Scorecard

Mere Cricket Club Mere CC 1st XI v Puddletown on Sun 13 May 2012 at 2pm
Mere Cricket Club Won By 6 wickets

Match report Mere Reign over Puddletown

If Mrs Weir had to endure one more week listening to the pros and cons of top loading the batting order for league games, the hazards involved in playing on a wet slippery artificial surface or the benefits of oiling a bat correctly the divorce papers would have been served the following morning over breakfast. Fortunately …and finally, the Sunday team season got underway proper. Patches of blue in the sky, the smell of freshly cut grass, wafts of lemon drizzle cake emanating from the kitchen and an opposition dressed in cricket whites and not an outfit purchased from the Sports Direct Spring Leisurewear catalogue (as seen previously).

Puddletown only had 9 players, then they had 7, then they didn’t have a side at all but eventually turned up with an encouraging 10. They had all the hallmarks of a club still using Teamer for players’ availability. Teamer was so last week.

Captain Weir proudly strode out through the Whitmore Gate wearing his brand new personalised Mere CC Kalibazar baseball cap (Rickie Fowler style) and resplendent flannels only to lose his second coin toss from two returning to the pavilion to the predictable jibes of ‘useless tosser’.

Puddletown elected bat the skipper opened the bowling with pace ace Dave ‘I’m not sure which foot to bowl off’ Rutherford from the Burton Path (Dog Sh*t Alley) End and The Don himself from the Fish Farm/Where’s That Smell Coming From End.

The Don - named not after the great Don Bradman but the great Don Corleone, being The Godfather of Mere Cricket Club. Bryan not only continues to control the club’s purse strings but now he is merciless wielding his selection axe in his new self-appointed position of Chairman of Selectors. This to add to his roles of Fixture Secretary, Under 11’s Head Coach, Treasurer, Tour Secretary, Ground Equipment Manager, Away Match Travel Liaison Officer, Website Coordinator, 2011 Players Player of the Season (that joke award), Players’ Granddad of the Year, Jewson's Mere Cricketer of the Year sponsored by Jewson’s middle management, 2011 Champagne Moment of the Year (if you have half a day he’ll talk you through it). There is no pie in which the Chairman of Selectors Don Corleone doesn't already have a finger deep into – and this doesn’t even include his new advert deal with moneysupermarket - http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/videos/save-a-1000-pounds-with-moneysupermarket/0012874/

On the field his fingers continue to be put into great use. After watching the Australians turn the ball at angles Pythagoras would have been proud of The Don was hoping for some big turn himself on a pitch the Aussies had described as ‘a sticky toffee pudding’ of a wicket. After 6 overs of trying really hard, his efforts were rewarded with only 1 wicket coming from his mystery ball sponsored by Marston’s Long Hop which produced a sharp catch from his son Lawrence. A good spell though and one that secured a couple of cheeky overs at the end and more opening spells for the future.

Dave continued where he left off from last season with some excellent fast bowling in a tidy 8 over spell, the highlight being the classic outside edge snaffled comfortably by Tottenham Turner Sean Harking at first slip - first slip specialist Don Corleone could only look on from fine leg with envy.

The skipper tried his hand but to no success and is still to open his 2012 wicket account. Becky Yeo and Lawrence Yeo continued Dad’s good work bowling a tight line down the Yeo valley of uncertainty but could only match Dad with 1 wicket between then, Lawrence trapping Barber LBW for 14. 3 wickets down for only 39 runs things were looking rosey for Mere but a partnership then developed between Barrett and Gurung that became painfully difficult to break up.

Harkin fresh from his questioning at the Leverson enquiry looking into the phone and text hacking scandal at the offices of 'Mere Matters and so does West Knoyle' over the pre match nets and team selection surrounding the Bruton match was in no mood for messing around. Buoyed by his nonchalant slip catch he wanted a piece of the action. He too failed to break the partnership.

The skipper was left with no option but to taunt the opposition with the leg break grenade option of Kev Tealey. Fairly confident he could offer something completely different the flight master went about his business with precision launching. Kev too came away with no wickets for his efforts. At the other end however, Kev ‘shall I umpire shall I play for Puddletown shall I ask Lewis to play and then wait until he turns up to tell him I’ve taken his place even better I’ll get someone else to tell him I’ve taken his place but not until he’s in his whites’ Whitmore was showing all his coaching credentials with a very tidy and prosperous spell of 5-18 off 7 overs generating another appearance in his very own edited Three Counties League Handbook of all time best bowlers. With three clean bowled and two solid catches from Kev Tealey and the Skipper, it was the best spell of the season so far eclipsing the absent Ginger Ninja Ryan and his fourfer against Sports Direct Spring Leisurewear Catalogue CC.

Scorer Nick Ryan had kindly offered to teach the Puddletown lady scorer the finer points of pencil work and at the end of the Puddletown innings Ryan had the score at 73-4. The pupil then turned master and under her guidance Nick adjusted his book just very slightly to 159-8. A respectable total largely thanks to Barrett’s patient 74. It had been a tremendous fielding display bar a senior moment from The Don but nothing that has not been seen before at the day care centre. We all forget where we are from time to time.

It was announced over an excellent tea provided by The Godfather himself that he would not be opening the batting. The news came as a double blow for Bryan; ten minutes earlier he had been told that the 5 wicket haul he took in the nets against 12 yo George Cassidy and Nick ‘I haven’t picked up a bat in 20 years’ Ryan would not count towards the 2012 bowling cup. His daughter Becky and the Skipper took the honours. Barber, clearly not familiar with the Yeo family reputation showed little respect and bowled Becky early on. Bryan has denied all knowledge of the horse’s head found on Barber’s pillow that evening.

The skipper managed only 17 before Matt Pitts and Lawrence Yeo in contrasting styles reached half centuries to see Mere home to a comfortable victory. Pitts showing all the grace of an Ian Bell and Yeo all the trickery and timing of an Eoin Morgan. Towards the end Yeo’s innings turned into an Abba album, big hit after big hit – and a 6 to finish in style and secure 28 points from the first league game.

A successful days cricket is always evident by the discussion in The Walnut Tree afterwards. There was no ‘what ifs’ or ‘buts’ or ‘maybes’. There were no less than 3 jugs swilling around fuelling debates on who was the faster, Mike Ryan or Dave Rutherford, what’s better Curry or Italian for cricket club socials, how many new players should be played against Bruton on Tuesday night – it was all positive and the smiles on Sean Harkin’s face as he sipped on his 7th pint of Stella and on The Don’s face as he stuffed his 4th oversized gravy dipped Yorkshire pudding into his mouth was enough for the Skipper to know things had gone well and he could roll home and sleep easy …that and the fact that Mark Williams had confirmed that his bum definitely did not look big in his new trousers.

Mere Cricket Club Mere CC 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 5w 10b 3lb 
for 2 wickets
20
161		        
Duncan Weir Bowled  17 1
Rebecca Yeo Bowled  4
Matt Pitts Not Out  57
Lawrence Yeo Not Out  63 1
Dave Rutherford  
Sean Harkin   1
Kevin Tealey   1
Glen Ings  
Kevin Whitmore  
Mark Cassidy  
Bryan Yeo  

Puddletown Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
No records to display.

Puddletown Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 5w 10b 3lb 
for 8 wickets
20
161 (40.0 overs)		     
Heron Caught  2
Pryor Caught  1
Barbar Lbw  14
Barrett Not Out  74
Gurung Bowled  37
Cassidy Bowled  0
Barrett Caught  1
Thomson Caught  6
Greet Bowled  0
   
   

Mere Cricket Club Mere CC 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Dave Rutherford8.0319119.002.37
Bryan Yeo8.0133133.004.13
Lawrence Yeo4.0122122.005.50
Duncan Weir5.001900.003.80
Sean Harkin3.001600.005.33
Rebecca Yeo2.00800.004.00
Kevin Whitmore7.021853.602.57
Kevin Tealey3.001500.005.00