- The Twenty Minuters vs Bell's Bombers
- Iscoyd Park
- 12th August 2006
- Toss: Bombers
- Result: Lost by 8 runs
- Man of the Match: Lucky Pierre
| Bells Bombers innings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illingworth | c Stevens | b Cannon | 67 | ||
| Boyes | c R Scott | b Cannon | 0 | ||
| Forester | c B Godsal | b Cannon | 0 | ||
| McDiver | bowled | b Cannon | 5 | ||
| Bell* | not out | 53 | |||
| Dunpace+ | bowled | b Stevens | 8 | ||
| Wates | c Cannon | b Stevens | 2 | ||
| Harrison | bowled | b Elwes | 62 | ||
| Mulholland | bowled | b T Godsal | 5 | ||
| Fingi | c Curtis | b T Godsal | 0 | ||
| Barr | bowled | b Cannon | 13 | ||
| (215) | |||||
| Extras | (w 12, nb 6, 7 b, 3 lb) | 28 | |||
| Total (all out after 33.1 overs) | 243 | ||||
| FoW: 1-12, 2-12, 3-20, 4-111, 5-155, 6-164, 7-164, 8-206, 9-243, 10-243 | |||||
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elwes | 7.1 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 6.42 |
| Cannon | 7 | 1 | 36 | 5 | 5.14 |
| Curtis | 2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 11.50 |
| Stevens | 8 | 0 | 52 | 2 | 6.50 |
| T Godsal | 8 | 0 | 53 | 2 | 6.63 |
| B Godsal | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 23.00 |
| The Twenty Minuters innings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B Godsal+ | not out | 63 | |||
| H Lloyd-Baker | LBW | b Illingworth | 14 | ||
| T Godsal | c Mulholland | b Illingworth | 0 | ||
| R Scott | bowled | b Illingworth | 8 | ||
| P Cannon | c Dunpace | b Bell | 39 | ||
| J Greayer | bowled | b McDiver | 8 | ||
| A R B Curtis | bowled | b Bell | 1 | ||
| J Elwes | bowled | b Bell | 2 | ||
| C Stevens | st Dunpace | b Bell | 52 | ||
| M Maxwell-Scott | bowled | Barr | 0 | ||
| R T C Groom* | c Wates | b Harrison | 13 | ||
| (200) | |||||
| Extras | (w 14, nb 2, lb 5, b 14) | 35 | |||
| Total (all out, after 39.4 overs) | 235 | ||||
| FoW: 1-80, 2-88, 3-95, 4-138, 5-141, 6-144, 7-144, 8-148, 9-202, 10-235 | |||||
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | econ. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barr | 8 | 2 | 43 | 1 | 5.38 |
| Forester | 4 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 5.75 |
| Harrison | 7 | 1 | 45 | 0 | 6.43 |
| Illingworth | 5 | 0 | 35 | 4 | 7.00 |
| Mulholland | 2 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 13.00 |
| McDiver | 8 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 3.13 |
| Bell | 5.4 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 3.35 |
Match Summary
With a sedate veil of altostratus serenely overlooking a more riotous arrangement of blustery cumulus, The Twenty Minuters gathered by logistical marvel in deepest Shropshire, there to enjoy a weekend of peerless hospitality, the odd glass and a spot of their third favourite pastime, cricket (talking about cricket and strong cider taking gold and silver, respectively). The splendorous surrounds of Iscoyd Park and its attendant cricket pitch (pav opened by Richie Benaud OBE, boundaries short, deck sprightly but in a pleasant non-threatening sort of way) were the perfect setting.
Having lost the toss The Twenty Minuters, resplendent in their famous sky-blue caps with little red biplanes, took to the field and settled down for an exercise in damage limitation. It had been happy hunting season for opening quicks 'Pope' Elwes and 'Lucky Pierre' in recent months, and the feigned interest of onlooking girlfriends was audible.
In his first over Elwes quickly learnt the value of a tight line, with the boundary on one side close enough for some Twenties fieldsmen to reach the square with a single throw. But at the other end, Lucky Pierre began one of the all-time great bowling performances of Twenty Minuters history. Twice he struck in his opening salvo, once forcing the batsman to spoon it up to pouching tiger R Scott at close cover, and the other a regulation edge for a regulation take by glovesman B Godsal. With the Bombers' innings delicately poised at 47 for 3, there came the nerve-inducing moment known as the first change. Yips, with a tremendous bout of nets form behind him, nevertheless caught a dose. At the other end, Oddball began a full spell of tight bowling. T Godsal, labouring under the weight of his new nickname 'Brother Yips', disappointed many with some genuinely troublesome bowling, although unfurling the occasional head height beamer to the delight of loyal yips supporters everywhere. He ought to have had more than his brace, but was poorly let down by sloppy glovework. There, I've said it. For the Bombers, opener Illingworth and skipper Bell had by now established an increasingly prolific partnership. Yet with the local custom of retiring on 50 (and no rule is as hard and fast to the gentleman cricketer as one which pertains, however vaguely, to regional etiquette), the Twenties were handed the chance to get stuck into the soft underbelly. Stevens was quickly into the wickets, although purple-hatted Harrison proceeded to wreck bowling figures left, right and particularly legside. Promising youngish twirlyman 'Bun' Godsal made a brief cameo, before returning bruised to the outfield, no doubt ruing his decision to exchange the gloves. Even the returning quicks came in for severe treatment, but finally Lucky Pierre dismissed competent-looking No.11 Barr with a straight one, then found Illingworth's edge with a beautiful piece of line and length. In the process he recorded the Twenties' first ever 5-for, and sealed a stack of end of season awards. With the first ball of the 34th over, the Pope, galvanised by Skip's explicit lack of faith (nine men on the fence), dismissed the increasingly brutal Harrison with a yorker, and the innings completed on 243.
After a satisfying tea, conspicuous and much-appreciated for its high chocolate content, The Twenty Minuters began their reply. The batting order, arranged after protracted negotiation and one unforgettably petulant outburst, offered plenty of firepower in the middle order, and with the short boundaries and good deck there was some cause for optimism. B Godsal did what all good batsman do, and capitalised on several dozen let-offs early in his innings. He reached his half-ton (and enforced retirement) with escalating self-assuredness. H 'Blakey' Lloyd-Baker disdained the more showy approach of his fellow opener, and settled for the stubborn, workmanlike innings for which he is becoming notorious. At 80 without loss, almost certainly the highest opening partnership on record for the Twenties (sadly records do not show), cautious optimism gave way to something more brash and unbecoming. Bang on cue, the wheels fell off the applecart, or possibly the bandwagon, as Baker was trapped in front, his favoured form of dismissal. T Godsal fell without scoring, and famed biffer 'Chesty' Scott went cheaply. Apparently he had time for one sensational cover drive slap, but your humble correspondent was back in the house trying to find a jumper at the time. Cannon, newly promoted up the order and full of fire after his sensational performance with the ball, cut and drove hard for a quickfire thirtysomething. 'Gentleman Jim' Greayer kept him company for 7 overs with a characteristic innings, full of elegance and devoid of runs. But after Cannon nicked through to slip, the wickets began to tumble. 'Yips' Curtis was bowled through a gate of palatial proportions, Greayer himself fell to a wonderful ball that kissed the top of his off bail, 'Pope' Elwes continued a nightmarish run with the bat, and 'Mattau' Maxwell-Scott missed a straight one that left him so furious his customary bat-tuck, a highlight of any Twenty Minuters innings, almost failed to materialise. 5 wickets had fallen for 10 runs, 96 runs were still to be found from 60 balls, and there were only two wickets in hand (including retiree B Godsal). Incredibly, the Twenties nearly made it. Oddball and 'S.Kip' Groom now embarked on a helter-skelter partnership of 54 runs from 45 balls, involving cultured bashing from the former, thick edges from the latter and several scampered byes. But when Skip fell hoiking a short one over the 'keepers head and into the waiting mits of fine leg, the Twenties were still 42 short. Bun Godsal returned and quickly resumed the assault. Harrison (having hitherto conceded 25 from 6 overs) was smashed for 20 off his last over, including two steepling maximums from Oddball, one nearly thwarted by a tree, the other over the pav. But oppo skip Bell held his nerve marvellously, continuing with his difficult wobbly slow-mediums, and prepared to deliver the last over, with 15 required from it. Three byes when the ball got trapped behind the sight-screen (Test cricket this ain't), single, single, not enough, 10 required from the last 3 balls. With the 'keeper up, Oddball made the death or glory move of coming down the wicket, swung, missed, and was stumped. It was heroic, noble stuff, and a fitting conclusion to a game played in the best of spirits, in the most wonderful of locations. A tremendous post-match bash ensued, courtesy of wonderful hosts Mr. & Mrs.Godsal, in the course of which Lucky Pierre regaled all with his magic tricks and Yips fell over the back of his chair.
