22^nd June 2011 Match Report

Captain's Report

Weather:  Warm evening - Sunny at times

Background: This was a game that encompassed all that is best in Taverners cricket.  It had all the ingredients we hope for, but which rarely all come together at the same time.  It was played in the right spirit: competitive but always good humoured and friendly.  The setting was the beautiful tree-girt grounds of Aravon School in Co Wicklow, the wicket was (joy of joys!) real grass, and the evening was warm and still and even sunny at times.  But on top of this - the cherry on top of the cake so to speak - was the fact that the game was decided on the very last ball.  It is rare for a game of cricket, Taverners or otherwise, to go down to the wire where it is won or lost on the last ball of the match.

Batting:

The Archives batted first and soon discovered that Wicklow were especially sharp in the field.  Their field placings were sensible, some difficult catches were held and the bowling was pretty tidy right down the list, as evidenced by Cavanagh's 0-6, Cairns' 1-7 and Blahm's 1-7.  Even more profligate bowlers like Buck, who was hit for 19 runs, nonetheless took the wickets of two of our most reliable batsmen Stewart Reay and Joe Fallon before they had got more than a handful of runs.  The score book shows the damage Wicklow did to the Archives' batsmen: Ian Walker run out for 14, Pierce Butler bowled for 1, William Wilshere (the only Dalkey player to get his twenty) not out for 23 (2.1.1.1.1.4.4.6.3), Stewart Reay bowled for 4, Joe Fallon caught for 10, Patrick Wilshere caught for 2, Owen Jacob bowled for 11, Humphrey Cuzner bowled for 9, Dave Lee caught for 3, Richard Corkin bowled for 12, and finally Pierce Butler (again!) not out for 2.  In the ordinary course of events several of these players would have been good for their twenties, but Wicklow did a fine job of pinning us down to a total of 105 after 20 overs.

Bowling

With a relatively low target of 106 to win Wicklow looked odds-on to take the honours unless Dalkey bowled and fielded with the same zest as Wicklow had.  At the crease Wicklow's fortunes with the bat ebbed and flowed; Peter, an opening bat, was well caught by Humphrey Cuzner fielding at silly cover early in the innings, while other batsmen fared better and knocked the Archives' ball round a bit.  For a while it looked like Wicklow would win the match with an over or two to spare, but some of the Archives' bowling was particularly solid (Stewart Reay, Patrick Wilshere and Richard Corkin all bowled consistently good medium paced line and length) and as the game progressed it became evident that it was going to be tight.

William Wilshere had the honour of bowling the last over and after five thrifty balls it looked as if the elusive boundary needed by Wicklow to win the match was going to be denied to them.  However, with the very last ball, the Wicklow batsman crashed the ball over the square leg boundary to secure a fine, exciting victory.

Post Match Details

Wicklow entertained us to their traditional gracious hospitality upstairs in the Coach Inn after the match, and thanks are due to Robin Fleming and the team for their camaraderie.  The Dalkey man of the match was William Wilshere: he thoroughly deserved his bottle of wine for a superb all round performance with bat, ball and wicket keeping gloves. The Wicklow man of the match was Peter for two magnificent catches on the boundary, one of which was taken one handed, and we hope he enjoys his bottle of wine.

A toast was drunk to our friend Morgan Dockrell who is recovering from a heart attack; we all hope he makes a speedy recovery and can join us on the pitch again in his distinctive blue jacket before too long.

Report Compiled by: Owen Jacob (Captain)