I Zinagri 263-6 of 49 overs
BB 166 of 38
I Zinagri win
A eclectic BB team took on a familiar IZ side at a wind beaten Torry Hill on Sunday the 11th of August.
A weekend of gales and horizontal rain made cricket look unlikely, but some skilful groundsmanship made sure that we had a wicket ready and waiting for a full day’s cricket.
Having won the toss and decided to bowl, Stand in Captain, Alex Cornwallis turned to Tom Pollington and Rory Boyd to take the new ball. Pollington, inconceivably the senior pro in this bowling pair, wisely opted to bowl with the wind behind him. A wind so ferocious that Howard the Groundsman suggested to the umpires that morning, that the sight screens be left lying flat all day, for fear of irreparable damage.
Running into the wind, Boyd bowled a tight off stump line, controlling his length well in very tricky conditions. The BB debutant was rewarded with an LBW decision after a bellowing appeal from Marcus Holden-Crawford behind the stumps. Pollington soon removed the other opener before IZ’s 3 and 4 got comfortable. Runs began to easily accumulate before lunch. Much toiling from Leggies Harry Sherwin and Tom Page, and some into the wind trudging from Tom Boucher as well and a promising spell of seam bowling from Sam Holden-Crawford, son of Keeper Marcus - none of which, yielded a break through. Lunch was taken with the BB scratching there heads looking for answers with both IZ batsman on 50 not out.
First over after lunch, a loose shot from the IZ no.4 gave S. Holden Crawford a comfortable, but composed caught and bowled. The wind felt a little less oppressive and sun shone a little brighter. At the other end Jamie Henderson was coming in of his long run up. With the wind in his sails Hendo bowled with real aggression, surely clocking speeds of 90mph plus. Throughout his spell, it felt like wickets were coming and they did, clean bowling the IZ number 3 for an otherwise chance-less 83. Another well deserved wicket fell and the game felt very much in the balance once more. Harry Sherwin picked up 2 wickets bowling leg spin, a prospect for the future for sure, but also a player who can clearly mix it with the BB senior team from, well….now.
Special mention to Rory Boyd who fielded like a maniac, Stopping some very heavily hit potential boundary balls on several occasions.
The IZ declared on 263-6 of 49 overs.
It was BB’s turn to reply.
I could go into gruesome detail, but I won’t. After 4 overs the mighty Band of Brother’s were quivering at 4 for 4. Thats 4 for 4 off 4. Ouch. The IZ opening bowlers quite simply bowled superbly and didn’t let up.
Boucher and Pollington at 3 and 6 respectively had some work to do to weather the storm (metaphorically) and weather the storm (meteorologically) if the game was to be saved, let alone give BB a sniff of getting close to the total they had been set.
Both batsman responded with gritty determination, building something of a total. Pollington hitting 3 classy drives for 4 in the final over before tea, showing that runs were possible and giving the IZ team something to ponder over tea and cake. This game was far from over.
After Tea, both batsman passed 50’s, before Pollington succame to a fantastic caught and bowled, one that just stuck in the wicket a bit. He had to go for a valiant 51. Boucher and Pollington had put on over 120.
Sam Holden Crawford soaked up the pressure well before being bowled but their brilliant off spinner. Rory Boyd took his place at the crease. His approach of attack as defence was effective for a while, carving 4 boundaries off the IZ attack, who increasingly smelt blood.
An epic battle was taking place at the other end between Boucher and Munroe, who was back on to close out the game. Eventually, Munroe got his man. Bowling Boucher with the best Yorker he has ever faced. (Think Strac vs Stokes CWC 2019) . And with that, 8 overs from the end of the game Boucher was gone for 83 off 91.
Harry Sherwin and Marcus Holden Crawford looked like they might survive the remaining danger, both resilient in defence until J Munroe struck again to remove Marcus. In came injured skipper Cornwallis. Limping from an ankle injury sustained in rugby preseason. He didn’t need to face a ball. Sherwin was caught behind with just 3 balls remaining of the game. BB just falling short of a famous attempt to save the day. From 4 for 4 of 4, BB finished with 166 of 38.
Thank you to everyone involved and congratulations on a fine bowling display from the IZ.
Until next year!
Tom Boucher
