Rickmansworth & Isambard Cricket Club

It was a sunny sleepy day in Dibley, sorry Marlow, when Isambard rolled into town. Which may explain why its taken me a long summer heatwave month to get the hay straw out of my mouth chilling by the Isis and actually get down to writing this report.
 
When I started putting my dreaming spires quill to paper to record our first win of the season, the event of the moment was the final of Britain's Got Talent, which is probably past its social commentary sell-by date, so we will never know who was gonna be compared with the ritalin loaded pre-pubescent mad teenage drummer, the now-obligatory elderly scottish woman with the pub singer voice, nor dancing dog nor partner .. and certainly not the gold-painted squad of gymnasts in tight black shorts hurling themselves over Piers Morgan (suspect outside the off stump), Amanda Holden (as prone to hooking as Andrew Hilditch), or Simon Callow (who has not been the same player since Louis Walsh took out his middle stump). You all know who you are anyway.
 
We turned up on a sun-kissed Sunday afternoon, to be told by the local wise man (posing as the scorer) that 300 could be a losing score on that pitch and that we should ne'er cast a clout til May is out and something about newts and the full moon.
 
Isambard nevertheless totally ignored such country saws and progressed to try to kock balls all over the place ... bonus pints (ummm that's a mis spelling  but seems quite appropriate) being offered for getting one in the river (or whacking the statue of some Olympian rowing person full on the cast-iron nose) .
 
Kim-Meg goes in to open with Nat and starts hitting with the kind of abandon that makes a big score seem as secure as Lindsay Lohan's prison cell. Pulled and swept fours fly to the boundary with the force to make Isambard's biggest crowd of spectators in some time seem a wee bit vulnerable. Yet in spite of a Chris Broad-ish moment over a bump ball catch, the vice captain was back in the bar for 25.

Nat bats on, joined by skipper Roxy and we looked like throwing Walter Gabriel's warnings of 300 back in his lap. But a comfortable 125 for one saw the logs start tumbling ... Roxy for 53, Nat for 68. Team Iron Man Jeremy reinforced his reputation for at least giving batting a go even if  a shark had just bit off one leg by limping out. but he had to retire hurt for a painful 5.

Who would save us now? Of the departures of Disco and our secretary, in at his traditional No 5 spot,  I can say nothing, cos I was putting my pads on. Gregan senior dashes in to join Paul McConville, fresh from a bout of umpiring ... which nearly proves his downfall. While Paul McC nudges one behind off to the offside and waits for the call from his partner, his partner is still in umpiring mode and pondering whether that delivery should be called dead ball, when the umpire Roxy starts "whispering" in his ear, "run ... Run ....RUNNNNNNNN"

I should at this point give a round of applause to the epic performace of Isambard supporters, Gregans and Malins alike, who turned up to wave us on, take pictures and bathe in boundary sunshine. And the boats on the river looked really fine.

Hey ho, this report's diversionary tactics fail cos Gregan Snr, after an elegant single, then whacked a half volley (again) straight back at the bowler, who totally fails to drop it. Gareth hits out for 9, Gregan Jr plays like the new Jardine for a dogged 5 ... playing support to a fine McConville 50, reached off just about the last ball, thereby relieving Gregan Sr of the guilt of missing that earlier single.

Making 227 of the full 40 overs seems a wee bit short of the local lore, but what the hell.

Jimmy Dean soon has one opener back at the bar, caught by Gregan Jnr. The other opener is joined by left hander Ellis for a significant and dangerous looking stand, broken, ominously for Marlow, by Isambard's first lbw ... let me say that again LBW!!!. They do happen! 68-2. McConville's left arm gets another for 4, then a Triple play from Messrs Dean, Nat and Disco gets through their top order. Dean bowls, Nat saves, Disco scores on the rebound!!!! 107 -4

Paul Mc gets another with some help from the hands of stand-in fielder from Marlow. and the steady collapse has begun.

Some tight(ish) overs from Gregan Sr bowling his Jack Simmons flat ones, and we start looking at each other.

Roxy gets two quick ones, including centurion Ellis for 102,  and it's 207 for 7 and Gregan Sr is mumbling " A deathless hush in the close tonight, ten to make and a match to win, a bumping picth and the last man in" ... and he really hates Newbolt!

Kenny gets two in quick succession and on 214-9 we are starting to believe... though this WAS before the World Cup and Australia being bowled out by Pakistan for 88. The skipper rounds it off with, yes, another LBW and the City boys have their first points of the season...

A fine balanced bowling performance from Isambard, with five out of six bowlers getting in among the wickets. Three to man of the match McConville and skipper Roxy, two to Kenny and one each to Dean and Gregan Jr. In the interests of family relationships, and per promise, we arent going to mention any dropped catches ... EITHER OF THEM!!!!