The Racqueteers vs RHCH
“Village”, in the cricketing world, has become an adjective. Dropped a sitter? Run yourself out in a ridiculous way? Fallen over your own stumps? Since the success of a certain YouTube channel, all these moments are now known as so village.
And if it was not so village it was at least rather village when, at the start of the King Alfred Trophy, St Cross, the holders, confessed that they were unable to locate the cup. While they hunted for it in cupboards and lockers, on mantelpieces and the back seats of cars, it was decided that we would use a temporary replacement. Someone did at least find a cup of the silverware kind rather than the mug that was brieflysuggested.
Cup or no cup, this trophy matters. The Racqueteers,especially, want to win it because it has been ten years since we last got our hands on the trophy. And that is also almost exactly the length of time we have been waiting for our new pavilion. It was finally opened on the morning of this, the first match of this season, and it was quite a moment: the fruit of 11 years’ dedicated campaigning work by our President, Mike Caldwell. Some Racqueteers wanted to name it after him – the Mike Caldwell Pavilion or MCP? – but that idea was firmly scotched by the President himself. He is too modest. And the real name is just right for it. It is called, simply, The River Park Pavilion.
For our first match of the day, we were drawn against the Royal Hampshire County Hospital Team. In the face of some decent – if occasionally wayward – bowling we made a good start. Dave F (retired on 26) scored some rope-rattling boundaries that exposed the quickness of the outfield. If the Bard (20) couldn’t quite take advantage, OC (19) and Rishi (20) both came out of the gate as if they’d been waiting all winter. Rishi in particular fired off fours and sixes, as well as drilling one along the ground that hit the bowler’s boot and ricocheted off it straight into the face of the unfortunate Skipper (5, retired hurt). “It’s lucky there are so many doctors on the field”, Claire commented. It was even luckier that Mike didn’t need one. It was perhaps too shocking an incident to qualify as village – certainly, no one was laughing – though if Rishi puts his helmet-cam footage online it’ll no doubt find an audience. It was just so unlikely.
Our total of 129 looked defensible, though there were concerns about that outfield, especially when RHCH’s opening bat cut loose with three assertive fours in the first over. The Racqueteers could have been rattled; instead, we regrouped – and what followed was an exemplary piece of teamwork in the field. We produced just one bye and two wides, with hardly a fumble. Not so village. The bowling was accurate and economical, and every bowler took a wicket. Once through that difficult first over, Farmer Chris (1 for 22) found his line and length as if he’d never been away from the crease. Rishi (2 for 8) seemed to have sped up over the winter, and took a wicket with each of his first two overs – one clean bowled and the other cleanly taken by G. Rupe (2 for 18) deceived with flight and turn while Leo (3 for 14) got a well-deserved three-for. Trouty (1 for 4) and OC (1 for 3) came on to close up the hospitallers’ innings leaving them with only 70 on the board – barely beyond the halfway mark.
The Racqueteers vs St Cross
A decisive victory in the first match set us up for a good final against a strong opposition. St Cross didn’t look village at all. One Racqueteers was heard to say that they were “worryingly young”. And it was a hard-fought match, down to the very last ball.
We lost the toss and took to the field – with the same commitment and focus as in the first game. Almost all the bowlers took wickets and, again, there were very few extras. Mike F and Rupe both took catches, and OC took one smartly caught-and-bowled. We kept them to 120 – an excellent result, given that outfield.
Now for the chase. And it was edge-of-the-folding-camp-seat stuff. Dave F (29, retired) started and ended with a six, partnered first by Benno (19), with Al (4), Mike F (11) and OC (18) coming on and putting on much-needed runs at exactly the right rate. We needed 13 from the last two overs and it came down to two to win (one to tie) off the last ball. Enter Rishi (14 not out) – and exit ball, smashed to the boundary rope for a decisive four.
This was a real team win. And, it should be said, it was our team. St Cross’s match report grumbles mildly about Rishi hitting the winning runs when he is their player. We’ll concede that Rishi does indeed play for St Cross, some weekends, but let it not be forgotten that he was a Racqueteerfirst! And who did he choose to play for on the day? That’s right: the winners. The Racqueteers.
At the prizegiving ceremony, the Skipper presented the trophy to the President, as a small token of thanks for getting the pavilion built. It’s an incredible achievement, and a wonderful boost to all of us. It makes us feel that little bit professional. Thank you, Mike – from all who play cricket in Winchester.
Green racquet on the shirt / K.A.T. still gleaming / ten years of hurt … and I don’t know about cricket coming home but the King Alfred Trophy cup very much has. Or it will do, as soon as St Cross can find it
The Racqueteers Cricket Club 