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Sun 14th May 2017 vs. Islip (A) @ Islip

Match report

IVCC Slip Up at Islip

This was IVCC’s first trip to Islip and whilst the gloriously picturesque venue and generosity of our kind hosts will be remembered fondly, the game itself will not go down in the annals of history as our finest hour.

First to arrive at the ground was Daylight, still smarting from his first-ball duck the day before for AVCC. As the rest of the troops arrived, all in varying states of hungover-ness, confidence appeared low as Meier and new opening partner Taylor took to the middle. The outfield was long and bumpy, and the wicket wasn’t much better. With the Islip opening bowler finding decent movement through the air, Taylor (0) was unlucky to get a peach of a yorker second ball that uprooted his off stump that would have removed any IVCC batsman.

Last season’s IVCC Batsman of the Year, Ross, joined Meier in the middle and the two set about trying to weather the opening bowler storm. The biggest threat came from the sticky pitch itself, Meier in particular enjoying one ball that whistled past his chin with the very same delivery the next ball keeping dangerously low. Meier (2) was bowled by an outswinger from opening bowler Jones a few overs later, bringing big hitter Daylight to the crease with much work to be done. After a few predictable swings and misses, Daylight realised that some extra tactical nous was required, and settled down to build a healthy partnership with Ross. Ross (22) continued to keep the score ticking over despite never really looking that comfortable, before skying one that was pouched easily by one of the Islip fielders. IVCC’s answer to wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist, Cav (0) was next up for his first appearance of the season but sadly he wasn’t able to trouble the scorers before being bowled by change bowler Sagir. Daylight continued to persevere at the other end, his scorecard unusually peppered with 1s and 2s rather than the boundaries we are used to – a sign not only of the big boundaries and long, slow outfield, but also a sign of a player playing within himself and adapting appropriately to the situation. Scheerer (1) had time to steer a quick single behind point before he too was clean bowled by Sagir.

With IVCC deep in the mire, the skipper was once again called upon to bring an air of respectability to a withering IVCC innings. Despite an epic hangover (once again) and a 10k run that very morning, Smith took to his task with his usual mustard relish, tonking his second ball straight to the mid-on boundary for 4. Along with Daylight, the pair pushed back (gay) against Islip and proved that, on our day, we can compete with the best of them. Daylight (40) did eventually hole out in the deep, and that signalled a further batting collapse that saw Law (1) bowled, Smith (31) bowled, Tyler (0) bowled, leaving Troth (0*) stranded as our #11, Daniel Watkins, was a late-in-the-day no-show.

IVCC 117–9 off 22; not our finest batting performance by any stretch of the imagination.

But this squad has a strength of character that is the envy of teams up and down the Oxfordshire countryside, and this showed as we came out of the blocks strongly against the Islip opening pair. Troth, making his first appearance of the season, took the ball from the housing end and showed consistent line to keep the batsmen honest in his opening overs. Smith, no doubt exhausted from his efforts of the previous 24 hours and with his liver no doubt pickling in alcohol at this point, was ‘unpredictable’ (generous) at the other end. With neither batsman nor bowler really sure of where the next delivery was going to be, Cav really had his work cut out for him behind the stumps. Smith (2-0-6-0) pulled himself off (oh grow up) after 2 overs and tossed (stop it) the ball to Tyler. The big Wookie, sporting some impressive ginger facial fuzz and with confidence sky high after a strong bowling performance in the first game of the season, was bang on the money from the off. But the Islip openers, with plenty of overs in hand to reach a modest target, diligently and patiently laid the foundations for their innings. However, with clever field placement, Troth took a superb running catch on the 45 behind square on the legside off Tyler (34-0-33-1) to break the deadlock.

Troth (6-0-22-1) was also rewarded for his bowling efforts as the Islip #3 went back to one that kept low and only succeeded in trapping the ball down onto his foot and watching in horror as the ball ricocheted back to dislodge his bails. Meier (3-1-15-1) and his flighty little numbers were brought into the attack after a decent bowling performance against Long Compton, and he took a wicket in his first over once again, this time his second ball trapping their #4 dead in front. At 40-3, could an unlikely IVCC victory be on the cards?

No. The young Islip #2, despite seemingly not having too many shots in his locker, proved difficult to remove and, along with the Islip #5, steadily accumulated runs for his side and they crept ever closer to reaching their target. Speaking of the Islip #5; a tall man with a decent eye, he was quick to despatch anything over pitched and duly deposited new bowler Ross (3-0-14-0) far over the boundary ropes and into a neighbour’s garden for a truly colossal 6 that Ross, no stranger to big 6s himself, would have been proud of. It was Daylight (4-0-21-1) though that made the breakthrough with his wily spin that saw the Islip opener trapped LBW for 39, much to the youngster’s annoyance.

IVCC’s paltry total was always going to be difficult to defend however, and so it proved when Islip’s two big men comfortably saw them home with over 10 overs to spare. An uncharacteristic poor performance from the Villagers saw us soundly beaten, but we do hope Islip will host us again next season for what proved to be a quality day despite the lack thereof in our strokeplay.

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi, coach Green Bay Packers

Ali Meier IVCC Chairman 15 May 2015