Devon Dumplings v The Lost Boys
Wednesday 27 July 2022 at Filleigh
Lost Boys 225 ao DD: 226-4
Devon Dumplings arrived to play The Lost Boys at Filleigh Cricket Club on a warm overcast day, with sunny spells forecast. A late dropout meant that Dumplings legend Bernie Wilson came out of retirement. The captains had a chat in the middle, and it was decided Lost Boys would bat first with 20 overs from 6 pm.
Jonty Walliker and Jim Keates opened the bowling. Jim picked up his first wicket for Dumplings in his first over with the score on 6, swinging the ball away to the left-handed batsman David White who had just driven him for 4. This time he edged it to James Horler at 2ndslip who pouched a regulation slip catch, the reward for bowling a full length. Aggressive field settings rather than poor bowling allowed Lost Boys to score quickly until Jonty Walliker bowled the dangerous opener Michael White (24) in the 7thover with one that stayed a little low to make the score 46-2.
Lost Boys batsmen George Tysoe and Mark Baker then built a useful partnership. So the skipper turned to the spin of Adita More, and Elliot Hamilton. Hamilton had Tysoe stumped by Grant for a well-made 46 with the score 88-3. Both spinners bowled tidily with More (2-16 off 10 overs) in particular finding dramatic turn and bounce. He removed both James Fielding (12) Oliver Clarkson (13) leaving the score on 123-5. The latter was to a wonderful reaction catch by Horler at Gully.
As lunch approached the skipper increased the pressure to get a wicket. Hamilton was changed for the youngster Joe Poustie. He bowled the patient Mark Baker (19) in the last over. Lunch was taken with the score 135-6. What a lunch it was too. The Lost Boys provided a scrumptious array of charcuterie- a full and delicious selection of cheeses, hams, salami, and a plentiful supply of biscuits to accompany them. All washed down with several glasses of Taylor’s Finest 25-year-old Port. Lunch became extended to an hour as the appreciative players, umpires and scorers tucked in.
After such a lunch, the skipper sensibly turned to the U18s to bowl. Keates (2-66) returned to the attack dismissing James Brown (9) caught at midwicket by Dom Tuohey, making the score 157-7. A 50-run partnership followed as their skipper Tim Cresswell took the attack to the Dumplings youngsters, ably assisted by Chris Curd. This brought on the subtle variations of Bernie Wilson. First he dismissed Curd (18) stumped by Grant with the score on 207-8 and then had Cresswell (49) caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Horler making the score 217-9. Hamilton tossed the ball up at the skipper’s request to entice Ryan Chitty and Arun Abbott to play their shots. A few lusty blows from Chitty (12) followed before he succumbed to Hamilton, caught Horler (4 catches in all). Lost Boys were all out for 225.
Horler and Tuohey combined with a steady opening partnership of 39 before Tuohey (12) chipped one to midwicket off Clarkson. The skipper joined Horler and decided to take the aggressive route from the off clipping to square leg for 4 before getting out leaving the score 47-2. More then joined Horler, some lovely shots were played by both batsmen and they batted comfortably through to tea with the score on 87-2. A lovely cream tea was had by all with a special mention for the chocolate brownie s -the recipe was much in demand.
After tea Horler and More continued to rattle along , taking the score to 108, with Horler reaching a well-made 50. More (34) was caught at square leg to an excellent low catch by Baker off Clarkson-108-3. Hamilton (6) scarcely troubled the scorers, caught off the glove by Cresswell trying to sweep Clarkson (3-63), with the score on 114-4. Walliker then joined Horler taking their partnership past 50 and the score up to 170. Walliker started to take advantage of the short boundary off the unfortunate Abbot, hitting 33 in one over which included 5 big sixes. This took the score up to 203. A few more blows from Walliker took him past 50 from 28 balls. As the target approached Walliker blocked the last few balls of the penultimate over, having in mind Horler who was nearing his century. In the next over Horler hit severalboundaries to take him to 97 with 2 to win. This left him needing a 4 to bring up his century. Sadly, he was unable to do it finishing on a magnificent unbeaten 99.
A thank you to the umpires, scorers, groundsman, and The Lost Boys for a most enjoyable fixture and for the excellent lunch. We look forward to playing you next year. Thank you to Wendy for the cream tea and for everything else you do behind the scenes to help with Dumplings matches. Your contribution is much appreciated.
