Ripley edge a high-scoring game

After a few very late dropouts, we managed to field a full side in one of the club’s original fixtures in a 40 over game. The weather was hot, the pitch dry and a little slow and the outfield brown and very fast. Past club player from the 70s who lives nearby Euan Harkness popped down to give his support.

Jacob Vanner received his Norman cap from Cheyne Voss at the start of the game Skipper Richard Fish won the toss and decided to bat if nothing else to avoid the main heat of the day.

Dan Robinson and last week’s centurion Jacob Vanner opened. Dan was in a hurry. Before the game he had said he wants to get to 1000 runs before he returns to NZ later this year. A flurry of runs from Dan’s bat and a more circumspect Jacob. Jacob got one that was a little slow and popped and gave an easy catch to a short cover for a duck.

Dan then mistimed one and gave a return catch to the bowler for 21 4 and out from Cheyne Voss and we were in trouble at 30-3 off 10.

Time for some rebuilding. Last minute call up Russell Kyne and Dickie Courie did just that. With some positive batting and good running and very fast outfield they took us past 100 in the 18th

. One sharp run too many saw Dickie needing a runner for a twinged hamstring.

The 100 partnership came and went. Russell was batting beautifully when he chanced his arm and holed out at mid-on for an excellent 82.Together Dickie and Russell put on 154 for the 4th wicket in 19 overs. An exhausted Dickie reach a well-deserved 52 before he too found himself caught.

Tony Penman did not last long, and it was down to Shaun Raumati and Brogan McIlwick to get us up to a respectable score. A well complied 49 run partnership saw us get up to 247 before Brogan got himself stumped.

Tim Mclean then came in for a brief cameo before out for 5 and Peter Bellamy was 2 not out alongside Shaun who batted very well for his 39 not out. So 269-8 off 40 was a lot better than 30-3 off 10.

A sumptuous tea between innings helped the team recharge their batteries for the battle ahead Russell and Brogan took the new ball. It took a couple of overs for Ripley to start find the gaps. However, Russell had other ideas. He had Ripley Saturday captain bowled with a leggie and then in same over had other bowled for a duck. So similar to LNZ 2 for 27 early on. Unfortunately for NZ Ripley also then had their own big partnership. Their Kiwi pro Bradley and keeper Dan combined for a partnership of 143 We had our chances. A couple of hard chances in the deep were dropped by Shaun as the Ripley batsmen pilled on the runs. Shaun and Dan replaced the 2 openers but found no luck. It was up to chairman Peter Bellamy to finally make the breakthrough with a simple caught and bowled.

Like the number 11 bus, another couple of wickets followed very shortly. Tim Mclean bowled one and Peter had another catch caught by skipper Richard

Vossy tried his luck with his off spin but also found it hard going before Russell came back into the attack and had the kiwi pro well caught behind by Jacob. So, 188-6 in the 30th . Game on.

The Ripley batsmen then knuckled down not giving any chances and finding the gaps with the ball racing away to the boundary all too often. After a 62-run partnership we go a breakthrough with Jacob getting a very smart stumping off Shaun. Jacob had a very tough leg side stumping chance but could not quiet gather it.

250 for 7 with 36 overs gone. Russell had another bowled 259-8.

With the score on 262 with 1 over to go, Russell had the ball in hand. A single off the first ball brought the youngster to the striker’s end. However, 2 low full tosses were then dispatched the square leg boundary and Ripley got home with 3 balls to spare. Ripley voted Russell Kyne as our Man of the March for his 82 and 3 wickets. We voted for Toby Zapp who anchored the end of run chase with 45 not out and 3 wickets and some committed diving on the rock-hard outfield.

A big thanks to Tim and Russell for answering the late call ups on Saturday night. A great day of cricket played in a good spirit at a very historic venue.