss, who usually uses the opportunity to bowl as a chance to practice his shot putting throw. However, it was actually to prove to be another of our Captain, Leader and Best Batsman Martin Haigh's more inspired decisions, as after only a couple of wides, our hapless off spinner Rich Harris deceived the Delta Rail opening batsman completely with a bullet straight one, that crucially, failed to spin and took out the off stump of Opener John Gilroy. After one over, Delta Rail were 1 - 1, and Rich Harris had secured his most successful ever over.

Second Over, after a couple of lobbed grenades that were rolling along the floor by the time they reached our Keen Wicketkeeper Andy Bowen, our other opening bowler, Ringer Andy Moss, had also managed to disturb the stumps of the number two, and amazingly, after two overs, the Delta Rail batting card was in some disarray. Third over, again, our Injury Prone Selection Manager so completely deceived the Delta Rail number three by landing one on the wicket that he was forced to sky a ball to our Tour Manager Andy Weaver, who pounced, Cat Like at point, to snaffle yet another Delta Rail victim, and they were nine for 3 off 3. Unfortunately, the second over from our half track long hop bowler Andy Moss was less successful, and the Delta Rail number four was able to smash a couple of his invitingly lobbed full tosses to the boundary and after four overs, the Delta Rail score had increased to 27, but the Caribs were all well pleased with how the first four overs had gone.

However, restoring some normality to the bowling attack, our talismanic captain, Martin Haigh, fell back on the tried and tested pairing of the aging Carib Rogerson and our newest member, the somewhat erratic but pacey Carib Uttam. Although Carib Uttam's first ball was a horrible mid pitched Jarrod Worthy like bouncer that flew over the batsman's head, his third was right on the money, and the dangerous Delta Hart was trudging back to the boundary, his stumps broken and the Delta Railers another one down. The old Carib Medium Pacer Carib Rogerson's over was bullet straight, and after five dot balls, it was in danger of being the first maiden of the match, only being ruined by a horrible wide, reminiscent of his loss of form mid season, now happily consigned to history.

Carib Uttam was removed from the attack after his solitary wicket taking over in favour of recently returned northern six hitter Carib Cordey who continued to apply the pressure of the previous over and bowling Delta Rail Dingle in the process who had hung around for all of 18 balls, 15 of which proved to be dots, and leaving the Delta Railers now 29 for five. Carib Rogerson's second over saw more of the same against the new Delta Rail batsman, Steve Curtiss, and after going for a solitary single from his first five balls, was able to pull off what became the talking point of the match. An accurate and pitched up medium pacer was prodded back towards him by Delta Curtiss, but at least 10 feet to his left.

Witnesses to the event speak of a scream like a girl, others of a squeal, others of a despairing wail, but whatever it was, the old Carib Medium Pacer managed to fling himself at least full length to his left, hand outstretched, and tumbling to the ground, the ball, seemingly snatched from mid air, amazingly managed to stick in his palm. As the old Carib rolled to the ground, he heard his team mates crying "did he catch it" ? To confirm their wildest hopes, he flung his hand up into the air, with the ball still firmly grasped in his hand, sensing the cheers erupting around the ground, and yet another Delta Rail victim was sent back to the boundary. The old bowler had managed to pull off a stunning catch and the Delta Rail batting card now looked dangerously exposed, being 7 down for only 30 runs, and still massively adrift of our score.

However, the next man in was the fast and pacy opening bowler Pradeep Nokala, who, if he was as good a batsman as he was bowler, could surely put the Delta Rail batting card back on the map. The bowler this time would be the hapless line and length bowler Carib White. Normally, with the opposition 30-7, any bowler would fancy his chances of clearing up the tail. Unfortunately for Carib White, he was to be the bowler to suffer the full brunt of the heavy hitting Pradeep, and watched in despair as his very first ball sailed back across his head for six, straight off the meat of the bat of the new Delta Rail batsman. Carib Cordey completed his three overs in favour of his captain Martin Haigh, who again only decided to bowl a solitary over before demurring in favour of his other charges. Carib White's second over again suffered the treatment from Delta Rail Pradeep, going for three fours (one of which threatened to derail the health of our serial injury prone selection manager Rich Harris who unwisely tried to stop one of them) and another huge six, and after only 14 deliveries, Delta Pradeep had reached his retirement score and retired, leaving the hapless Carib White's bowling figures in complete disarray (over a third of the Delta runs were taken from his two overs), with the Delta Railers having added some 30 runs to their total in only 3 overs.

By now, however, the task that remained was surely too much for the Delta Rail lower order, and our Captain and Leader felt able to introduce the fourth change bowlers Caribs Willis and Weaver into the attack. A sharp run out saw the end of Hugh Wallis, and a mid pitched long hop by our Tour Manager was skied up to our newest member Carib Uttam, and the Delta railers were now 9 down and still adrift from their target by a wide margin. Nevertheless, being only 10 men in the opposition team, the heavy hitting Pradeep strolled out to face us once again, and statistically, should we decide to return Carib White to the attack, still in with a slim chance of victory. However, their hopes were to be dashed once more as another tossed up wide one from our Tour Manager flew passed the flailing bat of Dave Ford, running out of his crease to shorten the range. The ball was snatched up by our keen wicket keeper Andy Bowen who, after what seemed like minutes, took off the bails, taking the very last Delta Rail wicket, with the returning Pradeep yet to face a ball in his second dig. The Delta Railers were all out in quick time, fifteen overs, still 35 runs shy of their target and we had secured what was eventually a very comfortable victory. With the light still good, we stood on the boundary drinking the last of our cans of beer, with Martin reminiscing with his old colleagues about old times, and Carib Rogerson taking every opportunity to mention his catch to whomever would listen.

Being the final midweek game of the season, it was important that we won as we have now won five games, and lost four this year, and with only the weekend's test match to follow. With very few arguments about the bag, we headed off to the pub, our opposition in tow, to enjoy a few quiet drinks .... Even if we lose Saturday's game against what appears to be a strong side, we've had a very successful and enjoyable season and we are all looking forward to reconvening again next year, ringers and all, for another great Carib Beer XI season.

Carib Beer XI Win by 35 Runs

PHOTOS OF THE MATCH TO FOLLOW WHEN AVAILABLE

Scorecard