Report: Lyne v Barnes Occasionals

(Courtesy of JG)

At 2pm on a warm spring afternoon, 22nd April 2007, Lyne CC started their 25th anniversary season.

One player was still on the M25, another was still evacuating the previous nights curry, our reigning Player of the Year had announced he was doing shift work and would not be playing, someone had filled in the stump holes with cement, we had only three bails, our new club bat was not knocked-in, there was a feeling of crisis in the air. Would this be the season Lyne CC folds?

A few overs into Lyne’s first innings Danny pushed forwards to a vaguely straight ball and was given out LBW by a fellow Lyne member. We relaxed it would be business as usual at Lyne CC.

Danny’s opening partner Mathew went on to score a superb century and with young  blades Dix and Sherwood smashing the Barnes bowlers around at the end we put over 230 on the scoreboard and went in for an early tea.

“Did someone say Tea?” said Tealey as he arrived just in time to tuck in. Captain Pipe had done smoked salmon sandwiches with Greek olives washed down with an amusing cup of Tetley from the cupboard under the sink. Class.

Rising unsteadily from the table Lyne set about trying to bowl out a dogged opposition, only to find the rules had changed.

Jumping back in front of the stumps and deflecting the ball away with your pads apparently was ok so after a while lyne stopped their rash appeals for LBW and relied on moments of brilliance such as a fantastic diving catch by Brian Bristow ( the handsome one) and a great spell of bowling by his brother (less so).

It was to no avail. Offering no shots Barnes fought their way to a draw despite a late burst of aggression from Matty and a spell of extremely confusing bowling from our wizard of the wrist Mark Pipe.

It could be called a winning draw, it could be called a waste of time if one was watching, if you were playing for Lyne CC, as usual, it was OK.