A beautiful day in October...

Bhima prepares to drive on his way to a match-winning 41 not out.



Dan contributed a very handy 25 runs.



We all learned a thing or two about proper batting form from Bhima.



Barrie bowling under leaden skies, taking 1 for 20.



Eric had a good day with the ball, snagging two wickets.

The Captain's Cup Final!

It's about time!

Cup Playoff Update!

The Captain's Cup format has each of the four teams playing each other once. 2 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a tie. Runs scored acts as a tiebreaker.

The team finishing first advances to the finals, with the next two teams playing one semifinal match with the winner moving on to the final.

With Sunday's win, the Bennington Blades win the round robin and are in. Their opponent, however, won't be determined until the final match between Woodford and Shaftsbury. The breakdown goes like this:

If Woodford win, Pownal and Woodford are in the semis. If Shaftsbury wins by 41 runs, they are in and Woodford's out. If Shaftsbury wins by 41 runs, scores 78 runs and Woodford scores less than 36 runs, It's Shaftsbury and Pownal. If Shaftsbury wins by 41 runs, scores 78 runs and Woodford scores MORE than 36 runs, It's Shaftsbury and Woodford. Got it?

TEAM            W   L   D   Points   Runs
Bennington    3    0   0        6         202
Pownal          1    2   0         2          125
Woodford      1    1   0         2          89
Shaftsbury     0    2   0         0          48

Batsmen Get Their Revenge in Game Two at Upper Willow

With 51 runs being scored in the first match on Sunday, one would expect a wearing pitch, steady sun and tired batsmen to produce little to write home about for game two on Sunday afternoon.

But it's a funny game, cricket.

Pownal captain Eric called correctly and put the Benningon Blades in to bat, and opening batsmen Tony and John started steadily, reaching the halfway point 20 runs for no loss. 4 runs an over was an excellent pace, especially after the previous game, and when the first wicket fell in the 6th over, the Blades were 25 for 1 and still ahead of their captain's 4 run-an-over goal.

Chris took to the crease after John's exit, and after Tony rotated the strike with a single, the Dogs of War were let slip...

Three overs. 14 balls. 44 runs.

I have a hard time explaining it myself. Luck? Tired bowling? Divinely inspired strokeplay, touched by the hands of cricketing greats from the distant past?

Probably luck and tired bowling.

At the end of it all, the Blades stood at 78/3, a new record at the BCCC. As both sides broke for water, backs were patted, lauds were lauded, yet all Chris could think was "I've still got to bloody bowl to Bhima and Eric..."

The run chase was set. Eight runs an over. Tony, Kevin, Chris and Barrie bowling. Impossible, right?

Bhima and Jack opened for Pownal, Barrie taking the first spell. After Bhima took a single off the first ball, Barrie {got Jack out somehow, can anyone fill me in on the details?} Jack and Pownal were stunned at 1/1.

Eric came to the crease, hit a four off the first ball he saw, and the chase was on.

9 runs off the first over. (+1)
8 runs off the second over. (+1)
4 runs. (-3)
14 runs. (+3)
10 runs. (+5)

At this point, a funny thing happened.

Having already tried to bowl Jack (a member of the Cannons) Chris now threw the ball to Neville (a Cannon as well). He had spent some hard time chasing Eric and Bhima all over the infield at Upper Willow, and he had come such a long way for the game, so I thought he deserved a turn with the ball. (That, and a little sunstroke might have been in play...) The opposing captain didn't protest, nor did Bhima. But here's where it got interesting...

His over went for only 6 runs.

That brought the run rate down to 8.5, and touched off an inspired spell of bowling by the Blades.
Barrie's next over went for four runs. Chris' next over, three runs. Kevin, three. So by now Pownal's run rate was down to 6.5 and well behind Bennington's.

But more importantly, the little hiccup of Neville bowling for the wrong team caused his bowling figures to be added to the Cannon's batting figures...



so when Bhima hit the last ball of the match for four, it only appeared to be a tied game.

Bennington wins by 5 runs.

For his 46 runs and at least ONE decent spell of bowling, Chris makes Man of the Match. But without Paul and Neville cutting a NUMBER of fours into twos, plus one incredible spell each from Tony, Kevin and Barrie, the Blades never would have defended that total.






So after this week, the standings are thusly:

TEAM            W   L   D   Points   Runs
Bennington    3    0   0        6         202
Pownal          1    2   0         2          125
Woodford      1    1   0         2          89
Shaftsbury     0    2   0         0          48

Cannons Blast Flashers in Low Scoring Affair

Yet another field mixup saw the BCCC throw down an improvised pitch at Upper Willow Park on Sunday under the clearest skies of the season. After winning the toss, Shaftsbury captain Kevin Wright chose to bat first on what looked to be a slow, grassy pitch.

Concerns about the short boundaries proved to be unwarranted, as a combination of tentative batting and tight bowling restricted Shaftsbury to just 23 runs in their 10 allotted overs. Newcomer Neville travelled far for this match, and was determined to eke out every moment in the crease. His one run, however, did little to advance Shaftsbury's cause. Barrie and Jack found it tough going as well, their ducks coming from 3 and 2 balls respectively. Only Chris' 12 off 20 balls outsripped Mr. Extras in getting the scoreboard to tick over and 23 all out was all they could muster. Bhima was the pick of the bowlers, 4 runs for 2 wickets with a number of near misses to boot.

Pownal took up the challenge with relative ease, the only obstacle being Jack Kling bowling Peter for his maiden Cup wicket. Bhima and Eric saw Pownal home in just over 5 overs as Pownal won by three wickets, Eric taking Man of the Match honors with his 14 runs with the bat and two maiden overs with the ball.

Pownal Comes Up Short as Wickets Tumble at Willow Park

It's just like Vermont to provide the greatest summer weather once September arrives. Blue skies and cool temps prevailed as the Pownal Cannons won the toss in their first Captain's Cup match and put the Woodford Tornadoes in to bat. But the mile-high skies gave no insight to the horde of demons that lay waiting in the pitch below, and the first over saw Joe fall to the fast spin of Bhima. Woodford lost wickets in the next two overs, and after reaching 20 for 4 at the end of the fifth over, things looked shaky for the Tornadoes, Zander's 6 runs topping the scoreboard.

But no one knows the irregularities of Willow Park like our own Dr. Awkward, and David proved himself up to the task, this time with the bat. Surviving seven overs with a scrappy 13 not out, he held Woodford together until Mick arrived at the crease and together put 13 runs on the board in the last three overs.

40 runs seemed an easy target, especially with the stacked Pownal lineup - but after Mick bowled Peter off the third ball of the innings, David struck in the second over by having Bhima trapped plumb with one of his trademarked 'off-bouncers'. By the time Chris played all round a straight ball from Joe in the 5th over, Pownal was 11 for three and in deep trouble.
The ball never really came cleanly to the bat for the last five overs, with only one boundary, two twos and six singles coming from the last thirty balls.

Barrie did well to survive 15 balls, but the six runs he added weren't enough as Kevin and Tony mopped up the tail, Malikowski taking two wickets with the final two balls of the match.



So for the third time, the team batting second has found the run chase too hard to get, and Woodford takes their first win of the Cup by 13 runs. David gets the Man of the Match award for his top score of 13 as well as his damned quizzical 3-1 in his two overs of bowling. (Can anyone explain this???? I mean, does his action just scare people??? How DOES he do it?!?!?!?!)



So after this week, the standings are thusly:

TEAM              W     L     D     Points     Runs
Bennington      2      0     0         4           124
Woodford        1       1      0        2             89
Pownal             0      1      0        0             26
Shaftsbury       0      1      0        0             25








PS - if anyone can tell me who caught Matt in the final over it would be great. Please review these scoresheets so there doesn't have to be, ahem, a review session next week! ;)

Blades Survive Late Onslaught in Final Over Thriller

It's a great game, isn't it?

Firstly, thanks to every one of the SIXTEEN people who came out to enjoy the cricket on such an excellent day. It's really great to play the game with all 11 fielders in place and a couple umpires to boot! It's an experience rarely had in Vermont, let alone Bennington, but I hope to make it quite regular for a long time to come. Hats off to you!

Secondly, what a game!

The Blades started of by winning the toss, and thanks to a handy partnership between Joe and Tony, it was 4 or 5 overs before the loss of the first wicket. (My apologies on the lack of detail, but I left the bags on the field Sunday, and THANKS to Tony for picking them up for me! I'll update this post with some numbers once I get them..)

Coming in at number three, I had the distinct pleasure of being humbled by one very excellent ball from Zak. Having pasted him for a couple twos and one MON - wait for it - STER six, I played a textbook, vanilla forward defensive on a ball that was pitched right at the stumps. But alas, we do not play on rolled, mirror-flat pitches, and weird bounces happen. The next thing I know, my bails are doing cartwheels through the air... 

Well done, mate. 

That just goes to show you the value of bowling relatively straight. There are too many demons in the pitch (and not enough top-rated batsmen) to worry about getting extra pace on the ball. Just bowl straight and good things will happen!

Anyway, the Blades ended up with 55 runs in 10 overs - not bad (almost a run a ball) but not unattainable. Woodford needed 56 runs to win. and this is where the lessons started...

Lesson #1 - Catches win matches.

So I was guilty myself - a little caught and bowled chance that hit the ground. A 'dolly' as it's called in cricket. Got excited, panicked, bungled it. Perhaps we should practice them a bit, as I can think of 4 drops that benefitted Woodford alone! Had those wickets been taken, the match never would have gotten so close at the end. Which brings me to...

Lesson #2 - When the ball is hit in the air.... RUN!!!

This isn't baseball. There's no chance of being thrown out for leaving the crease too early.If each of the 4 dropped catches had runners in motion during them, it's a one-run game. Every run counts! So next time, RUN! :)

Lesson #3 - Beware the karmakazes

Just because you bowl me out doesn't mean you're top dog (or even middle rooster). Cricket's a funny game, and one must be wary at all times. Especially when you're batting. Especially first ball. Zak, this Golden Duck's for you!

Lesson #4 - Newbies make a difference.

Bhima's awesome bowling and terrific run-out. Dan showing up to line a soccor field, staying for cricket and learning firsthand the definition of "slip catch". Matt bowling his first over ever, and experiencing the joy of sending the batsman's stumps cartwheeling through the air. You don't have to be an expret to get great joy out of the game. That's why I hope you all come out to play on Sunday. It'll be worth it!

:)

Now That I Can Breathe Again...

The King of Spin...

So we haven't seen any spin bowling yet, and as Shane Warne demonstrates, that is probably a good thing...

Too bad he's a bloody Australian.

:)

The Blades Slice Through The Flashers

A day that grew increasingly misty aided the Bennington Blades who, upon winning the toss, chose to bat first and take advantage of the dry conditions. Opening batsmen Eric and Justin flew out of the gate, peppering Peter for 13 runs in the first over. The pair then put on runs at a goodly pace, running the score up to 34 for no wicket by the end of the fifth over. The sixth over saw Peter exact some revenge when he had the newcomer Justin trapped in front lbw. The hard-hitting Eric fell in the next over, hitting his own wicket in an attempt to hoick Kevin over fine leg for what would have been his fourth boundary of the day. Bennington captain Chris and Zak saw the Blades to the end of their ten overs with a combination of power (slogging) and speed (crazed running between the wickets) that accounted for 28 runs in the final three overs. Brian Lara took the brunt of the attack, his first ball of the eighth over still sits in the swamp to this day, as the lone six of the match put it where none would see it again...

If a challenge was to be made to the Blades' total of 69/4, Shaftsbury captain Kevin and opening batsman Brian needed to strike back, and strike back hard. But all hopes of recovery were dashed as Eric had Kevin caught at point first ball.

Things stayed dismal for the Flashers as an intermittent mist moved in, helping the ball to skid low and keep the scoring rate low. Chris took two wickets in three balls in the third over, and after a four by Brian in the fourth, Eric and Justin kept Shaftsbury from scoring off of the last 21 balls of the match. Bennington won by 44 runs. With his deadly bat and lethal bowling, Eric Kerns wins Man of the Match.

So after the first match, here's the standings:


TEAM              W  L  D   Points   Runs
Bennington      1   0   0        2         69
Woodford        0  0   0         0          --
Pownal             0  0   0        0          --
Shaftsbury       0  1    0        0         25

Two points are awarded for a win, 1 point for a draw or no result. In case of a tie, runs scored will be the tiebreaker.

The Captain's Cup Begins!

At long last - the teams are set for The Captain's Cup.

Every Match Sunday we'll choose up sides and get a ten-over match in. Stats will be kept and you'll get to see how you do week after week! 'Teams' will all play each other once, and a playoff will determine the winner. Champagne and photos with the Cup will be it's own reward!

The teams and captains are as follows:

Mick Goldsmith



Eric Kerns



Kevin Wright



Chris Sobolowski



Every week I'll update the standings, post your stats and make it all look pretty. Your job - show up, have fun and enjoy the game! And spread the word - games are best when they're shared!

See you Sunday,
Sobo

Fourth Ashes Test, Day 1...

The Washout That Got Washed Out

Well, if that doesn't convice you that meteorology is bunk, I don't know what will...


I was *this* close to calling the day's activities when I saw the weather map - figured we MIGHT get an hour in... but then 13 other people showed up and we got a whole game in!

Thanks everyone for turning out - especially the new faces! David, Ian, Barrie, Richard, Jessica... it was great to meet you all and I hope to see you on the pitch again!


So for a match we had Brian's Blues v David's Blacks. The Blues batted first, and if you were there, you will remember nothing more than the hurting Brian put on the ball...

His 22 runs made him Man of the Match!






Note the the high scorer was, again, Mr. Extras. Getting your line right is the key to good bowling. Just ask Charlie. Two overs, two wides, two wickets!



Two new stats - Strike Rate and Economy - tell you how well you're doing. Strike Rate is how fast you score; literally how many runs you'll score off 100 balls. Brian's run-a-ball 22 is a highlight there - Charlie's 200.00 strike rate is deceptive - a four followed by a wicket!

Economy is how many runs you give up in an over. Anything around 3 is outstanding. As you can see, we have many good bowlers economywise... it's just the extras that'll kill you!

Here's the scoresheets - take a look and see how they're run. Each ball gets marked down twice - once for the batsman, once for the bowler. Extras (wides and byes) get their own row.



Once you get the hang of these, you'll never fear a stat again!



Thanks again everyone it was a real treat.

Next week: The Captain's Cup begins!

See you on the pitch!

Sobo

Pinch Me I Must Be Dreaming...

So as you may know, following England's a bit like following the Red Sox - they'll string you along until they gut you in the end.

But on those rare occasions where they surprise you...

Leo slept in this morning, so we didn't get to the cricket until 6:30 - a half hour into the match.

And Australia'd already lost two wickets.

Dayum!

Just watch the first over.

Seriously.

Seriously good bowling, that is...

Recruitment Time!

Hey all,

Time to make a push to bring more players into the game and increase exposure! Just download this flyer and print it out. Hang them where you can. Color or black and white - makes no difference - just do your part to grow the club!

Thanks,
Sobo

The Captain's Cup!

The time has come!

We've gotten together, we've learned the game - we've even made cricket happen...

Now it's time to put it all together for the...



The Captain's Cup!

Mick, Eric, Kevin and myself will each captain a team, and play 3 matches apiece. On each Match Sunday, two opposing captains will pick teams from the players who are in attendance (including the other two captains!) and have a go at it!

Everyone will eventually play on each and every team - so 'team loyalty' isn't really a factor - but playing cricket in a round-robin tournment should be fun for one and all!

You'll get the chance to score runs, impress the captains and move your way up the batting order. Take wickets and you'll get to bowl more overs. Make catches and get placed in the thick of the action!

Everyone will also learn how to keep score and do a little menial umpiring. A total cricket education at absolutely no cost to you!


Each week I'll post everyone's stats so you can see how you're doing and watch how the 'teams' progress. There will be prizes for Most Runs, Wickets, Catches and so on.

So come on out this Sunday, bring all your mates and let's get a game on!

And who knows - depending on how it goes we just might play two!

:)

Sobo

Cricket Gets Closer every Day!

Little by little, cricket makes it into our everyday consciousness... Why, I saw a bit on cricket on the Disney Channel the other day!

May your off stump evade the googly,
Sobo

What We Do In Life Echoes In Eternity...

As I sat down to the computer this morning with Leo (my own lucky lion) I was anticipating a bit of history. England, you see, hadn't beaten Australia at Lord's since 1934. 75 years of hurt, they've been called, and while Red Sox fans may pish and tish at such a small number, how many World Series had they lost in their 86 years? *Actually lost* in that period of time?

Answer: 4.

So don't talk about anguish to England, whose Most Hated Archrival has made a tradition of coming to the Home of Cricket every four years for seven plus decades and delivering a beating.

And we were 5 wickets away from that most blessed victory. All England needed was to break up a 185-run partnership under blue skies. No problem, right? I mean, we had how many runs to play with? 200?

200???

Ye Gods. Any decent side could get that in 4 hours. This was not going to be a walk in the park...

If England were going to make it happen, someone would have to step up, and fast...




Much has been said about Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff's retirement from Tests. He was The Man 4 years ago, and his injury-prone body just doesn't have enough to continue in this form of the game.

Would it hold up for four more Tests?

Would it hold up for one?





There can be no doubt how Freddie views himself - as all England supporters view him - The Gladiator. The One. With every ball he bowled, the crowd gasps, erupts, releases pent up anxiety, joy, aggression.

And with his fourth ball of the day, he made the breakthough.



The Game was, for all intents and purposes, on.

What followed was the most aggressive, leonine, KINGLY hour of bowling I've ever witnessed. Watch his dimissals of Hauritz and Siddle. Both balls seamed in three feet off the pitch at 93 miles an hour.

You couldn't have stopped them with a snow shovel.

Particularly intriguing was Flintoff's expulsion of Siddle. He had four wickets, and with two bowlers left, he was bowling his last over of the match (his injured knee still isn't right, and resting him was the priority with the match all but won).

He had only two five-wicket hauls in his career, and none at Lord's. The first five balls of his over were fierce, but Siddle blocked and dodged until the sixth... was padded away for no run.

But wait.

A no-ball!

With a grin (of thanks, perhaps?) to the umpire, Freddie strode back well short of his mark to take his final run in to a batsman at Lord's.



Unbelieveable.

Someday I'll tell Leo he was there for most of it - that I fed him bottles while we listened to Freddie bowl that day. That we sat and listened to a warrior - a gladiator - take on the best team in the world, and cut them down one by one.

And the comparison is not one I make lightly. Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff is every bit the fighter Maximus Decimus Meridius was. After all, who was in the commentator's booth on the second day of the Lord's Test match?



Forshadowing?

Destiny?

All I know is that Flintoff's bowling today will indeed echo in Eternity.