The .COM catches a cold on a stormy night in Sidmouth….
On a night when even the local life boat wouldn’t launch, the West Hill eight set off looking for successive victories on the road. We arrived at the Balfour Arms in the picturesque Regency sea side town of Sidmouth through torrential rain and thunder storms. Little did we know that this would be an omen…….
Time passed and as the clock chimed 9pm, we were told the stickers up had not turned up, a bit like the England Team on the previous Saturday, and they had lost their skittles. Not to panic, the landlord came to the rescue, having locked them in a big trunk after they had been accidentally left out the previous week. Were we bothered? No… they had a ready supply of the local brew ‘Black Sheep’ to cheer us up and we were in for the night…
Toss lost, but to our surprise, the Balfour skipper elected to bowl!! Woody who prefers to go second and come from behind was pleased at the call and duly chalked up the order.
They started slowly, and no wonder, the small rubber balls on a short alley meant that the ball would bounce here, there and everywhere.. And it did!! 53 the target…
Jacko, continuing as a filthy replacement and almost look a like (dark hair and baggy shirt being the only true similarity and not filthy as in unclean or rich) let rip with the first of his Korean atomic testings…. Boom… and with a through the gap ball finished with an early double fine 5. At this rate, it could prove to be an expensive night.
The rest of the squad settled their nerves with steady sevens and eights. Woody though picking up a single fine six. The end was done, with a Wagger win, and a Team lead of 3 all was well.
Twas then that the Balfour chaps sprung into action, rattling in a 60. No worries, sevens and eights will do the trick we were told. Pistol was obviously checking the sand bags by the bog door when this instruction was issued….. hence a 3. Cost him a few bob that did. So a 60 was just too good for us, and our lead swung to a deficit of 4; like a Gallup pole in the week after the Party Conferences. Those Balfour Boys turned up the heat even more in the next, and rattled in a 73. The youngest flopped’em and with another high spare, the pressure was on.
Our reply was swift…. So swift that we never really threatened the skittles, and the end was done at 49. A mountain was left to climb, although the Toppers registered their first end of the night after a very unfortunate 3 from Wagger Gerrard.
Half way approached, and despite a stream of sixes to start, Darkness spared for the Toppers… Things were looking up….. well nearly…a DEANNO….unlucky son. DK having started strongly again heading the Wagger infantry started to fade. Fortunately this week the intravenous Brandy drip had been removed, and the local ambulance crew were stood down. Only right and proper on such a foul evening.. well you too wouldn’t want to go out unless you had too ..eh…
Then the great man himself (Deanno) spared to 12. Still we fell couple of skittles short and slipped further behind.
By the end of the fifth, Waggers were laying dormy 4 and the Team over 30 down.
The time had come to stage the greatest comeback, since…er….. last week!!
Caution to the wind (by the way not due to Pickles partaking of the Cider type wind) with chests out and chucking arms now well lubricated, spares for Deanno and Pickles followed.... The lead was cut. With a run of scores in the 60’s, and a wobble or two from the opposition, a final end of 74 would win it. But alas it was not to be, and we came up 14 short. Three cheers for the Balfour, and bring out the grub.
Deanno polished off the last of the sandwiches and we left to battle the elements. But alas, the storm had passed; Woody’s new car had taken a hell of a beating outside, but still started first time…. And we sailed away to the tune of ‘they gave us a bloody good hiding!!’
Deanno won the top score prize, Waggers stuffed the Toppers 5 to 3 and a couple of quid went in the pot. Only one wide was officially recorded (Darkness) although there were some questionable calls. In future the Umpires may need to firm up and not allow bowlers to influence their decisions.