Journos win IBP Cricket Match Again
Second successive victory for journalists at annual cricket match with PRs
– but a close run game with good sportsmanship and plucky resolve from both teams.
The journalists notched up a second successive victory in the annual IBP hacks v PRs cricket encounter, sponsored by stone specialists Szerelmey, at Thames Ditton.. But it was a high-scoring, closely fought affair which owed as much to the PRs’ good sportsmanship as it did to the journos’ plucky resolve.
On account of a few last minute drop-outs, illnesses and other excuses, the journalists’ team arrived at the ground in pleasant, sunny conditions unsure of how many names they could attach to the team sheet, never mind in what order. But as it turned out, PR skipper Andrew Geldard kindly offered two players to level the sides, both of whom made significant contributions with bat and ball – and in one case, gloves.
The skippers strode out to the middle for the toss – Taylor armed with local knowledge supplied by a Thames Ditton ‘ringer’ bowler that the greenish track had a tendency to keep low. That was enough to convince him to ask the PRs to bat once the coin came down heads, but the hacks began to wonder if this was the right policy as the classy PR openers Max McGhan and Andrew Lewin plundered runs from alarmingly difficult-to-fill holes in the field placings.
Helmeted McGhan went on to make 31 untroubled, stylish runs before having to retire (such are the rules) for a return at a later date. Lewin likewise kept the scoreboard – if there had been one – ticking along nicely with much élan, until he likewise had to witdraw, to more applause. Two other retirees making 30 – Mark Tant and free-hitting Mazar Masud, really tightened the screw. Ben Roskrow turned a little of the tide back in favour of the hacks with a tricky spell of economical bowling which returned two wickets, and, in a significant moment, a fiendishly quick (ahem) ball from Taylor reared up and split Andy Cassie’s finger.
There would be no spin from this particular spinner, nor a batting performance from the now-grimacing Cassie. James Dilleigh, Stuart Hamilton and Tim Collins also turned their arms over to good effect. At half time, however, it was the PRs team which bounded into the dressing room with a confident smile on its collective face; the journalists slightly quaking at the prospect of chasing 181 off 30 overs. Gulp.
Tea was as ever a splendid affair, sponsored by Szerelmey, enriched by highly fattening delicacies plus a bowl full of fresh pineapple. A classy touch.
With the sun still making an appearance, journo openers David Nicholson and Taylor took to the challenge with gusto, finding the outfield perhaps even quicker than it had been earlier. Dilleigh got into the action with an assured 30, Taylor joined him in the retirement home, and Tim Collins punched a useful, combative 27 before holing out. Roskrow lent some comedy to proceedings by requiring a runner when his hamstring pinged, and no one quite know what was going on.
Stuart Hamilton knocked the ball around freely, but wickets were now falling ominously, mostly due to the expert contribution of Max McGhan, who returned figures of 2 for 25. By this late stage, after almost 60 overs of tense, high quality cricket, fingernails were being bitten on both sides. All that remained was the denouement. One wicket for the PRs to get, two overs for the hacks to scramble the remaining 7 or so runs. As it was, Dilleigh greeted a rising ball from eventual man of the match McGhan in the penultimate over, guiding it with the full face of his bat down to the late cut boundary. The hacks were home and dry.
Following photos and presentations of trophies including the Alan Hughes memorial trophy for McGhan’s man of the match performance, many remarked that this had been perhaps the most enjoyable and certainly one of the highest scoring encounters between the two sides in the history of the fixture. Thanks as ever to IBP ‘Don’ Gerald Bowey, David Helsen and all at Thames Ditton Cricket Club, and sponsors Szerelmey. It’s now 8-5 to the journalists in the all-time IBP standings, but cricket was the real winner. Bring on next year!