Roving Reporters Cricket Club

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Dereham CC v Roving Reporters Cricket Club Roving Reporters on Mon 06 Aug 2012 at 1.00pm
Roving Reporters Cricket Club Won

Match report Bring home the Rashes

Their coming home, their coming home, the rashes are coming home….
After a year of hurt and heartbreak RR’s won back the rashes with what proved to be a comfortable 23 run victory over their tour rivals.
Tour skipper ‘Bradley Wiggins’ won the toss and elected to bat after his recent triumph at the Olympics and tour de France. He sent in test match opening pair Pat Metselaar and John Jenkins. Dereham skipper and local legend Neil Irons opted to use his own ‘new’ ball which was apparently only 5 overs old – one side was extremely shiny, which resembled the top of Roger Jones head, and the other as dull as our skippers batting; surely this was going to prove difficult to play with the overhead conditions also assisting the bowlers.
The opening pair got off to a slow start as Dereham got through their overs quicker than Usisan Bolt. Before RR’s had a chance to blink 20 overs were up and drinks were called with RR’s 52 for 0 wickets. The pressure and tension soon built between the opening pair as scoring runs seemed to prove more and more difficult. In the space of three balls JJ turned ‘Test Match’ Pat down for what looked like an easy single and then attempted a run to the dynamic Dereham skipper and would have been run out by half a length if it weren’t for a poor throw. Dereham were soon to get their reward as JJ, who did not learn from his previous error, attempted another suicidal run and was this time short of his ground. Mark Watson, built like a female Russian Olympic weightlifter, looked to push the scoring forward but his brut force was not enough to see the ball go over the boundary, with the long grass holding up the ball and testing his cardio vascular capabilities to the limit. Watson was dismissed with the score on 72 and still 11 overs left as RR’s were looking a long way short of a reasonable target. Peter Jenkins came and went which brought the in form Rock to the crease. With only 9 overs left and ‘Test Match Pat’ now playing for his maiden tour 50, a quick acceleration was needed. Rock found the going tough and he drove his third ball straight to the cover who dropped the chance letting Rock off the hook. In reply Rock smashed the following ball into the houses for six. A quick fire 31 off 28 balls from Rocky pushed RR’s score up to 130 with 5 overs still left. Dave ‘I don’t cheat at swimming’ Simmons hit a one a ball 12 as ‘Test Match Pat’ found the return of the opening bowlers hard to score off. In the penultimate over Pat was bowled for 47 off 99 balls and innings that Geoffrey Boycott would have been proud of.
As tea approached and wickets were tumbling like skittles, RR’s somehow managed to get up to a respectable total of 161 off 40 overs, which included one of the opening bowlers bowling 9 overs; something the Dereham skipper was surely aware of?

After a fine tea (with credit to the Dereham tea ladies) RR’s took to the field and looked towards the heavens for some inspiration. RR’s were not the only ones praying as overseas player Paul Lewis, taking his new Muslim faith to the next level, started to pray as the bells rang; but unfortunately he seemed to have got it horrible wrong as he was not facing the Qibla.
Del took the new ball to the disappointment of keeper Rock who had his first strop of tour. Not because Del was bowling but due to the old ball being like a lump of lead and near impossible to hit off the square. As Dereham skipper Neil ‘Buzz’ Irons began to play himself in slowly his opening partner, who turned up late and bowled three overs for three wickets (Dereham were willing to retain the Rashes at all costs) fell in the third over as Del claimed his first and only wicket of the game. Man of the Match Craig Simmons bowled from the opposite end unchanged and without reward. His accuracy and control proved too difficult to score from as Buzz was tucking into Del Boys bowling like Roggie did into Derehams teas. After several balls were hit into the new houses (thankfully this included the new ball) Del Boy was taken off after 5 overs for 32 and replaced by England seamer Jimmy Anderson (John Lewis). Jimmy plugged away and in true Jimmy Anderson style managed to get the old ball to move and seem around.
At drinks RR’s needed a way back into the game as Dereham approached 80 with 9 wickets in hand and the Rashes seemed to be slipping out of reach. A change in wicket keepers and a change in the attack saw Tim Bresnan (John Rogan) introduced and he quickly managed to dismiss Buzz for a fine 52 after one too many shots on the leg side was caught deep on the boundary. With lots of Dereham batting to come and Bresnan completing his spell of 8 overs 1 for 36 saw Rock introduced into the attack. Bowling in partnership with Jimmy they both started to get a grip on the game. Rock proved difficult to score off after an expensive first over. Jimmy picked up a well deserved wicket in controversial style as set batsman D. Lake was give out LBW after only Jimmy appealed. With two new batsman at the crease Dereham soon found themselves getting behind the run rate and losing key wickets at regular intervals as they began to crumble under the pressure like the Australian Olympic team. Were the Rashes finally coming home? Rock finished with figures of 7-2-17-4 and pick of the bowlers Jimmy 8-1-19-2. Pie chucker JJ brought himself two late wickets with his juicy oranges meaning that the Rashes had finally returned to their rightful owners.
A sweet victory which proved to be more comfortable than expected over a strong Dereham side. So what lengths will Dereham go to next year to win back the Rashes? 12 Players? Bowling with two Balls? Lets wait and see, but for one year at least we have the Rashes!

Roving Reporters Cricket Club Roving Reporters Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
3nb 4w 3b 1lb 
for 9 wickets
11
161		        
Jonathan Jenkins Run out  40 67 3 59.70
Patrick Metselaar Bowled  47 99 3 47.47 1
Mark Watson Caught  11 18 1 61.11 2
Peter Jenkins Run out  1 6 16.67
David Rock Caught  31 20 2 2 155.00 1
David Simmons Stumped  12 14 85.71
Stuart Wiggins Not Out  5 3 166.67
John Rogan Caught  0 2 0
Derek Weist Bowled  1 4 25.00 1
John Lewis Run out  1 2 50.0
Craig Simmons   1

Dereham CC Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Dereham CC Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 6w 4b 3lb 
for 10 wickets
15
136 (40.0 overs)		     
Irons ct Rogan 52
Fitt ct Weist 0
Lake lbw Lewis 28
Cameron Not Out  21
Anema ct Rock 2
Irons b Lewis 3
Weist b Rock 2
Richmond b Rock 0
Pledger ct Rock 3
Starling ct J. Jenkins 1
Fitt run out (C. Simmons) 0

Roving Reporters Cricket Club Roving Reporters Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Derek Weist5.0122122.004.40
Craig Simmons8.031700.002.13
John Rogan8.0136136.004.50
John Lewis8.011929.502.37
David Rock7.011744.252.43
David Simmons2.02300.001.50
Jonathan Jenkins2.001628.008.00