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SUPERSTARS A LITTLE GREEN |
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It was a bright spring afternoon but with a cool
easterly breeze as we strolled through the pleasant suburbs of Dulwich to take on Green Sox
in the first of our double header. Arriving almost on time (some of us slightly delayed by
a "short cut"). |
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Two shocks awaited, firstly we were a full
eleven and secondly Barry had won the toss. Barry elected to bat, wary of the light by the
end of the match. |
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The strip was on the edge of the square so one
boundary was much shorter than the other, with an actual rope for a boundary. |
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Green Sox started with a quickish medium pace
at one end and a classy legspinner at the other. With some uneven bounce, runs were hard to
come by for Superstars Gaught and Conway. And harder to come by more for one than the other. |
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A change of bowling accelerated the pace of the
game. Conway going six, six (lost ball via the roof of a garden shed} and out, caught
looking to repeat the trick; a rapid 20 off 11 balls. That bowler was immediately taken off
not to be seen again. A wicket or two more (Patwal and Kinnard) and we had the timeless
pairing of Gaught and Gigg at the wicket. It wasn't long before the inevitable happened
and Gaught was run out. |
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Plahe struck some lusty blows before being bowled for
11. Duggan then also fell to the skipper's optimism: "If I cut the ball straight to backward
point, Michael might just make it if the fielder mucks it up" - he didn't. |
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Cue discussion on the boundary of whether we should
have a team song and if so what it should be about... (see below). |
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Barry fought his way to 27 retired and debutant
Sears came in just in time for the opening quick to return for his final over and bowl a
succession of bouncers, one of which he gloved to the keeper. |
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We ended on 118 which felt a few runs below par. |
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Sears opened the bowling with quick accurate left
arm over bowling batsmen 2 and 3 cheaply giving Superstars some hope. Gary's hope of a wicket
depending more on catches which were falling just out of reach - or into reach and out again.
Greensox batsmen 1 (Athwal) and 4 (Formela) settled in and started to take the game away from
Superstars. Forman eventually chiselled out Formela for 20 but No. 5 also batted well. The
wonder of wonders we took a catch, Duggan running round to pouch a skier off Frankland.
Everybody said that they were always confident the catch would be taken - but most of them
could do with some acting classes. Then another was pouched as Gaught held one straight
down his throat at midwicket off Duggan and a third, Sears off Frankland. Did Superstars
have a chance? |
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But sadly despite Sears coming back for a 4th over,
too much damage had already been done and Greensox saw it home with an over and a half to spare.
We drowned our sorrows at a pub by Herne Hill. |
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And the song... |
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(to the tune of 'A bicycle made for two') |
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Barry, Barry give him your answer do. |
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He's half crazy: is it a run? Or two!? |
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It's only his Superstars debut, |
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We've told him all about you |
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But "Run!" you'll shout! |
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And he'll be out! |
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We've all been your victims too! |
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Author: Michael Duggan |
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Team: Gaught, Conway, Patwal, Kinnard (debut), Gigg (c), Plahe, Duggan, Sears(debut), Frankland, Forman, Spry. |
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