EMPINGHAM CC v ROPSLEY BABOONS

The above game is the Baboons home fixture with Empingham played on 11th August after heavy rainfall reduced the afternoon to 25 overs apiece. The wizardry and wonders of the web swapped the 30th June with this fixture and so the report is somewhat out of place. Oh well!

The groundsmen had toiled over lunchtime after the heavy rain the previous day and the wicket was looking good. The sightscreen was righted after being toppled by strong gale force winds. Then the rains arrived and a long delay with many cups of tea followed. Using his own coin the Group Captain won the toss and elected to bat. So out strode the Blonde Crusader along side the scourge of Empingham, in June, Young Sammy G. 7 runs on the board and Sammy was suckered into a caught and bowled by opening bowler Parker for a Quack, quack, oops!
Biggles joined the fray with his admirable Croatian tan. Father and son were in control, or were they? Oh no, as The Crusader hit out with a mighty six or two, dad swishing at everything sent in his direction, was bowled for 9. 36 for 2 the scoreboard read. Younger son now in to join big brother helped move the score along to 79 before the next mishap, the Crusader with five fours and three massive 6s to his credit was bowled for 56. that left the elegant strokester Telliwell to amass the majority of Baboons remaining runs as the overs ticked away.
At 90 courageous departed the scene for 4, quickly followed by our Group Captain, bowled round his legs, probably should have used the broom when sweeping, by on loan son Will , rekindling his love affair with the Rutland Watermen. Even worse Dad had failed to score, 99 for 5 with only four overs to go. Big Guns arrived at the crease, sleeves rolled up to his armpits, did he mean business or was it a Chairman's pose. Telliwell went for 27 caught off the rampant Will, son of the Skip and then Big Guns was dismissed in the same fashion by the same young bowling star for 2. The Judge tried to move the score along as overs decreased and wickets tumbled, but only succeeded to run out the long legged A.D. on his debut without scoring, when short legs were not good enough to reach safety and long legs were left stranded mid wicket.The Spin Doctor came out padded up wielding his wooden weapon only to turn around and head back from whence he came another duck to his name.In fact still no runs this season for our bearded warrior. That left Shankers to join the Judge, but he would only run once for himself and once for the frustrated Al who scream of "encouragement" fell upon deaf ears. The Judge trying to hit out at the last ball fell too for 5 , as Will the Baboon hunter finished the innings off with 4 scalps for 19 runs.
Tea was taken with a wonderful sponge cake from 11 year old Anna stealing the show. Helen and Jeanette did their usual bit behind the hatch to keep tea time running smoothly.
Into the field went the boys with cherry red caps to defend their 113 total.
The Crusader opened the bowling producing excellent figures to round off his day as he cut through Empingham's middle order with 3 for 13 off his 5 overs. Telliwell was his opening partner but no luck came his way. Out of retirement swaggered the towering A.D. to add bounce on a very wet wicket and to claim his first Baboon's victim the opener Parker who had looked quite set, but he was undone caught and bowled. impressive A.D., what took you so long to be persuaded?
Courageous bowled as tightly as ever 5 overs, 5 runs , 1 wicket, a superb diving catch by son SammyG to avoid a thick ear, and 1 maiden. The skipper added his customary wicket to the statistics with our only victim bowled. Every other wicket was a catch, the Crusader's 3 being taken by brother Telliwell, dad Biggles behind the stumps whose performance in the gloves was deemed , by his offspring i hasten to add, as being as uneasy on the eye and rather akin to a wheelybin! Big Guns grabbed the third. At the end of the 25 overs Empingham too had struggled reaching 87 for 6 with the Baboon Hunter not out on 7 and looking forward to his A level results.
In the Green Man garden in evening sunshine fines were collected from all miscreants, everyone deemed to have deserved a £2 donation to be placed in the Judge's safe care for liquid redistribution at festive moments. Notable miscreants were picked out for sanction by our young Jurors and there names are hereby put on public display:
Telliwell scoring at a snail's pace; Courageous for wearing a wrap around skirt; The Judge for parading in the field with a pink tail displayed behind; and finally Shankers, hogging the batting and not running but also dropping the catch that rebounded off his chest when he could have caught it in his manboob bra!!!
Other catches spilled: Biggles and Big Guns.

Seasons records to date:
Batting: The Crusader 277; Redcar 124; Telliwell 10
Bowling: The Group Captain 17 wkts; The Crusader, Courageous, the Spin doctor and AWL Greybones all 8 each
Catches: The Crusader 8; Telliwell 6; Big Guns and The group Captain 4 each

Played 7 won 6 lost 1 runs scored 1034 against 850 wkts taken 67 conceded 51

Ropsley Baboons Cricket Club in association with The Green Man Public House and Tea Rooms