North (The
Holders) versus South - 7th September 2003
It took every ball of
the 40 over match to determine if history would be made or maintained when the
annual North v South took place on Sunday. In the end it was the impressive
young Cantabrian, Sam Foley (72*), who took a boundary off the last ball of the
match to see his team home by one run and uphold the legend that is
the Trevor Campbell cup.
By exception, the week leading to the game, was met with restrained silence –
until of course, the South caught wind of the North’s failing numbers. It was
true, the North had be dealt some cowardly excuses by some of their kinsman and
only just managed to field eleven on the day. This was obvious when the start
time came and went with the North only having six players. The South, meantime,
were running through their warm up exercises on the other side of the field with
a full compliment and a scorer. Once the North had managed eight players the
South moved to start the game and offered to take to the field. A gallant move
considering no team this millennium has successfully chased a first innings
total. But with Burge still on a train from York and Ryan stuck in traffic after
being let down and abused by the British rail system, the offer from the South
to take the field was heartily accepted.
Chapman Smith and Southwell opened up the innings and worked nicely for the
first few overs against the spirited southern opening pair of Gale and Morgan.
But it didn’t take long before both had made their way back to the pavilion off
the bowling of Morgan. Southwell of particular note seemed surprised that he had
mistimed a pull shot with a 3lb 4oz bat. That brought Dan Lyall to the crease,
in only his second appearance for the club, accompanied by Perkinson.
Lyall immediately
stamped his mark on the game showing a solid defence and little fear of hitting
the ball over the infield. Perkinson on the other hand seemed to bat completely
out of character, by scoring all his runs along the ground. They added 60 to the
score before a cunning bowling change by the Southern Skipper saw Steve Lester
replace the unstable Morgan at the tennis club end. Morgan was beginning use his
back and a number of animated facial expressions to communicate an excuse for
the succession of effortless boundaries Lyall and Perkinson were stroking off
him. The clean cut Claw however, stepped up to replace the dishevelled Morgan
and within four balls off well placed inswing had Perkinson caught in front of
his stumps for 39. Lyall was then left with an ominous challenge when Radford,
looking to maintain the healthy run rate left for a quick fire 12; and Burgess
departed for only 4. Both cleaned up by Thompson at the Bank Lane end.
The balance of the game started to fall in favour of the south. With the total
at a little over 100 for 5, Kevin Marshall strolled out and began, with Lyall,
what was to be the North’s comeback. Marshall rallied with Lyall and occupied
the crease well before departing for 15. By this time Barkle, who had amused
himself senseless by locking the North their changing room before the game, came
on to bowl and his cavalier approach to proceedings began to rub off on his team
mates. Although snaring a wicket Barkle’s presence at the crease seemed to have
a visible affect on Stead, who was ferreting around the boundary. Having spent
most of his time on the boundary with no hint of being given the ball; Stead
made his feelings known with a pitiful fielding effort. Little did he know his
skipper just wanted him somewhere where he couldn’t be heard. By this time Lyall
had been joined by the North South veteran Ryan Edwards and both took heavy
toll, not only on the lacklustre Stead, but all the Southern fielders in what
can only be described as a shambollock fielding effort. Barkle, having had
nothing to poke fun at for quite some time, took to out calling Foley, under a
high ball from the bat of Lyall, only to leave it to bounce at the feet of the
southern keeper. Tippen was left red faced as well, as he ran in for a catch
only to see it drop short and bounce over his head for four. Lyall carried on
the charge and set about dispatching Gale with a series of delightful strokes
over square leg, snubbing the 6/3 field the southern skipper had employed to
combat the little Aucklander. Edwards, at the other end, was well underway in a
little cameo, hitting the ball to all parts. The pair took the North to a very
respectable total of 217/6. Lyall finished with a superb 73*. Edwards, with an
outstanding 38*, showed that the spirit of the North South encounter was very
much still alive within the senior LNZ all-rounder. Withstanding this onslaught
at the end, Gale and Thompson still finished up with only 31 and 29 runs coming
from their 8 overs respectively. Gale, the clubs quiet achiever, although
economical left the field with yet another wicketless performance in a North
South clash.
It was separate tables at lunch – as both teams reflected on an opening score
they knew was a good one and a track they also knew made it gettable. The south
opened with the unlikely pair of Tippen and Stead. It was a solid start with the
unorthodox play of both batsmen effecting some early boundaries. With Edwards
repeatedly going past the edge, the southern openers took their frustrations out
on Holden at the other end. It wasn’t until Holden was replaced by Marshall at
the tennis court end that the North forced the break through. Stead, after
hitting the ball straight to Lyall at square leg, set off only to be sent back
and see Perkinson standing at the stumps contemplating, before removing the
bail, if the North wouldn’t be better served by keeping him in. His departure,
for a measly 6, saw the arrival of Gale who launched straight into a counter
attack punishing anything wayward. Marshall, meantime was hitting his straps at
the tennis court end and repaid his skipper’s faith by bowling Gale for 20.
With Marshall finishing his 8 overs with 1 for 23 a possible match winning
partnership between Foley and
Tippen was allowed to develop. Tippen (61) raced past 50 and was
supporting Foley well before one too many leg side swats was snapped up by a
brilliant diving catch at square leg by Lyall. The next three wickets fell
quickly; O’Malley came and went after being struck in front; Barkle completed a
day out with the family without scoring and Templer who was struck in front by
Walsh, was fired by the Fish. Bartle was bowled out by his Northern skipper and
did so very effectively finishing with figures of 2 for 29 off 8.
Short of bowling options, Burgess had to turn to his part timers. By this time
Foley was well under way and after a few stern words from his captain, at the
other end, began the onslaught that was going to see the south stay in the game.
Vancer fell for 18, the second southern player to be fired LBW by a team mate.
With 7 wickets down Foley, seemingly oblivious to his looming plight,
continually hammered anything on his legs and managed to find the boundary
regardless of how many fielders were placed in his way. The North’s fielding
effort began to falter as Radford and Southwell both felt the wrath of the young
left hander. Lester had joined Foley but almost immediately skied a catch to
Chapman Smith in the covers. At 8 down Fish entered the fray only to run himself
out without facing a ball. That left the South 9 down with 20 odd runs to score
off the last two overs. Edwards finished at the Bank Lane end with figures of 2
for 30 off 8, figures at the death that very nearly saw the North home. But with
Foley running the show and the North out of frontline bowling options the last
over was given to Southwell. With 17 needed the South pulled out a miracle
effort and timed the win down to the last two balls where successive boundaries
were required. Foley obliged and hit the winning runs to the vacant third man
boundary.
Jubilation met bewilderment as the North were left wondering what could have
been and the South, minus the questionable character that is the club chairman,
cheered their man off and applauded their opposition.
So ended yet another instalment of the Trevor Campbell Cup – never defended –
the cup’s tradition within the club continues to be one of legend. The 2003
North South clash was played with as much determination and sportsmanship as any
game of cricket I have ever played in. A true reflection of how a game among
peers should be played. As much as it pains me to say it – congratulations the
South – but you won’t be so lucky next year!
Scoreboard
40 Overs North 217-6 South 218-9 South
win by 1 wicket
North
Batting
Runs Catches Stumpings
David Chapman-Smith
Isaac Southwell
Dan
Lyall
73* 1
Shaun Perkinson 39
Ryan Edwards 38*
Kevin Marshall 15
Brett Radford
Richard Burgess 0
Philip Bartle DNB
Gerard Walsh DNB
Richard Holden DNB
South
Bowling
O M R W
Aaron Gale 8
2 31 0
Dave Morgan 8
0 44 2
Andrew Templer 6 0
44 0
Vance Thompson 8 1
29 2
Steve Lester 7 0
36 1
Andrew Barkle 3
South Batting
Runs Catches Stumpings
Peter Tippen 61
Mike Stead
6
Aaron Gale 20
Sam Foley
72*
Chris O'Malley
Andrew Templer
Andrew Barkle 0
Vance Thompson 18
1
Steve Lester
Richard Fish 0
Dave Morgan
*
North Bowling
O M R W
Ryan Edwards 8 2
30 2
Kevin Marshall 8 2
23 1
Philip Bartle 8 0
29 2
Brett Radford 8 1
54 2
Isaac Southwell 3 0 40
0
Gerard Walsh 2 0
16 1
Richard Holden 3 0
19 0
