Sarisbury At Lord's
By Ray Hammond
Finals Night: Semi Final, SACC v Winchester, 23 April 2006
I seem to remember a rather "strained" atmosphere before the start! Sarisbury's previous 2 games against Winchester were both rather unpleasant affairs which must have made it difficult for the team to focus. However, focused they were, quietly poking and slapping each other, geeing each other up without making a massive amount of noise. The boys were so determined to get some revenge for those two defeats, particularly so because of the unpleasant nature of the earlier clashes. However, looking back, I reckon they were in a bubble of hope, rather than certain'ty, "Give it everything boys and it could happen". And Winchester? Well, despite Sarisbury's victory over Havant, I am convinced that Winchester did not think they could lose to this bunch of "villagers". I think they were definitely a bit over-confident.
Simon decided to bat first, but before the start, another decision has to be made concerning the bowling attack. Steve Clark, First XI opening bat is also a pretty mean left arm bowler but he does bowl lots of wides so at Fleming Park, Pete, the captain, gives Clarky's overs to Michael Bond. Now Bondy bowls reasonable off breaks and early on at Fleming, he "strangles" a surprising number of wickets with filthy deliveries. Simon also prefers Bondy to Steve Clark at the Rose Bowl but, truth to tell, both Simon and Pete fear that Bondy's bowling is too "hittable" at the higher level. So, in a conference involving all 4 players, Simon simply asks Clarky. "Please, mate, bowl fast and straight!!" Clarky, a guy so laid back he is sometimes nearly unconscious, just smiles and says "No worries mate" and would you believe it bowled just a single wide in the two games!
Sarisbury batted first, Bondy was his usual calm self, picking off the 3s and 12 were scored off the first over. However, Billy Taylor had the second over and his fast late swing, so effective in the first class game, was really difficult to score off. Bondy got a 3 off the first ball, then Clarky was comprehensively bowled, Simon then played out 4 dot balls! 15 for 1 off 2 overs. A recovery followed as Simon and Bondy combined superbly to lift the rate and get some momentum, this despite Taylor's second over yielding just 3 runs. He was then rested till the last over and the pressure came off a little. Bondy retired, Pete joined Simon and the runs came steadily until Sarisbury were 87 for 1 off 7 overs. Then in the 8th, Pete, trying to accelerate, was caught off James Taylor for 15. At 96 for 2 off 8 overs with two batsmen retired, a good score looked possible. It was not to be, however, since Dom got just 6 before being run out, Keith went the same way for 7 next over and the returning Bondy failed to add to his 25 before he too failed to make his ground attempting to break the shackles of the excellent Winchester fielding. ( a large factor of this was Phil Green's wicket keeping as he seemed to gather everything so effortlessly) Simon got his score up to 31 before he became the 4th run-out victim and Sarisbury had subsided to a dismal 108 all out without even using the 12th over. That over, by the way, would have been bowled by Billy Taylor, who had the astonishing figures of 1 wkts for 6 runs off 2 overs!!
It didn't look good as the second half started, Pete's first over went for 13, but Dom only conceded 7 off the second and Pete then bowled the 3rd over for just 4 runs. The boys were fielding really well and it was 36 for 1 off 4 overs. Trouble was, they only needed 9 an over and they were getting that despite all Sarisbury's efforts. It was obvious that we needed to take 6 wickets to win and that didn't look like happening. Then it all started . Firstly Pete got Jimmy Taylor caught by Dom, then the other opener, Marks was run out for 18. 40 for 2 off 5 overs and Pete completed a crucial spell off 1 for 21 off 3. However Dave Greet ham was calmly picking off the 3s and looked ominously secure. Winchester got to 69 for 2 off 8 before Simon took an excellent catch behind off Clarky. The pressure began to tell and almost immediately Billy Taylor was run out for a duck, 75 for 4 off 9 overs. Then Phil Green was also dispatched for nothing, courtesy of a brilliant direct hit by Clarky. 81 for 5 in the 10th over! The tension was unbelievable but Greet ham was looking superb as he hit Keith's (11th) over for 15. As Dom stepped up to bowl the final over, Winchester needed 10 to win. First ball was pushed for a regulation 3 off the side wall. Then agonizingly, Dom bowled a wide! Just 5 runs needed off 5 balls and Greet ham on 43. Then, would you believe it, the batsman drove the ball just that little bit too hard straight for the back wall and Dom Ducellier took a brilliant, ankle high, catch. Sarisbury had won by 3 runs! The Rosebowl was in uproar as the Sarisbury supporters bellowed the triumph, a simply amazing moment. It had been a great team performance, not the least of which was the 3 direct hit run outs, 2 of them by Mr Michael Bond.
