Match report

Epic dogfight sees IVCC one short.

Sunday 13th August saw IVCC visit Horley CC at their picturesque ground the first time in the clubs’ histories. IVCC skipper Bill Smith won the toss and put the hosts into bat beginning a match that would produce enough drama to live up to the historic occasion.

The innings started well for the visitors with the bowling of Rob ‘Daylight’ Berry and Dickie Tyler keeping the Horley openers quiet and testing their patience until Tubb finally swung wildly at one of Dickie’s shorter deliveries which gave Matt Law a superb catch at mid-on; back pedalling and reaching above his head to dismiss him for 2. Things then quietened down for the Villagers as the partnership of Moon and Stride settled into a rhythm, despite some strong bowling from Tim ‘T. Dancer’ Ellis, Olly Ross, and Andy Harding both batsmen eventually retired, on 51 and 101 respectively.

It was Harding who got the next wicket in the 26th over when Ross caught Parker in the covers with the score at 174. The terrier-like Matt Law stemmed the flow of boundaries with some athletic fielding putting other Villagers to shame. Law then entered the attack, along with Sam Conway, giving the batsmen plenty to think about with some fine leg-breakers which eventually got Harper to mishit a delivery up in the air towards point, taken with perfect timing by a sprinting Keeper Ben Davies. The dying ambers of the innings saw 2 more wickets, Daylight once again proving his powerful throwing arm - running out Pratt for 3 - and Conway catching Dolphin off Bill’s bowling in the last over, Dave Eaton came in for the home team and scored a remarkable 13 not out off only 4 balls for a final score of 234.

With the target was set and tea devoured, Olly Ross opened the IVCC innings with regular no2 Ai Meier. After a couple of surprises from the excellent bowling of youngster Dan Gamble the pair settled into a rhythm and slowly but surely kept the scoreboard ticking over. The pair put on a 100 run stand until the 23rd over when Ali was excellently caught in the slips off the bowling of Eaton for 27. Olly carried on battling away, conscious that the required run rate was slowly getting away from the villagers he started to strike out for the boundary as much as possible, clearly not worried about his own wicket, he seemed to put the ball in the air as much as possible. Luck was clearly on his side, however, as he was dropped 5 times and survived an LBW appeal that was given out by novice umpire Tim Ellis but was withdrawn in a fine display of sportsmanship by the bowler, Horley Chairman Mr Beck. Ross’ luck ran out as he tried to lob the ball but was finally caught on the boundary, leaving the crease for his season best of 61.

Ben Davis was joined in the middle by IVCC’s overseas player, Sam Conway, and continued where Ross had left off with some aggressive batting, including one 6 straight into the car park and another after a comedy of errors by the fielding side led to 4 over throws. Davis was eventually bowled, for a fast-made 27. Thanks to the disappearance of Dan Watkins halfway through the innings, Andy Harding was promoted up the order and went out there with the score on 145. Conway went the next over, another excellent slip catch, for 8 leaving the villagers still 88 runs short with only 8 overs remaining. Harding clearly felt the need for speed and started to get the run rate going with some real energy including producing one of the shots of the match dispatching one over the mid-on boundary for 6. Bill Smith also understood the urgency of the situation and the fourth wicket partnership really started to take control.

With 4 overs to go IVCC were still 34 runs short, but this partnership gave the boundary a sense of optimism, unfortunately, the skipper when trying to steal a 2nd run left his wingman with too much to do and despite a heroic dive Harding was dismissed for 27. All was not lost as Daylight strode confidently to the middle, The villagers felt confident that ‘Bobby Boundaries’ was the man to help the skipper finish off this game when all were shocked to see a Meier-esque forward defensive shot on his first ball. He soon got off the mark, but played with a coolness that allowed the on-form skipper keep the strike as much as possible and thanks to their speed between the wickets the pair were able to keep the run rate going.

Too quickly, the 40th over was upon us in what had already been a match that had everything except it would seem an IVCC victory with 18 runs still to get. And yet… after a quickly run leg bye for the first ball Bill had the strike, the well lubricated IVCC fan(s) got involved with encouraging chanting and the stage was set for the drama to play out. Bill did not disappoint, the next ball was despatched straight over the bowler’s head for 6, 11 needed off 4 balls. Bill, thriving under the pressure, got hold of the next one, this maximum launched into the pavilion and troubling the scorer by making him hastily save his cider; 5 needed off 3 balls. Bill’s next shot went along the ground and the partnership ran at supersonic speed to get in 2; 3 needed off 2 balls. But… the match that kept on giving had one more twist in the tale: Olly Ross at umpire was signalling 1 short. In his urgency to get back for the 2nd the skipper had not got his bat to the line by ‘a good 3 inches’ according to the umpire, so the score reverted to 231, 4 needed off 2 balls. Perhaps it was the drama of the last ball or maybe the pressure of the situation finally got to Bill ‘Iceman’ Smith, or, most likely, he was just beaten by an excellent slower ball by the opposition skipper Moon. Either way his middle stump went tumbling and he returned on 47, 4 needed off 1 ball. All eyes turned to Tim Ellis, he marched confidently to the square. His job was simple. Nothing short of a boundary would do.

His confidence and love for American sports shone through when he stepped up to the crease swinging his bat like Babe Ruth, until at the last minute he took up a more orthodox stance. Moon delivered the last ball of the match and Tim produced a text book cover drive which raced away towards the boundary. Could it be? Alas no, after 80 overs of play there was little pace left in the outfield and the fielders managed to get the ball into the keeper’s gloves securely, Tim having run 2. So arguably the match of the season so far ended with the villagers losing by the closest of margins, 1 run. All that remained was to enjoy the excellent hospitality of Horley CC and their lively supporters and to ruminate on what might have been if Bill’s bat had been 3 inches longer.

Report by: Dickie Tyler