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Ventnor - Sunday 7th August 2005 “All we have to do is do what their team did, but get one run
more than them”. “Queen Elizabeth chose to sail to The Isle of Wight so she
could be closer to the armada…” Richard Holden is a legend, it has to be said. The reintroduction to the fixture list of this match can only be a good thing. The club has struggled to get sufficient players together for games in our own back yard, so it was a magnificent undertaking to get ten players who knew one end of a bat from the other to travel that far for a game of cricket. The hotel was fantastic – good views, good facilities, and good humoured in the face of far too many LNZCC stripes. The cry-off of all of our guests and the esteemed Breezy fast bowler from doon Sooth could not dampen the evening, and by the time cigars were being smoked, whisky was being sipped at, and glasses were being smashed (the claw’s grip isn’t what it used to be) all was well in the world. Match day dawned magnificently, and everyone did what you do on such days – going to the beach, eating, or in Dave Morgan’s case, catching up on sleep stolen from him by two very noisy young Ramsters and their ogre of a father. The English win was celebrated briefly, because we had our own cricketing matters to attend to. To get a feel for the Ventnor ground, imagine a warped basin with a cricket pitch where the plughole should be. It is perhaps the only ground in the world where you field up at fine leg. Overlooked by a modern, yet impressive clubhouse, you get the impression that this is a club not short of dosh, because they are literally dripping with sponsors. But did all that cash account for much on the pitch itself? Yep, plenty. Batting first, their key opener used local knowledge to get right forward and nullify any sideways movement (he needn’t have bothered, there was none) until he was in, at which point he drove strongly and worked the ball well to a much deserved hundred. Lester got the first breakthrough when they were in the 50’s – the batsman drawn out of his crease only to be Perkinstumped before he knew what had hit him. Lester chimed in with another wicket, Dave Morgan toiled valiantly for no reward, and Rich Holden kept things steady, and even David Chapman-Smith had a crack at his little offies – with calamitous consequences. (32 off his two overs). But despite a sharp caught and bowled by yours truly, it was the veteran Vance Thompson who inflicted the damage. Bowling with pace, guile, and that bloody annoying angle, Thompson thoroughly deserved his three wickets, but Lester was heard mumbling about two harbour bridge efforts by Thommo in the field. Chasing 229, Chapman-Smith and Swanny opened things up, and before long, the senior statesman of that partnership was reunited with his Roman History books back in the pavilion. This brought Richard Keyse to the crease. Tricky swears he never once middled the ball, but there were a few lusty blows in his cameo of an innings. Burge came a long way to Ventnor to field a bit, and bat for just two balls. Great player, but not one of his great days. Enter Perkinson. Playing second fiddle to Chapman-Smith’s magnificent display of strong hitting, fine placement, elegant stroke making, Perkinson looked out of sorts. But after his first truly positive shot, the flood gates opened and the run rate picked up accordingly. Chappy fell 18 short of a much deserved ton, Thompson was stoic in his resistance, and even contributed to the chase with a couple of characteristic heaves. Needing three off four balls, Perkinson was bowled for 60, leaving the unprepared Edwards to mince to the crease, only to watch the single ball he faced slide a long way down leg for four wides. A great result, a great weekend, and a great bunch of guys. They happily supplied us with fielders, (one being coined the name Ventnor) they played good cricket, and I hope this fixture is a keeper. Finally, can I maybe instigate a whip ‘round for repairs to the Ventnor visitor’s changing room, as at least four layers of paint were seen to peel away after one David Chapman-Smooth deposited something nuclear in the one and only trap. Thanks to Richard Holden, Marty, and to all the wives, girlfriends and families that made this so much more than a cricket weekend. Scoreboard Ventnor 229 for 6 (45 overs) LNZCC 232 for 6 (44.3 overs) LNZCC win by 4 wickets
Batting Runs Catches Stumpings Balls 4's 6's
David Chapman-Smith 82
81 9 3 Richard Holden DNB
Bowling O M R W
Ryan Edwards 10 2
43 1
Steve Lester 10 0
40 2
Here are some photos from the isle of Wight
The Team
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