Dynamos 2018
21/09/20 16:37 Filed in: 2018
“You don’t win anything with kids” so said Alan Hansen on the opening day on the 1995/96 Premier League season in respect of the young Man Utd team which went on to win the double. Taking Hansen’s advice to heart, skipper Clarke selected a vastly experienced team for this game. Only the skipper represented the Millennial generation, the remainder being Thatcher’s children, save for Nigel Power QC who as a young man in the 80s, and if he is to be believed, was a lefty antagonist rather than the respectable pillar of society he has now become.
The Bar batted first and once again it was skipper Clarke leading from the front with an impressive innings. Several 6s intermingled with fine strokeplay saw the skipper get to 52 off 26 balls, a third consecutive 50+ in red ink. Chester provided solid if unspectacular support and attained his unbeaten half century after 38 balls. In relation to the rest of the innings it was a case of everyone chipping in to varying extent, Tinkler’s 20 off 15 probably the pick of the bunch, whilst Mornington’s soporific 12/16 calmed the crowd after the excitement of Clarke’s innings. Harthan, having failed with the bat on his last appearance, was relegated to the bottom of the order and consequently did not get any time at the crease which, whilst harsh, sent a clear message that failure under the new regime will not be tolerated. Also worthy of mention is the fact that the Bar sportingly lent 2 fielders to the opposition to make their numbers up, albeit Rogers nullified the threat of their opening bowler by colliding with him in the field. As events proved it was to be the last of the sporting gestures of the evening, albeit not the last of Rogers’ slapstick fielding.
The Bar posted 154. Mornington and Chester opened the bowling and the oppo made steady progress without loss. The skip then brought himself and Power into the attack and it would be fair to say that they had contrasting fortunes, you can probably hazard a guess which way. Nonetheless Power had a good shout for a caught behind against the opening batsman but was too shocked at landing one on the wicket to make much of an appeal. The batsman stayed in his crease and having no reason to doubt his good faith your correspondent was, at the time, willing to attribute the snick as the ball passed the bat to an innocent explanation. The most memorable moment, and one which will take some beating when it comes round to awarding this year’s Tonker Tankard / Eastwood Urn, was when Rogers came running in at, for him, great speed in order to catch a skied shot, but missed it completely with his hands resulting in the ball continuing its downward trajectory into Rogers’ tenderest regions. All around collapsed in mirth whilst Rogers collapsed in pain. However, it proved to be the turning point of the game. Rogers and Armstrong bowled some very tidy overs which swung the game in the Bar’s favour. Clearly Rogers just needs a good whack in the testicles before bowling to be at his best. Two stumpings and a fine caught and bowled from the skip meant that the oppo, with just 6 batsmen, were struggling for wickets. However with the opener returning to the crease Dynamos were still very much in the game. There then followed a controversial incident which your correspondent was well placed to comment upon. Armstrong deceived the opener with a looping delivery which clipped, in a relatively thickish way, the batsman’s edge. Despite a vociferous appeal the umpire failed to raise the finger and to the Bar’s dismay the batsman remained in situ for at least his second and most probably his third life. Anyway, on this occasion cheating did not prosper and the Dynamo’s innings limped to an end with a relatively comfortable victory for the Bar. The Bar move on to next week’s top of the table clash with Action in fine spirit.
MoM; T. Clarke
The Bar batted first and once again it was skipper Clarke leading from the front with an impressive innings. Several 6s intermingled with fine strokeplay saw the skipper get to 52 off 26 balls, a third consecutive 50+ in red ink. Chester provided solid if unspectacular support and attained his unbeaten half century after 38 balls. In relation to the rest of the innings it was a case of everyone chipping in to varying extent, Tinkler’s 20 off 15 probably the pick of the bunch, whilst Mornington’s soporific 12/16 calmed the crowd after the excitement of Clarke’s innings. Harthan, having failed with the bat on his last appearance, was relegated to the bottom of the order and consequently did not get any time at the crease which, whilst harsh, sent a clear message that failure under the new regime will not be tolerated. Also worthy of mention is the fact that the Bar sportingly lent 2 fielders to the opposition to make their numbers up, albeit Rogers nullified the threat of their opening bowler by colliding with him in the field. As events proved it was to be the last of the sporting gestures of the evening, albeit not the last of Rogers’ slapstick fielding.
The Bar posted 154. Mornington and Chester opened the bowling and the oppo made steady progress without loss. The skip then brought himself and Power into the attack and it would be fair to say that they had contrasting fortunes, you can probably hazard a guess which way. Nonetheless Power had a good shout for a caught behind against the opening batsman but was too shocked at landing one on the wicket to make much of an appeal. The batsman stayed in his crease and having no reason to doubt his good faith your correspondent was, at the time, willing to attribute the snick as the ball passed the bat to an innocent explanation. The most memorable moment, and one which will take some beating when it comes round to awarding this year’s Tonker Tankard / Eastwood Urn, was when Rogers came running in at, for him, great speed in order to catch a skied shot, but missed it completely with his hands resulting in the ball continuing its downward trajectory into Rogers’ tenderest regions. All around collapsed in mirth whilst Rogers collapsed in pain. However, it proved to be the turning point of the game. Rogers and Armstrong bowled some very tidy overs which swung the game in the Bar’s favour. Clearly Rogers just needs a good whack in the testicles before bowling to be at his best. Two stumpings and a fine caught and bowled from the skip meant that the oppo, with just 6 batsmen, were struggling for wickets. However with the opener returning to the crease Dynamos were still very much in the game. There then followed a controversial incident which your correspondent was well placed to comment upon. Armstrong deceived the opener with a looping delivery which clipped, in a relatively thickish way, the batsman’s edge. Despite a vociferous appeal the umpire failed to raise the finger and to the Bar’s dismay the batsman remained in situ for at least his second and most probably his third life. Anyway, on this occasion cheating did not prosper and the Dynamo’s innings limped to an end with a relatively comfortable victory for the Bar. The Bar move on to next week’s top of the table clash with Action in fine spirit.
MoM; T. Clarke