Mike Brearley is possibly the most famous cricket captain to be selected more for his abilities to defeat his opponents through strategy and leadership than with either bat or ball. However, this greatly undersells the influence of former Shangai Shangaiians captain Sun Tzu on not only captaincy, but also the general thinking on cricket. Though he was known to favour cover driving with chopsticks rather than a cricket bat, his treatise on cricket zen called The Art of War was described by Wisden in the 6th century BC as having “the greatest impact on modern cricket since the invention of the 4 pint cardboard cupholder”. Among his many musings on topics such as Tactical Dispositions, Waging War and Maneuvering, it is his thoughts on Terrain that ride most striking considering the current predicament of the elite Kilmington and Stourton First Regiment. To know the terrain and to play to the specific advantages and disadvantages of that terrain is of the utmost importance. One may not have more knowledge of that terrain than in their own province. The much discussed “home ground advantage”. The home ground advantage brings an intimate knowledge of methods to the home teams game…every blade of grass, every bump, every rabbit hole, every large seagull dropping splattered across the wicket is to be nurtured and learned so that, when the enemy arrives, any opponent equal to or lesser in skill and voracity than the home team will be swept aside by the stinging winds of local victory. Aside from the terrain itself, a home game brings the roar of the crowd for every boundary struck and every wicket taken that elevates the home side into an exalted position reserved for the mightiest heroes of battle or reality television.
Kilmington and Stourton hosted friendly rivals Middlezoy in what was a top of the table clash, both teams having a game in hand thanks to the earlier rearranged fixture where KSCC came away clear winners and doing the job with only 10 men. Middlezoy are an accomplished outfit, however, and a team not be taken lightly. With Duncan Burles needing a week off after so much bat swinging, local hero Nick Second Rowe turned out for his annual fixture. The pitch had sweated a little under the covers after a wet week, but still looked good. Middlezoy won the toss and elected to have a bowl.
There are few things as daunting as facing a fit and rampaging Nemesis Barnard. He found instant pace, swing and movement off the pitch…as usual, he was well served by his partner in crime Ben Warren, who’s left arm swingers tied down the openers. It was a sluggish start to the run scoring, but wickets were being kept intact….until an out of sorts El Capitan smashed one backward of square straight to backward point…possibly the only catch that particular gentleman will ever take in his entire cricketing career. Unfortunately, most of what follows I have to report by word of mouth as I missed almost the whole thing running various errands. However, I am assured that what I missed was a partnership of the highest class. Sheik Cosby-el-Gasper joined the Anternator to repel the Middlezoy attack and raise the run-rate at an alarming rate. Their rollicking partnership of 101 came in only 15 overs. The Anternator set about some very batsman-like striking of the ball while the Sheik dug a tunnel under the inner fielding ring and proceeded to sell scented toilet paper to the out fielders. Bowlers came and went during the run-fest but to no avail. Eventually, the fun ended when Anter (61) bounced down the wicket to the spinner but miscued to the waiting hands of point. The Professors horror run continued with a first ball quacker and, not long after, Jules (37) was out skying a full bunger to fine leg. In a blow to anti-racial stereotyping groups around the county, The Sheik could be found gesticulating and yelling that it was a no-ball for the next 5 hours and, at one point, threatened to set the umpires house on fire and steal his goats. His wicket, no matter how lucky/unlucky, put the brakes on the innings. Rayzzo (18) couldn’t find anyone to rebuild the innings with as batsman after batsman found themselves tied up and unable to rotate the strike in the face of the returning Barnard and Warren. Only a late flurry from Spence and Snooky took the score to 187/9 from our 45. A disappointing return from a good batting line-up after a stellar second wicket partnership.
The early signs were not good for KSCC when young superstar Tom Barton broke down after 2 overs and had to be pushed off the pitch and parked at gully. Livewire Benny stepped in to fill the breach and secured the first wicket with an off-speed yorker that did the batsman all ends up. However, the real magic was being reeled off from the other end. The Strangler set about choking up one end with an incredible 5 consecutive maidens with a precise line and cunning cutters. He didn’t claim any wickets, but his first 8 over spell went for only 7 runs before he was brought off to be saved for his main opponent, Nemisis Barnard, who he has enjoyed success against in the past. Unfortunately, El Capitan bowled 2 overs of complete muck and had to be replaced by Freddie Barton. The Professor has been doing the business with the ball rather than the bat this season and his first 5 overs captured a wicket for only 11 runs in return. He lost his way a bit in the last one, but the pressure was still being applied. Spin twins Freddie and the slightly older twin, The Destroyer, captured important wickets without going for too many. The entry of Barnard saw the return of Snooky and battle commenced. Once again, Snooky was all over Nemisis and, with Spence nabbing another batsman stumped by Rayzzo the game was on. However, once again KSCC fell victim to another counterattack and Middlezoy blazed 25 from 3 overs (including 11 from the last Snooky over to ruin his figures). The game went into the last over but they only required one ball to find the boundary and relegate KSCC to another home loss.
So this year, we are 5 of 5 away from home and 0 from 3 on our own turf. All 3 games we have lost have made it into the last over, which is a credit, but on each occasion we simply have not managed to put enough runs on the board to defend.
Batting:
A Williams 61
J Cosby 37
R Rose 18
Bowling: o m r w
S Churchill 7 0 31 2
F Barton 8 0 47 2
J Rowe 5.1 2 25 1
B Chant 7 0 29 1
S Snook**** 12 5 29 0
Until next week,
Skippy
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