Scorecard

Bruton v Mere Cricket Club Mere CC 1st XI on Sun 12 Aug 2012 at 12:00
Mere Cricket Club Won by 7 wickets

Match report Bruton surrender at Castle Cary

Castle Cary Cricket Ground was a first for all and it didn’t disappoint. A good track, quick outfield and vistas across the Somerset levels and Glastonbury Tor with only a few church towers and spires to interrupt. It was a hot sticky afternoon and it was no surprise Weir lost the toss and no greater surprise Bruton chose to bat.

Motcombe wheels Dave Rutherford took a wicket first ball of the match. A classic off side delivery hovering over the adjacent strip that the batsman thought he would have a nibble at. He spooned it to Becky Yeo at point and Mere were off to a flyer. Rutherford continued to bowl a mixture of
wides and jaffas with little in between. It was like watching Steve Harmison bowl in Australia. In 5 overs he managed 8 wides but crucially 2 wickets. His 2nd wicket an excellent yorker. The Don bowled his usual twirlers up the hill taking 2 wickets in his 4 overs with a fine catch in the deep from Pitts and of course snaffling one himself. Have you ever seen him drop one off his own bowling? The opening bowlers had done their job. 4 wickets in 9 overs.

It was time to hand the baton on to the Tottenham Turner and Becky Yeo who struggled to keep up the good work of The Don and Rutherford. Bruton skipper Ough had looked confident at the crease driving strongly though the V with Tottenham Turner Harkin chasing hard. You could hear Chariots of Fire playing in the background has he glided across the outfield like Mo Farah down the finishing stretch. He proceeded to dive to stop another boundary. A reverse 3 ½ Somersault with tuck saw the umpire signal a 4. A harsh call. It definitely looked more like a 9.6 from where everyone else was standing. That’s diving for you.

2012 wicket machine Kevin Whitmore made the breakthrough. In his 4 over spell he took 3 wickets with ease. Weir took a spectacular diving catch at deep long off and Mike Ryan took the crucial catch of Ough as Whitmore pulled clear at the top of the season’s bowling stats. At the other end Weir bowled his Bertie Basset liquorish allsorts with a couple of double bouncers and a beamer and duly took himself off before things got any more comical than they already were.

Grenade launcher Tealey replaced Whitmore and Ginga Ninja Mike Ryan replaced Weir. Harkin still struggling in the field dropped a sitter by his high standards. Talking of high, Becky Yeo dropped a hard chance at square leg that hung in the air longer than a Hill Brush toxic cloud. Ryan bowled better than anyone but received no wickets for his patient efforts. That’s cricket for you.

Bruton were 7 wickets down. Tealey eager not to let Whitmore run away with the bowling cup took on the responsibility of cleaning up the tail. First of his trio of wickets was Huxman. Bamboozled by the flight he flattened his stumps with his own bat. Who can forget Shane Warne’s ball of the century against Mike Gatting. Unless the ball was a cheese roll it was always destined to get past Fat Gat. Well the similarity with Rosciglione’s dismal was uncanny …just 60 times slower …and it bowled him round his legs. In fact when giving it some more thought the only similarity Tealey has with Warne is an ear piercing but it was an important wicket none the less. Duncan was Tealey’s final victim falling for the trap laid at long on. Rutherford made no mistake with the catch.

Bruton all out in 27.1 overs for 101.

Tea was taken early and the Moroccan chicken sandwiches were bordering on a Compton House special circa 2010. Unfortunately a lack of cakes leaves it trailing Compton House but appreciated all the same.

Harkin and Becky Yeo opened the innings. Becky Yeo went back to a pitched up delivery going early for 1. Pitts soon followed for the same score LBW on the front pad a long way down. Sean ‘The Highwayman’ Harkin’s stand and deliver approach was proving very effective choosing the correct deliveries to steal a boundary off and leaving the more risky deliveries alone. Harkin’s partnership with Weir of 41 was a crucial one. It settled the innings down and was only cut short by a bad call from Weir running Harkin out for 26. Harkin showed his disgust throwing his bat into the Somerset levels. Looked like a big throw from the middle but received little recognition from the crowd. That’s the javelin for you.

Weir (53no) and Ryan (22no) saw the innings home in the 28th over with Weir hitting a six to reach his half century at the same time. The players left the field to the euphoric roars of the crowd jubilant in celebration 6 deep all waving Union Jack flags enthusiastically with spontaneous chanting of “Team MCC” and David Bowie’s ‘You could be Heroes’ playing in the background over the sound system – well not quite but Mere’s supporters Nick Ryan and Melanie look suitably happy with big grins before making sure Nick’s amateurish scorebook all matched up with Melanie’s master copy.

The match had started an hour early and was all wrapped up by 4pm, the Walnut Tree sun terrace proving a popular destination for the early evening.

Mere were languishing in 9th before the match and Bruton in 2nd. Will this be a late charge for a respectable finish in the top half of the table…
DW

Bruton Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2nb 14w 5b  
for 10 wickets
21
101 (27.0 overs)		     
Chinnock ct  R.Yeo b.Rutherford 0
Caines ct  Weir b.Whitmore 14
Bezduidenhout ct  Pitts b.B.Yeo 0
Wade b  Rutherford 1
Phillips ct  & b.B.Yeo 0
Ough ct  Ryan b.Whitmore 36
Price b  Whitmore 9
Dunlow ct  Rutherford b.Tealey 15
Huxham hit wicket  b.Tealey 3
Rosciglione b  Tealey 2
Rollings Not Out  0

Mere Cricket Club Mere CC 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Dave Rutherford5.001829.003.60
Bryan Yeo4.0023211.505.75
Sean Harkin2.001600.008.00
Rebecca Yeo2.01500.002.50
Kevin Whitmore4.011234.003.00
Duncan Weir3.01800.002.67
Mike Ryan4.01700.001.75
Kevin Tealey3.00832.672.67

Mere Cricket Club Mere CC 1st XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
1w 2lb 
for 3 wickets
3
106		        
Sean Harkin run out  Ough 26
Rebecca Yeo b  Wade 1 1
Matt Pitts lbw  Wade 1 1
Duncan Weir Not Out  53 1
Mike Ryan Not Out  22 1
Kevin Whitmore  
Dave Rutherford   1
Glen Ings  
Bryan Yeo   1
Jason Harvey  
Kevin Tealey  

Bruton Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Wade8.031125.501.38
Phillips6.002000.003.33
Chinnock6.003700.006.17
Ough5.011500.003.00
Price1.301300.008.67
Roscigcione1.00800.008.00