How to write a match report, without a filled in scorebook? Ask Fortescue for a photograph of their scorebook? Or focus on the travails of a selector and groundsman? There is rather more to staging a cricket match than just turning up! And so, on to the fly on the wall documentary.
The weather was wretched in the week preceding the match, but with forecast dry weather for the Saturday and Sunday (match day) there was always hope. Cliff spent much of Wednesday frantically forking the outfield. The square had a haircut that evening, but then the heavens opened for the next two days. Cue more forking on Saturday morning, bringing in the boundary and by a miracle the pitch just about passed muster for Yelverton III. Back Sunday morning, a brief cut and roll and we were on again!
But who were we? Gunnislake had an unusual look about their side, with Joe and Dean Organ swapping allegiance and playing for Fortescue. A few on holiday and the selection committee had to once again dip into the loan market, in true Accrington Stanley fashion. And so, take a bow Curtis Marlow and Matt Cole from Saltash St Stephens. Also present were Scott Vowden and Josh Crow, both back for their first appearance for around three years. We thought we were up to eleven, but Paul Lees’s finger had not recovered from dislocation the week before, so eight Gunnislake and two loan players took to the field to uphold club honour. Greeting them were Dean and Joe Organ, a pair of likely lads.
The guests opened the bowling for Gunnislake, and soon broke through, with Dean Organ popping up a catch. Enter Webber, who began to pile on the runs with Joe Organ. Three catches went begging, and the runs mounted. Relief suddenly occurred when Joe reached 50 and chose to retire. Webber followed the same path, after which Gunnislake made steady inroads to the wickets column. Unfortunately Fortescue were merrily adding to their own tally at close to eight runs an over! Josh Crow, playing his first game for three years was particularly impressive, swinging the ball away of moving it in off the seam, but everyone chipped in with a wicket or two. So the following can take a bow:
- Matt Cole
- Curtis Morgan
- Josh Crow
- Ian Mill
- Scott Vowden
- and Kevin “Goldilocks” Beare.
Indeed enough wickets fell to allow Organ and Webber to return, with Organ last out with the total on something like 214. A tall order indeed, not least because the match was allotted 35 overs a side, rather than 40. James and Mill opened for Gunnislake, but Mill fell in the first over to a stunning catch at silly mid-off. David Emmerson then entered the fray, with his usual lusty hitting, but while few wickets fell, Gunnislake steadily fell further and further behind the clock. When Emmerson was bowled for 37 the writing was on the wall. Extras valiantly contributed, but others were a bit stuck in a groove, or given the recent weather, a muddy quagmire. The score squeaked over 100, but with eight wickets down time ran out, and Fortescue ran out convincing winners, by around 100 runs.
Cricket is an easy game when watching from the boundary, but more of a puzzle and a collection of what ifs when out in the middle. If those early chances had been taken, you never know what might have happened. Instead the visitors ran out easy winners, and Gunnislake’s long unbeaten run of two matches had come to an end.
If anyone from Fortescue wants to send through photos of their scorebook, I would be more than happy to update the details in this report!
Scores
Fortescue 214 all out (approx.). (J Organ around 80, K Webber around 70 not out; J Crowe 2 or 3 for about 24)
Gunnislake 110 for 8 (D Emmerson 37; J Organ quite a few wickets)
Fortescue won by around 100 runs.