Written by 2012/13 Tour Sec: John Liddle
WHO WANTS TO GAMBLE?
The UWMCC set off on Sunday 30th June on our annual Domestic Tour, Brighton and firstly Bournemouth had the dubious honour of hosting our esteemed athletes. Jewson and Liddle had previously speculated that whatever could go wrong, would go wrong on this tour, their theory was soon proved correct as the Tour Sec sprained his ankle, rendering the strike bowler a major injury doubt, and left Jewson to the task of helping to clearout Liddle’s house, many thanks.
Our first fixture was against Hinton Admiral CC, in a picturesque part of the New Forest. The match got underway with new 2s Captain Jonny Bradshaw’s fresh-dominated team stating their belief that this’d be a comfortable win against a “village side”. Such was Bradshaw’s confidence, he opened the bowling with S.T. Roudy, with devastating consequences for the wildlife of the New Forest. Numerous balls were lost in the trees, with new Bean-Counter extraordinaire Miten Khatri despairing over next year’s budgets.
Though the innings was dragged back towards the end, the UWMCC allowed Hinton Admiral a few too many, though Bradshaw remained defiant “this is a 300 pitch”, the UWMCC were predictably skittled in reply, despite some brave hitting from Bennett and Hobbs.
Hinton Admiral CC 191ao Godfrey 8-2-32-3
UWMCC 177ao Bennett 44, Hobbs 23*
The next day saw some hugely competitive beach rugby and cricket, as well as the club’s best attempts to bankrupt the Pizza Hut Buffet Lunch, but to no avail. In the evening we played our second fixture, a T20 game vs Parley CC at the superlative Dean Park ground. The ground, previously used regularly by Hampshire had the UWMCC purring, and numerous tourists hoped to replicate the heroics of cricketing legends Barry Richards and Gordon Greenidge whose photos adorned the pavilion walls. Against a weakened side the UWMCC posted a whopping total, with Nedmonds making a very classy 50* (rtd) at the top of the innings, and JT launching some bombs at the end of the innings, as well as getting a 7, 3 runs and 4 overthrows (a bizarre UWMCC record perhaps?).
In reply, Parley started rather well, but their South African middle order failed to fire, Van Wyk turning out not to be Kruger Van Wyk former Kiwi wicketkeeper, to skipper Robinson’s delight. With the ball some tight stuff from Godfrey, Hobbs and Beauclerk was capitalised upon later on with JT picking up an excellent Michelle Pfeiffer, including the most plum LBW decision witnessed in the history of Cricket, though like all good batsmen the Parley batsman still felt he’d been unfairly triggered by the greatest Yorkshire Umpire since Dicky Bird. An honorable mention to Rob Nicholls who took a superb catch on the boundary.
UWMCC 181-5 20overs, Edmonds 50 (35) ret, Thomas 42(23)
Parley CC 142-8 20overs, Thomas 4-0-16-5, Knott 4-0-29-2
The superb weather that had shone during the first two games promptly disappeared as the rain and mist descended for the third game at New Milton CC. To the relief of those not playing an excellent club house with Sky Sports, Wimbledon and a well-stocked bar was a decent vantage point to watch the game from, rather than standing in the drizzle. Between rain interruptions the UWMCC started very brightly on the pitch, Tom Godfrey taking 4 wickets with some excellent bowling. Despite that a strong lower order fight back and a further demolition of Knotty’s bowling figures saw New Milton CC set a competitive target. The club’s prestige reached a new low as Rory “The Moose” Annandale bowled a fiery spell of bouncers… at a no.10 batsman who was still on the wrong side of puberty.
Cameron Beauclerk was given the honour of captaincy in his final game before he departs on his year in Santiago, Chile, and his side made short work of the New Milton total, thanks to an outstanding innings by Jonny Bradshaw. This wasn’t enough for his team-mates who demanded to be entertained, his eventual dismissal being greeted with raucous cheers from the boundary. A vintage UWMCC collapse made defeat a possibility, before Luke Robinson took matters into his own hands and biffed his first ball for six to win the game. Special mention to a delighted Richard Stroud who made his highest ever score in competitive Cricket, scoring 14, beating his previous best by …14 runs.
New Milton CC 160-9 40 overs, Godfrey 8-1-28-4, Annandale 8-2-23-3.
UWMCC 165-7 29.1 overs, Bradshaw 74, Bennett 18.
A comprehensive victory and Oli Denne’s first full circle in charge capped an excellent end to the stay in Bournemouth. Though here cracks started to appear in the club’s navigational abilities, Josh Thomas’ claims to be a “gun” navigator were becoming increasingly far-fetched on a magical mystery tour of Bournemouth’s coastline.
From here the club departed to Brighton for the next leg of our tour. An 18 person dormitory made for some rather pungent smells, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9iXlOHtzV4 . Following another demolished buffet, the club headed to its final fixture, Crowhurst Park in Sussex. A long journey up narrow country roads was eventually worth it for a game within slogging distance of the Hastings coastline. Tour Sec Liddle was fit again after a week of nervous late fitness tests and given the opportunity to captain for the first (and most likely) last time.
A strong start from the bowling attack, including some good seem movement from The Moose and excellent off-spin from JT set up the UWMCC. Late overs, however, were too expensive and gave Crowhurst too many on a bowler’s wicket. Club money-counters again wept again as many a match ball were catapulted in the Sussex countryside. Josh Thomas wrapped up the tail to secure his second 5-for of the tour, though not enough to earn him a baggy according to President Knotty, who was in awe of a spinner who actually turned a ball.
The chase started badly, with Greet in his final ever UWMCC innings succumbing early, as did Khatri, another out-of-nick batsmen soon claiming he was an all-rounder. Liddle and Robinson came together for a rather one-sided partnership, 44 runs, 2 from Liddle’s bat, before a calamitous run-out mixup. Robinson also in his final ever UWMCC game looked to be making a hero of himself, before he was undone for 76. Despite claims of a “gun lower-order”, the UWMCC duly obliged to collapse from 119-3 to 135-9, with murmurings of a batting line-up eerily reminiscent of Alex Walker’s “Gun Top 7”.
Crowhurst Park CC 191ao 38overs Thomas 6-1-14-5, Liddle 3-0-22-2.
UWMCC 151ao 37.3overs Robinson 76, Edmonds 26.
In all an extremely enjoyable tour both on and off the pitch, and some fully deserved wearers of the new Dick of the Day hat. On a personal note I’d like to thank everyone who came , in particularly the drivers who gave up time and effort to help continue the club’s proud touring tradition. I’m assured a tour-mupdate is forthcoming.
Tourists; John Liddle, Liam David, Luke Robinson, Jon Greet, Matt Flower, Simon Knott, Josh Thomas, Miten Khatri, Nick Edmonds, Jack Jewson, Matt Howe, Cameron Beauclerk, Connor Hobbs, Rory Annandale, Oli Denne, Alex Bennett, Jonny Bradshaw, Tom Godfrey, Richard Stroud, Rob Nicholls.
Ducks; Oli Denne, Jack Jewson, Rory Annandale, Richard Stroud, Rob Nicholls, Matt Howe.