Of all the sports to grace our wonderfully doomed lump of rock called Earth, few sports are geared towards the concept of the highlights package as cricket. There cannot be a single true fan of the game who has not been at a live game, turned momentarily to thank someone for a cup of tea and then missed the only wicket for 183 minutes, a spectacular delivery never to be repeated. The concept of a highlights package to summarise the tedium into a cohesive story of derring and do dates back to the early days of the 16th century, when burgeoning playwrights were invited by the King to record the babbling utterances of Mad Prince Cuthbert. The Mad Prince would walk the halls of the Palace in 3 to 5 day episodes and would, once all the leeches had run out, lead his doctors to attempt to recreate the fictional game of ‘Cricket’ prevalent in these murmurings, a seeming constant amongst all the other talk of cakes and seagulls. A young scallywag called Billy Shakespeare was among this cadre of playwrights and it is from here he drew much inspiration for his later works, including the famous line “To take 2 or middle? That is the question.” These sessions were then summarised into 1 hour plays which were enacted on the stage so that the public could enjoy what would later prove to be an amazingly coherent and prescient account of the English County season 1968-69. So enthralling were these highlight plays, that England was formally separated into the Counties so that people could migrate to an area of the country where they could share their adoration of Prince Cuthbert’s fictional teams with like minded individuals.
By the time of the Victorian era, Cricket had become reality. However, with this reality came the uncomfortable notion of the exploits of real life persons being immediately re-enacted on the stage that very evening. Many talented cricketers and less talented actors were lost to pistol duels during this time when players took exception to the way that they were portrayed on stage. Ever the innovators, Victorian engineers came up with a unique system to protect viewers of the game from the slow, boring bits and only show the excitement of highlights! A series of large steam engines were installed at The Oval which were attached to giant iron screens placed around the ground. Above each set of screens sat an expert cricket pundit, who’s main skill was to be able to read the ebb and flow of the game in such a way as to recognise when something exciting might happen and open the screens at a suitable juncture. These screens would open at a frightening rate and with a great thunder clap of force as pressure was released from the giant engines. Not surprisingly, this did often cause the required highlights to occur. Batsmen would be bowled as they leapt in surprise and fielders would be clattered by the opening screens, completely miss the ball travelling towards them and result in a boundary. Even in the earliest days of television highlights, producers would routinely install enormous speakers at the ground to boom out the simulated noise of the traditional iron gates to keep the MCC happy.
Rain had come down during the morning and most of the drive from the general Kilmington area to Wells was performed through steady to hard rain. However, arrival at the ground showed that the worst of it had missed the thriving mecca of East Horrington. The wicket was still covered with a light drizzle in the air when the start time passed, but the covers soon came off and both sides got their first look at a green wicket. As ever, El Capitan choked on the toss where the choice of action was obvious, and was duly invited to get his openers padded up.
Sammy G and Ballistic Tomlinson toiled hard in the early overs to stifle the new ball. It was hard going, with the pitch giving the sort of assistance normally only offered to bowlers by Indian Test batsmen when off the sub-continent. It was an impressive effort by both to stay in control and to ignore the odd ball that did a bit. While Mark performed his normal role of acting as bodyguard to the standing umpire, Sammy G started to crawl out of his shell with a couple of lofted straight drives to make use of the not overly distant straight boundaries. Once the hard work was over, Ballistic decided to let someone else have a go, playing a trademark uppish drive to the man at cover. The Anternator strode to the wicket with purpose and immediately deployed that purpose with some effect. Without middling the ball, he managed to clear the boundary a couple of times and he and Sammy G upped the run rate with some good running. With Ant looking good and an assured looking Sammy G passing 50, Horrington were being put under considerable pressure on the scoreboard. However, another big score went begging for Sammy G when he was run out for 63 as The Anternator looked for one too many. Livewire Benny had the power shut off before he got started and so the unsinkable Ray Rose strode to the wicket to anchor the innings. While The Anternator continued to pummel, Rayzzo picked up 1’s and 2’s aplenty against the increasingly ragged Horrington. At 152/3 in the 30th over, things were looking pretty good. By the 35th over it was 195/3. The 40th over passed with the score on 238/3. During this time, The Anternator passed 3 figures for the first time in KSCC colours (white), to the jubilation of his team mates and the inanimate pain of his pads which he struck viciously in celebration. Not long after, he was finally out trying to push the scoring even harder, run out and with another 7 6’s in his pocket for the sixes trophy. El Capitan was caught on the boundary chasing runs, but Rayzzo cleared the boundary twice late to see KSCC finish with a massive 283/5 from their 45 overs.
Some big scores had been scored at Horrington, so there was still the thought that there was a job to do in the second innings. Even if the score was enough, it would be critical in the chase for promotion to secure the full 35 points for the game. Tommy B’s first over was all over the place and went for 8, some in wides and one from a clattered stand and deliver 4. However, the tyro struck back in his second over to work the opener over and then shatter the stumps in a wicket maiden. He then helped Snooky grab a wicket maiden of his own, taking a sharp debut catch at first slip from a trademark Snooky outswinger. The pressure was kept on Horrington when the dangerous De Lange was run out by a direct hit from mid off courtesy of Livewire Benny. There was no run there, and Benny made him pay for it to continue the high standard in the KSCC fielding in the early overs. From that point, Horrington started to shut up shop with the target a long way off. The Professor made a long awaited comeback with the ball and was keeping it tight, but the remaining opener gave him a hand in the wicket column and punched a catch into the deep. The chase for wickets was on, which regulations dictate should be achieved through engaging the spin twins. Spence was the first to strike, having 2 men caught long and straight. One of those catches was the catch of the season, Sammy G making ground to his right and taking the catch at full stretch, horizontal and mere inches from the ground. The Destroyer then picked up his third wicket with the batsman playing the wrong line to an offie and disturbing the bails. It all looked on, but Horrington started a mini-fight back. The result was never in question, but it looked like they could hold out with wickets in hand despite Freddie looking very dangerous with the ball. Darkness was creeping in after the late start and so the pace bowlers had to be kept in the pocket...it would be down to the spinners. One valuable wicket was found through some inspirational fielding by Freddie out near cow corner, whipping the ball in as the batsmen took a single and taking out the top of the bail to catch the batsman short of his ground. There was still one wicket required in the final over and the until-then-wicketless Golden Boy turned one through the gate to seal a memorable victory for many reasons.
It was a complete performance. Great batting, great fielding and great bowling. A satisfying team performance. So many highlights.
To cap it off, Castle Cary stumbled at Wells, turning the KSCC v Castle Cary matchup next week into a must-win for them and a chance to secure promotion for the mighty KSCC.
Batting:
A Williams 108
S Gillatt 63
R Rose 50*
M Tomlinson 22
Bowling: o m r w
S Churchill 11 0 39 3
J Rowe 5 1 10 1
S Snook 8 2 17 1
T Barton 6 3 18 1
F Barton 9.4 1 27 1
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