To Wivenhoe Town Cricket Club! …on a very hot and sticky Estuary Wilds Sunday afternoon. Wivenhoe were hosting Abberton as part of the Sunday social match.
These very same two teams paired off on pretty much the same wicket 24 hours earlier. Same as it ever was etc. There IS life in Essex Village cricket beyond both Wivenhoe and Abberton. I think.
What I’ve really enjoyed about watching Wivenhoe this summer is the belief and trust placed in youth. We’re not talking teenagers here but really young kids, possibly eleven or twelve upwards.
This was the case for the first session of umpiring. The two umpires looked as though they were about to make the transition from primary to secondary school. They did a mighty fine job in holding the game together.
The wicket itself caused a few problems. It was as far as possible to the left of the square and away from the pavilion. The best vantage point would have been right in my sweet corn patch over in the allotment.
We opted instead, along with the rest of the growing crowd of Sunday social spectators, to sit close to the pavilion. It is always best to be within walking distance of the bar.
Chin chin.
When we arrived, ever so slightly fashionably late, Wivenhoe were toiling away in the field. Abberton were already on 106 for 1 after 19 overs.
We’re starting now to be on head nodding and even hello terms with some of the Wivenhoe players. We’ve also got a couple of faves. One of these is the hop, skip and jump Wivenhoe spin bowler, who was looking half decent once again this afternoon.
The only downer for me was that I was sitting around some dog shit. I didn’t realise this at first. A wicket fell and I missed it. I had dog shit on my mind.
This was a hot afternoon where responsibilities needed to be shared. The call went out from the pavilion for a new scorer. I half fancied my chances but I struggle with basic arithmetic at the best of times. If in doubt make it up.
Something else we have noticed from this rather marvellous level of village cricket is that there is more spin than pace. Wivenhoe had three genuine spin bowlers who were turning the ball with some ease. Take note Surrey.
Abberton were putting on something of a run chase. A couple of consecutive big boundaries did some scoreboard damage. One of the balls came very close to me in my dog shit patch. I got to live out my village cricket dreams by returning the ball. I just about managed to throw it 10 m or so.
The Estuary Wilds' heat was unforgiving. We had to do a strategic shifting of the picnic bench to take under more cover.
Meanwhile there was some impressive pace coming from the Wivenhoe ginger kid, who was having to bowl up the hill.
The youth theme continued when out from the hutch strolled out Abberton’s new batter, who must have still been at primary school. His partner out in the middle was slightly more rotund. It was like watching Little and Large at the crease together.
The young kid managed one run and was then caught. I think everyone watching by the boundary was just pleased to see that he didn’t walk after his first ball. This left Abberton with an impressive 205 for eight after 40 overs.
A brief turn around and after some sausage rolls were necked in the pavilion, and it was then time for Abberton to take to the field. I was surprised to see the young kid had been entrusted to keep wicket for the visitors. Once again he didn’t let his more mature teammates down.
The Wivenhoe opener was caught very cheaply in the first over. Oh dear.
Meanwhile a leather boy rocked up with his motorbike behind the bowler’s arm. A slight delay took place. You don’t see this very often at Lords.
It was at this stage in the afternoon that I dozed off. The fall of another wicket woke me up.
Abberton were very vocal in the field. SHOUT OUT to one of their players who put in an impressive sprint in a chase with the ball towards the boundary, and then an even more impressive dive on what is a rock hard surface. Good effort fella.
Wivenhoe were chasing the game. Meanwhile back at base I was keen to catch the second half of Mansfield Town against Sheffield United. I made my excuses and wandered off.
Another decent afternoon out at Rectory Road.
