Match Report - Bures vs. Croppers' X1 13/09/03

Croppers' X1 170 for 6 (35 overs, Wiggy 39, Crace 36 not out).

Bures 167 for 6 (35 overs, Whitthread 79, Waterworth 9-2-19-2).

Croppers won by 3 runs.

A narrow victory for the Croppers on yet another splendid autumn afternoon, in a match which basically amounted to one Bures eleven playing another!

Cropper Senior, by fair means or foul, had amassed a formidable nine to challenge Bures while Mr. Slow presented a more modest but complete eleven. The two old stagers engaged in a little horse trading so that ten would play ten and with a contrived toss won by the visitors the game was under way with former ex-pat and Canadian correspondent Wiggy at the crease with Ben Cropper. A tight Bures attack of Chambers C. and Dutton pegged back the batsmen, but Wiggy started to find his feet as he realised that the ball being bowled at him was round, red and did not speak with a funny transatlantic accent. In frustration, Chambers C. quite literally bowled a jaffa, a fine citrus fruit painted red which had been hidden behind the sightscreen. Straight out of the middle, Florida's finest exploded on impact with Wiggy's bat to the mirth of all concerned. This was a job for Mr. Slow who set the appropriate trap at long on and gloated as Wiggy fell to the sucker punch. With Cropper Jnr. falling to the persistent McKenna at the other end it was time for the rare but welcome sight of Steve Thornton at the crease accompanied by Lee Norton, both of whom threatened briefly before capitulating. This allowed the tail to the crease and Crace and middle Cropper inflicted damage on all bowlers' figures with Crace being particularly hard on Mr. Slow as he toiled up the hill. We were treated to a splendid exhibition of ball retrieval from the river on the part of Tyson the Labrador until Cropper was undone by some Junior Slow trickery with the ball. There followed the amusing sight of Waterworth trying to fathom Mr. Slow's bowling ("but, I thought you turned the ball....") before innings closed at 170 for 6 and tea was taken.

Long autumn shadows at Bures as the Croppers plot the downfall of the home side!

Tea provided the opportunity to formally unveil the recently acquired Ian Fisher memorial bench, which is to be sited in front of the pavilion at the request of Bill & Pearl. In his unveiling speech, Christopher Chambers spoke fondly of Ian, and Pearl in her response thanked everyone who had made the provision of the bench possible.

Bill and Pearl Fisher try out the Ian Fisher memorial bench for size as they watch the match. Tina is in the foreground.

The Bures reply began positively against a daunting Crace/Waterworth attack, with both Whitthread and Chambers L. punishing any lapses in line or length. Sadly, Chambers L. fell to a loose shot which brought Mr. Slow to the crease, firmly committed to stodge mode batting with Whitters scoring freely at the other end. Wigan finally gained revenge with yet another comical Mr. Slow dismissal and it was the turn of Si Ayers and Junior Slow to push the score onward and upward with Whitthread still going great guns at the other end. It became clear that a tight finish was if the offing when Whitters was bowled by the Wily Old Fox Waterworth for an excellent 79. With Ayers C. and Chambers C. at the crease it was still odds-on for a Bures victory but the chase stalled in the face of some accurate final overs and the task of eleven runs needed off the final over proved a bridge too far, with Bures falling just 3 runs short. It hardly needs to be said that both sides repaired to the boozer, where the inter-club rivalry of the afternoon was forgotten.

Well.......almost! 

The Future? 7 year olds Ollie Bocking (left) and Jack Crace enjoy themselves in the net at Bures during the game. Ollie shows the bowler the makers name while Jack takes one hand off the bat in response to a rising delivery from Ollie!