Suffolk CAMRA Cricket

Suffolk CAMRA Cricket Club

Mellis 8-a-side Tournament 4th September 2004

Suffolk Camra take Multi-York Cup!

A beautiful warm sunny day on Mellis Common, Suffolk Camra were invited to play in the annual Mellis Village limited overs competition. The format was 8-a-side, 7 x 8 ball overs, 7 fielders to each bowl one over, four teams to play each other, wides and no balls 4 runs each, seven wickets to bowl a team out, batsman hitting +20 runs to retire and to return only after batman number 8 had departed, simple.

Camra arrived early, much to Ray Slegg’s disgust, not only could he have had 10 more minutes in bed as the Skipper was late, he could also have had another one and a half hours, as Camra were sent to the pub to await the second match. Luckily the Railway Tavern had a beer festival arranged with 15 different ales from around the country and Mr. Slegg was eventually pacified. Some very nice Hook Norton Bitter amongst others.

Due to a late minute withdrawal, Camra were a player short, this could prove decisive if after trawling the village the Skipper failed to find a suitable replacement.

On to the game, facing Team A, Camra took to the field and managed to restrict the opposition to 46-5, with 2 x wickets apiece from John Last and Ray Slegg. Being very much a tactical game it was decided to open with Skipper Birley and Neil Harvey to move the score along quickly with Slegg at number 3. Bill and Neil were coasting along and never looked troubled. However as each wide was given as four runs, an unfortunate opposition bowler rattled up four of these in what turned out to be the last over, before Bill hit the winner. Camra won comfortably by 7 wickets and scored 47-0 with 2 overs to spare.

The second game followed immediately against Mellis Tavern. On paper a stronger side, again Camra fielded first with Cal one of the Mellis lads, approached to fill in. Restricting the opposition to 48-4 with excellent fielding and bowling, the same tactics applied in reply and in went Bill and Neil. A steady start but Bill was bowled and Camra were made to fight a little harder this time (less wides). Cal went in at no. 3 and moved the score along nicely with some good hitting. Then Neil was out replaced by Slegg to continue the momentum, until also bowled. John Last came in on the second last over with 4 runs still required to win and duly pinched the bowling with a single. Final over, 3 dot balls, atmosphere intense, Camra team mates in the pavilion looking worried until Last finally edged a single and Cal faced the bowling. He hit the next ball and raced for two, Last was ordered to take a suicidal run from team-mates on the boundary, he was not going to make it but Camra were prepared to sacrifice him if need be, but a fumble by the bowler at the stumps and Camra scampered home by 4 wickets and 3 balls to spare 49-3, victory by 4 wickets.

A break followed, back to the Railway to relax until the showdown versus the Mellis 1 st team, also unbeaten. This match was for the trophy, although the home team were undoubtedly the favourites. Camra lost the toss and were put in first and struggled against tight bowling in the early overs, but a few weaknesses were found in the middle order bowling and these were exploited. A few wickets fell but eventually Harvey and Slegg hit 12 off the last over reaching 60-3 to set a decent target for the home side to chase. Camra’s main worry was facing the big hitting Mellis skipper Chris, who would open the batting. The bowling order was juggled accordingly. However Taylor minor was quickly thrashed around the ground in the opening over and after two overs it was 20 without loss. Then a run out gave some hope, although the score was still racing along, until Last tempted the Mellis Skipper to hit a skier towards the mid-on boundary and our guest player Cal, raced under it to take a spectacular running catch. It was now 36-2 but more important the scoring rate immediately slowed and another quick wicket fell to Slegg’s bowling. The fifth over saw Mellis at 44-4 with Cal coming in from the railway end, cleaned bowled the 5 th batsman on his 4 th delivery, 46-5, then the 7 th ball an lbw 48-6, last ball yet another lbw. Mellis were sensationally all out for 48. Camra had won by 12 runs and claimed the trophy outright for the first time and were sportingly congratulated by the Mellis team, a tremendous tactical team triumph. Skipper Birley collected the trophy in the Pub and Ray Slegg took it home. Suffolk Camra’s team: - Bill Birley, Ray Slegg, Phil Docherty, Alec Taylor, Gordon Taylor, John Last, Neil Harvey and star guest Cal.

Phil Docherty

Created by our dodgy Webmaster "Jonty"