Match report

Ganguly and Tendulkar, Cook and Strauss, Hayden and Langer – great teams are built on legendary opening partnerships and Sunday saw the return of IVCC’s favourite 1,2 combo of Cable-Alexander and Meier. Having not played together yet this season the two had a quick tactics chat in the changing room, the understanding being ‘no quick singles.’ The two soon fell into an old rhythm sticking to this mantra and notched up a decent opening total of 75 before FCA was caught behind on 34 in a harsh call from the umpire.

Ali was joined by Sam Conway, who had clearly decided that the openers already decent run rate was not quite fast enough and so launched the ball out of boundary park and into the car park, probably the biggest 6 since Tim Morton replaced his army hat. Sam also clearly hadn’t been in the ‘no quick singles’ chat and his eager antipodean running at one point left Ali diving for his crease in a very un-Ali like way. Although as it turns out this wouldn’t be the only time Ali was left sprawled on the deck in this match.

When Ali finally fell to a fine ball at 50, Andy ‘Too handsome for IVCC’ Harding took to the crease and the run rate continued to soar. Sam soon got cocky and tried to recreate the huge 6 giving mid-on an easy catch but not before he scored his highest total for IVCC, 44.

Andy and Ollie ‘country posh’ Evans then built up a great partnership full of exciting quick running and some beautiful shots including a cheeky reverse sweep from Ollie leaving the fielders dumbfounded. Ollie was eventually caught on the boundary finishing on a quickly earned 44. Andy went on to score the second half century of the match and his highest score for IVCC, 57.

Ben Davies and Skipper Bill saw out the last 2 overs of the match – Ben scored a decent 24 off just 16 balls before being caught by bowler Harry Storey on the last ball of the innings, while Bill managed to not face a ball to secure his red inker. IVCC had certainly taken advantage of the fantastically maintained pitch at Boundary Park to finish with their highest score of the season of 273.

After a great break enjoying the sunshine, the Didcot opening partnership were keen to get started chasing the considerable total. Dickie ‘The Wookie’ Tyler and Tim ‘Tiny Dancer’ Ellis opened the bowling and despite a shaking opening over each took two good wickets. Firstly young Oscar Bean tried to launch a Tyler full ball but found Ali at silly mid-on who trapped the ball, not with his hands as is traditional but between his legs, downing him for the 2nd time in the match but heroically dedicating his wedding tackle to the Iffley cause and abandoning hope of any future children! Jacob Townsend replaced Bean but didn’t last more than an over, top edging one of Tim’s fast balls which keeper Ben Davies got under at a run to take a fine catch.

After the first 2 wickets the Didcot captain Daniel Hall and opener Richard Kennell stayed at the crease for a good 13 overs despite some fine bowling by Ollie Evans, but the batsmen could not get the run rate up enough to trouble the Iffley total. Eventually a miscommunication over a quick single led to both batsmen standing at the striker’s end while Bill whipped the bails off at the bowler’s end. After a moment of contemplation Hall walked since Kennell had determinedly not left his crease. Ollie eventually got his wicket, Kennell falling to a fine catch by Bill.

At certain points in the past Iffley’s village fielding mishaps have become stories of legend but in the 2018 season, the team’s fielding has become something resembling professional. One moment in this match however very nearly emulated the farce of the past – Harry Storey put a Troth bowled ball straight up into the air, looking to land between Dickie and Ali. Both fielders locked onto the ball and moved perfectly under it without seeing each other – the Skipper called out a warning but too late, Dickie couldn’t stop his momentum in time and collided with Ali who took the full force of The Wookie’s considerable weight and for the 3rd time in the match found himself flat on his back. Although not before he had caught the ball and amazingly managed to hold onto it throughout the assault.

The rest of the innings progressed slowly – Andy Harding took Peter Sykes’ wicket in a fine caught and bowled; sensing the Wookie’s presence shouting the loudest and clearest call in IVCC history. Didcot’s young players played some impressive shots but could not get the run rate up to the required pace, Tim Ellis came back into the attack and Bill decided to field with an impressive slip cordon which would have perhaps been able to do its job if Tim had managed to bowl a ball down the off side. Tim clearly had his own tactics though and both he and the batsmen ignored the 7 slips, C Brummitt launched a straight one over Tim’s head unfortunately straight into the safe hands of FCA at Mid-off. 2 balls later Tim did get Andy Storey to snick one into Ben’s gloves.

So after a full allocation of overs, the Didcoters could not get near the villagers’ total who won by 98 runs.

Dickie Tyler 17/06/18