The Chelsfield Park fixture is awaited in the Shoreham cricketing calendar with anticipation for many different reasons. Last year brought an exciting fixture which ended in a tied game at home and the year before that a very slow scoring game left us with a losing draw away from home. This season didn’t give us either of these results but it was yet again an enticing encounter.

The mercury was hitting 26ºC (or 79ºF if you went to school in the 1960s) and the Shoreham skipper Pat Barrett saw it fit to field first. This would later turn out to be a blessing in disguise but the Shoreham faithful were fighting over the shade for the best part of 3 hours. Ed Walker (8-1-39-0) and Tom Palmer (8-1-30-1) opened the bowling and Palmer managed to break through one opener’s defences with a bouncer which (apparently) hit forearm and looped into the waiting hands of Ray Trick in slip who safely pouched the catch. The batsman was ecstatic to be given out for a single and Palmer and Walker continued to toil away in the heat without any further success. Their replacements, Joel Hewett (5-0-40-0) and Trick (8-2-20-0) bowled just as well as the openers but without any reward except for some nice looking figures. The partnership of Georges, Rivett (6-0-24-1) and Stacey (3-0-15-0), then had a crack and Rivett managed not to drop batsmen no.3 at the second time of asking (this time off his own bowling – Sorry Tom!!) Stacey bowled well with the batsmen not quite sure how to deal with his bowling and the same can be said for his replacement Greg Taylor (3-1-12-0) who once again produced some fine leg spin! Russell Brooks (3-0-20-0) also took up one end and gave the batsmen something to think about. A mention should go to all the fielders who stayed in the baking heat for 45 overs but and special mention goes to Richard Nash who kept very well on an infamously dodgy track.

Tea had never looked so inviting to those who had started to hallucinate in the field. Many of the Shoreham team relaxed into their innings not banking on being called on too soon. There was no such luck, as both openers, Trick and Brooks, fell for ducks and I know Russell won’t mind me saying that he was comprehensively beaten by the pick of the Park’s bowlers: Miles Walker (7-1-18-3). Palmer (7) and Hewett (5) each took a slight stand but Miles and his opening partner Carrett, who also took 3 wickets, could not be kept back. Kumar followed with a duck, Taylor with 5 after being deceived trying to hit Miles and Barrett was run out by Stacey who has inexplicably fallen down the order for next week. Although not for his batting prowess as he scored a deserved joint high score of 13, being joined on that score by Rivett. Nash also chipped in with a useful 11 and Ed Walker brought up the rear with 5 not out after being left alone at the crease by Rivett. So Shoreham collapsed to a score of 64 all out and were comprehensively beaten by Chelsfield Park by 146 runs.

It was down the pub in time to get a few jars in before heading homeward bound. The most exciting event of the day took place here as several underage girls passed in a car and later returned shouting Richard’s name with much enthusiasm. It later turned out they were his pupils but this excuse couldn’t prevent the tirade of rinsing that came his way. Onward to a home tie against Plaxtol next week when we hope it is cooler…

- George

Posted on Sunday, 23rd May, 2010 in Friendly Match Reports.