Despite a sluggish performance in the field, a strong batting response led by Ellis, who was left agonisingly on 97 not out, gave Eridge a comfortable win against their Dover-based opponents.

Following Locksbottom's withdrawal, Beefy found himself, not for the first time, on the internet looking for a last minute hook-up. He managed to arrange a 35-over home game against Shepherdswell, who proved to be excellent sports not just in their willingness to make a 100+ mile round trip but also on the field and in the bar afterwards – Wigmore narrowly avoided winning their “big girl’s blouse” award.

Unusually for a Sunday afternoon at Eridge Park in July, due to the Eridge Horse Trials, cricket was not the headline sporting event. In practical terms this meant on arrival at the park joining a long slow-moving line of traffic and when finally getting to the front to be eyed up by a suspicious jobsworth deciding whether to let you past or send back from where you came from – the Dover boys must have felt right at home!

The promised bad weather had come through in the early morning leaving a fine afternoon meaning the game was on. This was just as well as there were fears that Hancock, who opened the bowling with Ellis, having not played for 5 weeks and still livid over last week’s cancellation, might have gone on a homicidal rampage if it had been off.

The Eridge pair started well enough, bowling some tidy lines that required the batsmen to be patient. The left-handed, Palmer, tried to force the pace and sent a lofted chance to backward point that just eluded the diving Wigmore. The other opener Webster’s favourite stroke was a play and a miss but in the middle of Hancock’s third over suddenly from nowhere found some timing and smashed a 6 over long on.

After two decent LBW appeals were turned down and with only 7 overs per bowler, skipper Forbes brought on Trevor and Parminter. The change had an immediate effect with Webster bowled as he backed away from a full length ball from Trevor and Parminter getting Palmer to loft the ball to backward point again where Trevor took a terrific diving catch. Lugthart never looked like hanging around and took little time in finding Ellis at cover.

Shepherdswell were reeling at 43 for 3 and needed to steady the ship. Luckily Spurgeon (43) and Pascall (41) were just the men for the job putting on a stand of 84 for the fourth wicket. The former striking lusty blows the latter Caryesque in his love of the dabbed single.
The introduction of Fowling brought both control and chances but Cary and Fowling, himself, were unable to hold onto catching opportunities. The wicket Eridge were searching for finally arrived when Forbes brought himself on and in his second over the ball was sent high into the air to be buffeted by the swirling breeze. The captain took the catch himself and two further wickets fell soon after, both caught by Utting off the bowling of Fowling.

At 135 for 6 surely it was now just a mop up job? Alas, the batting order was a little misleading and Skues, the Shepherdswell skipper, proved a very handy bat – Wigmore nearly lost his hands trying to stop a 6 at long on - and helped to put on 53 runs in the last 6 overs giving Eridge 189 to win.

After tea, Utting and Ellis were tasked with the starting the run chase. There was a loud appeal as James’ first ball thudded into Ellis’ pads but umpire Fowling kept his hands behind his back. Both opening bowlers were getting the ball to move; James was swinging the ball into the right-hander and from the other end, Skues, was coming round the wicket and getting something from the seam. This didn’t stop the attacking-minded pair from playing shots and after seven overs they were going along at 6s.

Ellis’ trademark on-drive was pinging out of the middle and Utting was playing with his usual artistry when Skues got one to nip in sharply having pitched outside leg and the latter was on his way back to the pavilion. This brought Cary to the crease who was respectful to the bowling and allowed Ellis to continue his shot-making, a particularly aesthetically pleasing off-drive is worthy of note.
The first change bowling brought the chance to further increase the run rate; Thomas and Ruthwell were consistently too short and Ellis lapped it up. Cary (7) was soon trying to get in on the act but he managed to find the fielder midwicket before really getting going.

With the stage perfectly set Forbes joined Ellis with the score on 62 for 2. Ellis reached his first 50 of the season with another on-drive and was by this point scoring freely all around the ground. Forbes was soon in the groove and punching the ball into the gaps in the field.

Progress was serene and as the score moved into 160s, it became a question of whether Ellis would get his ton. With 30 to get, he needed to score about two thirds of them. It was going to be a close run thing with Forbes always seemed to score first before Ellis replied.

At the start of the 28th over the score was 181 needing 189 to win. Ellis was on 92 and off strike when Shepherdswell brought on Rhodes, their young leg spinner. The same thought crossed everyone’s mind - rank long hops; Forbes was going to it finish this over. Unexpectedly, Rhodes put the ball on the spot on his first delivery and a single was scampered off the second ball. Here was the chance, 2 fours would do it. But no, four perfect dot balls followed and it was back to Forbes against the looser Lugthart.

They ran a single off the first ball and Ellis drove the second ball for a boundary to move to 96. The third ball was just where he wanted and he drove powerfully again towards mid-on – this time, surely. The fielder there had been a turnstile all afternoon but miraculously became Jonty Rhodes and made an athletic parry to restrict them to 1 and leave the scores level. It felt like the chance had gone and so it proved. Two more dots followed before Forbes lashed the ball to the boundary to finish an enjoyable match.

Eridge Cricket Club

Eridge Cricket Club

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