It’s 4:30pm on a Tuesday in the middle of June and it is seriously raining, what better time is there to hit the road, battle some traffic on the A1 and get down to Riding Mill for some twenty over cricket? Thirty minutes of cloud watching and weather predicting on the way is enough to get anyone in the mood.
I arrive and not only are the covers off, but the flags are out too. ‘No chance we don’t get out for some play now’ I think to myself.* Skipper Ankush wins the toss and it looks like Mallards are up for a bat. We’re also carrying a couple of ringers today, having only had 8 at the start of the day, contact lists and address books were consulted to cobble together a tidy looking 11. All new names to me but Jamie Park assures me there are some ‘heavy hitters’ on the list.
The clouds began to part and the rain had all but stopped, Riding Mill’s microclimate once again rewards patience and crossed fingers with on-time cricket. Opening up the batting for Mallards are Ankush Kumar and Scott Richardson. We are off to a flyer with both openers racking up speedy 30s, retiring and giving their teammates a serious foundation to build on. Srikar follows up with a very handy 15 runs before being bowled out. Jamie Park suffers a 3 ball duck in the chaos, leaving us 129-2 after 16 overs thanks to some handy run scoring from the ever in form ‘Extras’. Young Ryan Tindale spent the 10 minutes or so before his walk to the crease telling me about his ankle injury and his inability with the bat, only to deliver a rapid 25* which included a lovely sequence of 14 runs from 4 deliveries. Sharukh made his time at the crease worth his while too, adding another 32 to the total on the night and becoming Mallard’s third retiree of the innings.
It’s my turn at the crease now and It’s worth noting from where I am stood all deliveries look like absolute peaches, unplayable even. Seeds and/or nuts. It takes a serious batsman to score anything on this wicket I keep telling myself. What is a mere mortal like me supposed to achieve in these sorts of conditions? I am out first ball and skulk back off to the dressing room where I belong for a ham and pease pudding stottie**.
Colin and Young Ryan round off the night with Colin finishing on a very respectable 12* from 7 deliveries.
We are defending 174 in what feels like an almost, very nearly, squint and it might just look like a professional score? Quick break and a good laugh at half time, maybe chuck a ball about a bit to warm up and lets get cracking.
Regulation field is set and the sun is right in my eyes at square leg. 3 hours ago I was praying for some sun and now I’m hoping for clouds to cover it and give me half a chance of catching anything that happens to come near me. Akhil and Shahrukh are opening the bowling and would you believe it, not only can these lads bat, but they’re pretty handy with the ball too. After 2 overs Riding Mill are 10-2 with B Emery and L Ashburn falling early to some exceptional close fielding. I’ve never slapped so many hands so early into an innings.
L Rodgers and G Greenwood are at the crease looking to ease some pressure and put some runs on the board. The tails of the Mallards are up in the field, energy is high and we’re even backing up. The two batsman dig in for a while, but the pressure is too much and after a while Riding Mill start to slump. Srikars spin bowling proves to be too much, giving him 3 wickets on the nights and taking the scalps of Rodgers, J Bennet and K Frazer.
Stig chips in with a wicket from what may be the filthiest delivery I’ve seen on a cricket pitch. He has seemingly come up with a brand new delivery: the slower ‘slower, slower ball’ compeltely gives the batsman the eyes and it happens in slow motion in front of me. Bat sailing high, ball tricking towards middle stump. Batmsan compeltely hopeless. ‘Shit takes wickets’ was shouted out about 15 deliveries ago, in that moment no truer words had ever been spoken.
The theme of the night was that if your name was Jamie, expect nothing with the bat, but expect some tidy bowling at the tail end. Jamie P taking a lovely 1-7 from his two overs and Jamie Sackfill returning 1-3 from his only over of the night.
Riding Mill were bowled out for 72 giving Mallards a resounding 102 run victory. Were there some mitigating factors? Maybe. Did their best bowlers not bowl? I don’t know. Were our ringers some seriously talented cricketers? It would be rude to say otherwise.
In the spirit of friendly cricket though, none of that matters. Mallards are on the charge and I’ll be surprised if we ever lose a game again,
Match reporter on his debut: Jamie SACKVILLE
* I would later find out from the groundsman that they never bother to take the flags in these days, but don’t let that ruin the scene.
** Unrelated note, but this was my first HaPPS and very good. The butchers on Durham Road in Low Fell has recently expanded and is offering these out. Highly recommended.