Result:  Draw

Score:  Suffolk 1st innings 286 for 6 and 2nd innings 217 for 3. Alts 1st innings 226 all out and 2nd innings 175 for 4

Having successfully travelled beyond the Shire of Hove last year, the merry band of Alternatives’ cricketers decided to embark again. The same trip was planned, hoping to re-join friendships, sing songs of winsome nostalgia and rekindle past, stolen romantic moments under the sparkling stars of the clear summer Suffolk nights. And fortunately the trip proved fruitful, as will be clear as our tale unfolds.

We left early on the morning of Saturday 27th May, too early for the merry-maker Bass who had to be kidnapped from his duvet. By lunchtime, the team had arrived in Suffolk. Our number welcomed the new recruit, Bacon, who had journeyed from Norfolk and, as such, was very wary of rumours he had heard about Suffolk folk eating babies and having six toes on each foot (in fact, most have five).

The toss was lost and the Suffolk opponents decided to bat first. On a flat and true pitch, the opening bowlers of  Stenner and Bass worked hard and kept a good pace and line. Bass fortunately never sobered up and this helped his buccaneering approach.

 

But wickets were hard to come by until the introduction of Olliff. In a neat first spell, Olliff picked off two quick wickets (2-35) and set off the hope of a flurry to follow.

Unfortunately, the middle order of the Blackledge XI proved too strong. With confident and powerful clean hitting, their No.4 played a chanceless innings and completed his century before the innings was declared at 286-6. Mellowship bowled well at the end and deserved his two wickets (2-37), helped by a fine catch running backwards by Goodwin.

In fact, Mellowship contested further wickets that he felt he could have rightfully claimed and thoroughly deserved. He had noticed an inconsistency in the rules of cricket. On many occasions during his accurate spell, the ball was bound to hit the stumps but had been prevented from doing so by the batsman’s unfair use of his bat. So, he argued, just as the pad could not be used in the LBW rule, he suggested a refinement to the too easily accepted rule, and this should be extended to include the bat. In effect, he would like to introduce the “BBW” rule (“bat before wicket”) whereby the batsman is out if he uses his bat to avoid the ball from hitting the stumps. Apparently, and most controversially, this rule has never even been considered by the MCC prior to Mellowship’s keen attention to the aberration.

 

 

The Alternatives’ needed a solid start but were soon in a spot of bother. Three early wickets fell to disciplined fast bowling and an ominous scoreboard showed 41-3. But re-building was needed and a steady accumulation of runs was led by Boden. Both Olliff (13) and Chappell (9) stuck around and by the end of the evening’s session the overnight score was 140-6, with Boden and Goodwin still batting on. The follow-on target of 186 would be challenging but could prove crucial.

But that was for the next day.

Both teams gathered around the campfire that night and songs were led by the troubadour Stenner. Green’s infectious enthusiasm and entertainment ignited the revelry.

 

 

And, as the night deepened and again the long distance travelled started to seep into weary souls, Green’s doleful eyes were ‘well’-matched by moonlight. So, almost inevitably, there, in the close company of tired and brotherly men, followed the ‘Kiss’. And, as it lingered, the awkwardness dissolved and was replaced by the understanding and kinship of opponents far from home-fires.

 

Breakfast Alts style

 

Dreaming of a 100 

 

Mel B talking of sheds and bees

 

In the morning, we left the hospitality of Mark Blackledge and set off to a different ground to commence the second day’s play.

Goodwin (14) fell early having battled hard to hold onto his wicket. But The Alternatives were still some runs short of the follow-on score, when Bacon joined Boden at the crease. Bacon thrashed the ball in a hearty knock and the score suddenly rattling along. The follow-on was easily passed and the next milestone was the possibility of a first century for an Alternative.

 

Jons magnificent effort – 91 runs sprayed to all parts of the ground – we salute you

 

Boden had moved his score along and was into the 90s. But then a rash top edge off a slog sweep proved his undoing and he fell for 91. No batting record but the team’s score was well over the 200. Bacon (36) was bowled with one too many thrash with his long-sword/bat and the final innings total was 226 all out.

The Mark Blackledge second innings then followed and was declared in an unremarkable passage of play at 217-3.

The Alternatives were set 278 in just over 40 overs.

It looked like a very unlikely target until the re-vitalised Green stepped onto the crease. Overnight he had found new vigour, and he launched a salvo of 4s onto the opposition bowling. He was joined by Boden after the fall of the first wicket, and the electronic scoreboard was almost a digital blur as it moved along at a rapid pace. Mark Blackledge put on his faster bowlers but that just helped the ball go faster to the boundary.

But, alas, the stroke-play and scoring came to an unexpected halt when Green (63) was caught and bowled by a very relieved opposition skipper. Boden (42) then managed to contrive a ridiculous dismissal when he toe-ended the worst ball of the match to the wicket-keeper having decided to ignore it, and then hit it, at the very last moment.

This started to put pressure back on The Alternatives but the concern was very short-lived. Robertson (25 not out) played the quintessential captain’s innings to lead the team to safety and the game ended as a draw, with The Alternatives on 175-4.

So the match was drawn and an undefeated start to the season continues. With high spirits, The Alternatives left Suffolk looking forward to more adventures to follow.

 

 

Our unbeaten season continues