Two games, two skippers, two wins. A fine start to the season for TCC.
It was with some level of optimism that we met at Leith Links before our short drive to Tranent. The mood was lifted further by the arrival of the new set of Teuchters stash. If you don't love kit, why do you play sport? Someone mentioned those eternal words 'All the gear and no idea'. Hmmm.
A last minute call off from PC Sparrow meant we were down to ten men. A calf muscle apparently (a cruel wag would note that said injury didn't stop him enjoying a few beers in the afternoon and putting pictures up on Facebook). This was all noted accurately and fairly in the fines book - as were many other items over the day. Anyway, ten was enough at Hawick & Wilton. Might it be enough once again at Tranent?
The boys at Tranent have put in a huge amount of work to get a square at the Meadowmill Complex and Teuchters had the honour of being the first team to play on the new wicket. From all accounts cricket is thriving along the Forth and there is a huge junior section which, in due course, will feed the Tranent team. It really is great to see. More power to their elbow.
Not only did we get to christen the pitch we got to bowl first - a choice we would have made had we not inevitably lost the toss. The skipper, Richie Bartsch, newly returned from honeymoon, looked like a man who had spent the last two weeks drinking rum and smoking cigars. He didn't seem too bothered to have lost. Perhaps it is because he no longer expects to win?
The pitch seemed in good nick, the boundary short on one side, and massive on t'other. The A1 hummed gently behind us at one end of the pitch. Cockenzie Power Station dominating the other. And, oddly, the ground was covered in fairly large black flies. Thousands of them. No conches were to be seen.
Our bowling started customarily nicely. Our opening bowlers - Nobby, Dr Eddie Jones and Toby Gardiner - keeping the batsman quiet and, at one point, Tranent were 15-2. We felt that they were there for the taking. Alas, a forlorn hope.
Their three and four batsmen played themselves in sensibly. One was put down by James 'Massive Fines' Gray on 10. This was to prove costly. At drinks no further wickets had fallen and the two batsman - one of whom was sporting a rather natty red gilet at the crease - had progressed the Tranent score to 66-2. Chatting away to a few of our players the consensus seemed to be this was about even (they could have scored a few more runs, we might have taken another wicket). Nip and tuck.
Not for long, however. Whatever the Tranent batsmen had at drinks made a difference. The next 20 overs were brutal for the Teuchters. Toby Gardiner managed to pull off a fine stop only to see the ball ricochet into his nose. We were down a man in the field and our bowling was going fairly horribly. Last week we held every catch. This week we couldn't catch the clap in a brothel. The Tranent boys opened their shoulders. Running clearly is unfashionable in East Lothian as they focused their eyes on the white rope. They began to find fours and sixes where, in the first 20 overs, they'd generally found fielders.
All the bowlers - regular and occasional - went for big runs in the blitz until Toby Gardiner finally got the fellow in the red gilet for an outstanding 94 (his partner, who by now passed his century, had been dropped twice in as many overs. It didn't seem to matter any more). A new batsmen, who had been 'next man in', for 35 overs and was promptly out caught to, of all people, Rob Marrs who was only bowling because no one else seemed to want to do so. A tale of two T20s really. 66 in the first 20, 200 in the second. I'm sorry I didn't get to see the scorecard but the two batsmen for Tranent really did bat beautifully. Bowlers who care for their figures should not read the scorecard. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.
The Teuchters, ever the optimists, were thinking of victory. 260-odd is a massive score but there are men in the team who have scored centuries and half-centuries. A win did not look probable but we comforted ourselves that it might be possible.
Our opening batsman, James and The Grinch strode out. We needed some resistance. Don't worry about runs. Just see off Sparkles - the opening bowler for Tranent - who is known around the leagues as a superb paceman. Jimmy nicked to first slip from the first ball. Things got worse. The Grinch and Kipper both got quackers too. If it hadn't been for a leg bye we would have 0-3. Many of you will have read about Wirral Cricket Club's disastrous performance last weekend where they managed to struggle to 3 all out. All our joshing this week looked like it might be coming home to roost*. As it happens, Sparkles wasn't the only bowler we had to worry about - Paul, at the other end, was the definition of accuracy whilst first change bowlers Adnan and Kushaq both bowled well too.
Cometh the hour, cometh the Kiwi. Gardiner, with his nose no longer pouring with blood, walked out and played a lovely innings with Skipper to take us towards respectability. Quietly at first and then somewhat quicker the runs came. Young Toby seems to have all the shots and he was going along rather smoothly until a moment of controversy. A decent ball was bowled and seemed to take a deviation before nestling into the wicket-keeper's gloves. Toby looked around non-plussed, adamant that he hadn't hit it. Newberry at umpire said not out. From the safety of the scorers' table, I thought it had gone through the top of his pad. It is perhaps safest to say that the Tranent keeper wasn't happy and seemed to be having an extended chat with Toby. Perhaps they were discussing the evening's dining arrangements? Or Scotland's constitutional future? One of the umpires suggested afterwards that in fact there seemed to be some inquiry into genealogical matters. These things occur - we've all been the wicketkeeper, we've all been the batsman and we've all been the umpire.
The next ball Toby hit for single which was roundly cheered by the Teuchters on the sidelines. One of the Tranent fielders started shouting at the scorers. We couldn't hear him but he didn't seem particularly happy. The cheering wasn't meant as anything more than a little gentle fun at the expense of a team who were over 200 runs ahead - the cricketing definition of a Pyrrhic victory!
Toby seems to be one of these tough little buggers that the Australia and New Zealand seem to churn out with alacrity. He meets hostile bowling, loud fielders and pretty much everything with a rye smile and little emotion.
As bowlers changed, Gardiner went on the attack. Four, four, six, out. A huge shot to long-on was safely caught by the aforementioned Anderson. It was the right idea to try and motor the score and he walked off with 42 runs to his name.
Eddie Jones went out to continue the recovery only to return shortly after (I didn't see the scorebook but potentially with a quacker). New boy - I think Teuchters' first ever Northern Irishman - David ''Double D Cup' Devlin went out and promptly played a rather nice shot. This, along with his strong fielding, suggested we might have a new talent on our hands. For a player who hadn't played since school it all looked rather easy. He was batting sensibly but, at the other end, we lost the skipper.
Out trudged your scribe, RC Marrs. The stage seemed set for yet another duck in my long Teuchters career. For once I batted reasonably sensibly - defensive shots and, heaven forfend, a leave. DD and I saw our first target as 90 and we managed to get to that with a few singles and, if I may say so, a fine six over square leg off Tranent's rather nifty leg-spinner, Findlay.
With Devlin departing for 2 (and, let's face it, there are twos and there are twos - sometimes just sticking around for a few overs and getting a couple of runs is worth its weight in gold. This was one of those days) I was joined by Matt 'Tavare' Peace.
Dig in!
Matt, so cruelly given out on Tuesday night, gave us a masterclass of proper Northern batting. None of this showpony stuff that the other Teuchters indulge in - no paddled sixes, no thrashes through the covers. Just sensible, obstinate batting. Thou shall not pass. It was - frankly - bloody marvellous.
Peace and I took us to 110 - another precious batting point - before I, having scored some runs off the first ball of the over, got too big for my boots and tried the same shot again (an ugly hoik towards long on). Behind me I heard the sound of the Marrs summer: a gentle clatter of stumps and Scottish accents cheering. 20 runs is better than most of my innings, mind, and batting points is batting points.
Nobby went out as last man and started to knock the ball about the park. Matt Peace digging in at the other end allowed Nobby to edge us towards the next batting point. With two balls to go, Peace was on strike, he was - after 25 dot balls - still on 0. The ball came down. He edged it over the keeper and they ran. He took us to 130 and the Teuchters, despite a sound thumping, could take solace in four batting points and seeing out the 40 overs. Perhaps tellingly, Peace could rest in the knowledge that he might not have scored many runs but he scored quality runs. Proper bloody cricket. Someone promote him to opener.
News filtered through that Selkirk - a team we get along famously with but who humbled us a couple of years (we can't recall if we scored 15, 17 or 19 - none are particularly appetising) - had been bowled out for 20. There but for the grace of God go the Teuchters. In fact, we were worried for a time that it might be us with that sort of score.
A fine and deserved victory for Tranent. A superb batting performance took the game away from us. Whilst the Teuchters may hope for better with bat and ball next week hopefully we can find some solace in the turnaround from 1-3 to 130-8 and that we batted out the overs. In the face of defeat, resolution and grit can help a team develop. I'm sure it will.
RCM
* My local cricket club at home, Neston CC are the local rivals of Wirral CC. So I laughed long and hard. As an aside, do check out their website - the view from the pavilion over Parkgate village, the River Dee and to the Welsh mountains must be one of the finest in the game.
Not for long, however. Whatever the Tranent batsmen had at drinks made a difference. The next 20 overs were brutal for the Teuchters. Toby Gardiner managed to pull off a fine stop only to see the ball ricochet into his nose. We were down a man in the field and our bowling was going fairly horribly. Last week we held every catch. This week we couldn't catch the clap in a brothel. The Tranent boys opened their shoulders. Running clearly is unfashionable in East Lothian as they focused their eyes on the white rope. They began to find fours and sixes where, in the first 20 overs, they'd generally found fielders.
All the bowlers - regular and occasional - went for big runs in the blitz until Toby Gardiner finally got the fellow in the red gilet for an outstanding 94 (his partner, who by now passed his century, had been dropped twice in as many overs. It didn't seem to matter any more). A new batsmen, who had been 'next man in', for 35 overs and was promptly out caught to, of all people, Rob Marrs who was only bowling because no one else seemed to want to do so. A tale of two T20s really. 66 in the first 20, 200 in the second. I'm sorry I didn't get to see the scorecard but the two batsmen for Tranent really did bat beautifully. Bowlers who care for their figures should not read the scorecard. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.
The Teuchters, ever the optimists, were thinking of victory. 260-odd is a massive score but there are men in the team who have scored centuries and half-centuries. A win did not look probable but we comforted ourselves that it might be possible.
Our opening batsman, James and The Grinch strode out. We needed some resistance. Don't worry about runs. Just see off Sparkles - the opening bowler for Tranent - who is known around the leagues as a superb paceman. Jimmy nicked to first slip from the first ball. Things got worse. The Grinch and Kipper both got quackers too. If it hadn't been for a leg bye we would have 0-3. Many of you will have read about Wirral Cricket Club's disastrous performance last weekend where they managed to struggle to 3 all out. All our joshing this week looked like it might be coming home to roost*. As it happens, Sparkles wasn't the only bowler we had to worry about - Paul, at the other end, was the definition of accuracy whilst first change bowlers Adnan and Kushaq both bowled well too.
Cometh the hour, cometh the Kiwi. Gardiner, with his nose no longer pouring with blood, walked out and played a lovely innings with Skipper to take us towards respectability. Quietly at first and then somewhat quicker the runs came. Young Toby seems to have all the shots and he was going along rather smoothly until a moment of controversy. A decent ball was bowled and seemed to take a deviation before nestling into the wicket-keeper's gloves. Toby looked around non-plussed, adamant that he hadn't hit it. Newberry at umpire said not out. From the safety of the scorers' table, I thought it had gone through the top of his pad. It is perhaps safest to say that the Tranent keeper wasn't happy and seemed to be having an extended chat with Toby. Perhaps they were discussing the evening's dining arrangements? Or Scotland's constitutional future? One of the umpires suggested afterwards that in fact there seemed to be some inquiry into genealogical matters. These things occur - we've all been the wicketkeeper, we've all been the batsman and we've all been the umpire.
The next ball Toby hit for single which was roundly cheered by the Teuchters on the sidelines. One of the Tranent fielders started shouting at the scorers. We couldn't hear him but he didn't seem particularly happy. The cheering wasn't meant as anything more than a little gentle fun at the expense of a team who were over 200 runs ahead - the cricketing definition of a Pyrrhic victory!
Toby seems to be one of these tough little buggers that the Australia and New Zealand seem to churn out with alacrity. He meets hostile bowling, loud fielders and pretty much everything with a rye smile and little emotion.
As bowlers changed, Gardiner went on the attack. Four, four, six, out. A huge shot to long-on was safely caught by the aforementioned Anderson. It was the right idea to try and motor the score and he walked off with 42 runs to his name.
Eddie Jones went out to continue the recovery only to return shortly after (I didn't see the scorebook but potentially with a quacker). New boy - I think Teuchters' first ever Northern Irishman - David ''Double D Cup' Devlin went out and promptly played a rather nice shot. This, along with his strong fielding, suggested we might have a new talent on our hands. For a player who hadn't played since school it all looked rather easy. He was batting sensibly but, at the other end, we lost the skipper.
Out trudged your scribe, RC Marrs. The stage seemed set for yet another duck in my long Teuchters career. For once I batted reasonably sensibly - defensive shots and, heaven forfend, a leave. DD and I saw our first target as 90 and we managed to get to that with a few singles and, if I may say so, a fine six over square leg off Tranent's rather nifty leg-spinner, Findlay.
With Devlin departing for 2 (and, let's face it, there are twos and there are twos - sometimes just sticking around for a few overs and getting a couple of runs is worth its weight in gold. This was one of those days) I was joined by Matt 'Tavare' Peace.
Dig in!
Peace and I took us to 110 - another precious batting point - before I, having scored some runs off the first ball of the over, got too big for my boots and tried the same shot again (an ugly hoik towards long on). Behind me I heard the sound of the Marrs summer: a gentle clatter of stumps and Scottish accents cheering. 20 runs is better than most of my innings, mind, and batting points is batting points.
Nobby went out as last man and started to knock the ball about the park. Matt Peace digging in at the other end allowed Nobby to edge us towards the next batting point. With two balls to go, Peace was on strike, he was - after 25 dot balls - still on 0. The ball came down. He edged it over the keeper and they ran. He took us to 130 and the Teuchters, despite a sound thumping, could take solace in four batting points and seeing out the 40 overs. Perhaps tellingly, Peace could rest in the knowledge that he might not have scored many runs but he scored quality runs. Proper bloody cricket. Someone promote him to opener.
News filtered through that Selkirk - a team we get along famously with but who humbled us a couple of years (we can't recall if we scored 15, 17 or 19 - none are particularly appetising) - had been bowled out for 20. There but for the grace of God go the Teuchters. In fact, we were worried for a time that it might be us with that sort of score.
A fine and deserved victory for Tranent. A superb batting performance took the game away from us. Whilst the Teuchters may hope for better with bat and ball next week hopefully we can find some solace in the turnaround from 1-3 to 130-8 and that we batted out the overs. In the face of defeat, resolution and grit can help a team develop. I'm sure it will.
RCM
* My local cricket club at home, Neston CC are the local rivals of Wirral CC. So I laughed long and hard. As an aside, do check out their website - the view from the pavilion over Parkgate village, the River Dee and to the Welsh mountains must be one of the finest in the game.
