Today Remnants were scheduled to play what seems likely to be its only new opposition for 2010: Cambridge Silicon Radio (i.e., Remnants regular Kiran Sakhamuri's new work team). However for most of the day it looked like CSR weren't going to get to play their first fixture, as Cambridge was pelted with heavy rain that fell from dark, grey clouds.
Dark clouds of a different sort almost prevented Dave Williams from playing at all, as until two days ago he was "trapped" in Crete due to the Icelandic volcano ash cloud. But the skies over Europe cleared in time for him to get back for today's match, and he not only made a dominant on-field contribution, but also filed this report:
The evening's formalities began with Tom Serby, in his second match as captain, winning the toss and choosing to bat in a rain-shortened "12 eights" match. He gave the job of opening to the tried-and-tested Williams/Clarke combo, and pretty soon Nick, in particular, got his mojo working, carving and pulling the erratic bowling, the second over going for ??. In spite of lengthy field adjustments by CSR captain Sakhamuri, the ball was flying to all parts of the ground - or at least those parts where Messrs Williams and Clarke usually hit them (i.e., CENSORED BY THE EDITOR). After ?? eight-ball overs our total was a meaty ??/?, and the CSR players' body language was (as they say) looking decidedly negative.
But then Nick pulled a slower delivery into the far-off outfield, where the fielder cleanly took the difficult catch - or did he go backwards over the boundary? He claimed it, and Russ (umpiring at square-leg) was too far away to see . . . but Nick immediately and generously walked (for 14). In came Tom Serby, who immediately started to play with authority, highlighted by a stylish straight-driven six over mid-on. Dave, meanwhile, took a liking to one of the slow bowlers and deposited consecutive balls for 6 4 6 over the short leg-side boundary on the Eachard Road side of the ground. After Tom was dismissed for 27, John Gull (15*) came to crease, still in his brown maths teacher's uniform after a hard day at the chalkface (or interactive whiteboard-face, whatever it is they have these days). With the field now set deep, Dave tiring, and John not really finding his range, we didn't accelerate as much as we'd have liked, but with John turning ones into twos with some hard-running, we finished on a commanding 137/2. John seemed happy just for a chance to have a rest, whereas Dave was just happy, having finished on 62 not out.
Les Collings (1/18) and Andy Owen (0/19) opened the bowling for Remnants, with Kiran now acting as umpire (and quickly warming to his task of calling the same one-day wides we called earlier). CSR lost early wickets and looked like they were struggling, especially one unfortunate batsman who went for a sweep in the gathering gloom top edged the ball into his face. Luckily it was just his forehead/eyebrow, and he was conscious and less damaged than you might fear . . . but why don't we all wear helmets?
When play resumed, CSR's young keeper/opener (obligingly wearing a yellow helmet so the carotene-deficient among us could see who - or at least where - he was) was finding his timing, driving into the large gaps and taking singles at will to a rather magnanimously deep inner ring. At ??/? off ?? overs, could CSR pull off a shock win? After a cameo over from Dave Green, featuring ? wides and three deliveries that completely foxed the batsman, Russell Woolf (2/23) came on and started to apply some pressure, his wickets including the yellow-hatted opener, who was well caught by Tom Serby. Meanwhile, newcomer Sean Dennis (2/15) sent down a tidy spell from the tennis court end - it would have been an impressive enough Remnants debut even without the knowledge that he's really a batsman - but then maybe it's the sort of figures the average English cricketer has come to expect from an Australian called Dennis. CSR responded by sending in a young big-hitting left-hander, but there were just too many runs to make. It was near impossible to see the scoreboard by this time, but the calmness of captain Tom (and of the batsmen) suggested they thought it was all over - as, indeed, it was.
We thus got our first win on the board; and, maybe even more importantly, CSR proved to be delightful opposition. Lots friendly pints were supped after the game, and Les, in top form, regaled everyone with tales of his experiences of gun crime (not his!) on two continents. (Who said antiquarian book-sellers were quiet types?) Sadly, there was cause to toast the end of Mike Sneyd's career as a full-time Remnant: he's officially hung up his boots, although he does plan to play in a few late-season matches.
On a more administrative note, many thanks to all for tagging along with the membership shoe tags. This is simply for my convenience - no slight intended to anyone. I proposed them at the AGM because my record-keeping is poor, and I am too lazy to nail down information from anyone who collected subs when I am not there; then it gets complicated later in the season when new people play and no one knows if they should be paying the GBP 3.00/1.50 or GBP 5.00/2.50 rate. Attaching them to body piercings is not mandatory (and neither is there any club requirement for body-piercings themselves, at least for the moment), but it would helpful if you can put them on your boots.
