Darley Home

It was a typical Blubberhouses match day. The sun was out, the pitch was damp and the captain failed to win the toss. The mid-week heavy rain meant it was a win the toss and field first wicket, so the Darley skipper put blubbs into bat.  With Uncle Peter still recharging from the previous week, Pepperami man stepped in.

Angry joined by Bupa Boy Tom Keighley strode out to the crease to begin the innings. Rumours of slow drying cement and cracks in the brickwork meant Stonewall dropped himself down to 5. The openers made a quick start, Bupa crashing 3 fours in the first over. The innings moved at a steady rate, before Rice made sushi of Bupa’s stumps and blubbs were 52-1. Angry soon followed, missing a full toss from Platts and adjudged LBW for 27. 59-2 became 64-3 as the wicket claimed its first victim, Arnie gloving a rising delivery off a length to the eager hands of the keeper for a duck.    

Stonewall strode to the wicket to join Bubba with intent on improving on the previous weeks performances. The pair added 21 before Bubba skied a delivery from Platts and was out for 19. Bungle joined Stonewall with Blubbs reeling at 85-4. This soon became 88-5, when Stonewall, attempting a legside heave, forgot to hit the ball and was bowled for 6.  

Gobby Bobby joined Bungle and the pair set about rebuilding. With seven overs to go, Bungle began to hit boundaries. A six off Rice, and Blubbs look set to reach around 160 before Bungle missed a straight one. Darley went up, the finger went up and Blubbs were 120-6. The last 4 wickets fell for just 9 runs. Gobby hooked a delivery straight into square legs hands, then some reckless batting from Mad Frankie and Sherman saw Frankie caught behind for 5 and Sherman loop one straight up in the air for just 1. In the penultimate over, Hebb popped a catch up to short leg and Blubbs were 129 all out. The Angry-O-Meter had begun to bubble.

Blubbs huddled in the middle, determined to turn the game around. Churchill made his speech, the troops rallied, and Mad Frankie got the innings under way. Bobby got the breakthrough, Bird feathering a simple catch to Bungle.  Frankie kept the bowling tight, but Bobby wasn’t having much luck. A few play and misses, some boundaries and a shelled catch from Sherman. Captain Chaos brought himself on and Platts immediately smashed him for 6. Sherman got his revenge, nipping one back through the gate next ball and Platts was out for 30. The following over, Frankie got his man. Furniss finding the out stretched glass fingers of Stonewall who, to everyone’s surprise, managed to hold on.  

At the other end, Sherman was struggling to keep the ball out of Hainsworth’s arc and replaced himself with Bubba. Bubba struck immediately, bowling Hainsworth with his first ball and Darley went tentatively poised at 58-4. Sherman decided to bring himself back on in place of Bubba to try recovering some damage, but the chaos returned, Rice hitting the first ball out the park.

Frankie got his second wicket, reward for accurate bowling, trapping Vass leg before for 2. Sands followed, trapped plumb in front by Sherman for just 4 and Darley were struggling at 80-6. Frankie finished 12 overs, conceding just 17 runs and was replaced by Bubba. Cottrill decided to attack, and skied a delivery from Bubba. Bupa Boy looked up and saw it was straight down his throat, but Frankie had other ideas. Charging round like an enraged bull, he went to claim the catch. Flashbacks to the ‘dung beetle’ incident (Helperby home, 2007) ran through the Blubbs players’ minds, but after a juggling session, Frankie clung on.

The following over, Sands fell LBW and Robertson missed a straight one to leave Darley staring at defeat, 87-9. Rice had other ideas, taking the attack to the bowlers. Bubba kept one end tight, but chaos returned at the other. Stonewall decided a helmet was needed to field at long on, as Rice got hold of Sherman’s bowling. Some tense overs followed, and the Angry-O-Meter reached 100%. Angry was spitting fire as Darley were grabbing easy singles to keep Rice on strike. Sherman eventually got his 5^th and the final wicket, clinging on to a caught and bowled to remove Doney for 5 and leave Rice stranded on 49. Five points deserved for the effort in the field, but the poor batting needs to be looked at.

Still, 1 win, 1 tie, 1 loss, 3 games, lots of drama, an entertaining start to the season. Will this continue? 

Points Awarded Blubberhouses:5, Darley:1 

Fielding Points: J Frazer 2

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