Baggo’s new fixture, the summer solstice cup such a success that this forty over match was added to the CtC roster for 2018. This game was excitingly to be played on Whitgift’s First XI pitch - a First Class ground that has hosted numerous Surrey games in the past, and not a bad place for the club to have an outground. After Baggo had a long negotiation with the groundstaff following heavy rain the previous day, eventually the game was declared on, but with a shorter game starting after lunch. This allowed Dillon to wake up (his 11 am wake up would have meant he would have missed the start if we’d started on time), but perhaps more importantly for Baggo allow Whitfgift staff to ensure the services after their West Indies Under 19 international who had finished his morning A-Level revision session to make it for the later start. Despite the overnight rain, Pearson spots a good track and wants first use of it. CTC have a bat. With rumours circulating about the Windies gun clocking high 80’s in the Under 19 World Cup, Pearson sends in Rudkin H & Hammond, shifts himself down to 4 and pushes Pemberton up to his usual gun bat slot of 3. To which Pemberton accuses him of “doing a Root”. Dillon of course in at number 5, where else, for the ginger genius? CTC start slowly, with Windies quick too good. Hammo successfully farms the strike to ensure strike off the lad with the yips at the other end. Rudkin H then doesn’t see a full toss from the yipper and loses his stumps. Hammo plays some nice shots before departing after a cameo. In comes Pemberton. Brilliant backward defence to World Cup gun, but he doesn’t last long. Pearson in at last at a timely moment and begins to fill his boots with some brilliant shots. Dillon nursing a big hangover together with no cricket kit of his own, walks in saying “brilliant, I can’t play left armers”. Two balls later the ginger genius returns to the pavilion with a wry smile. Pearson made 67 before falling to grandmaster Baggo, sharing a partnership of 40 with Sherwin and 68 with Rutt, who was the only other batsmen to contribute with 40, helping CtCCCC to a competitive looking 200-9 from 35 overs. With Sherwin & Fairbank taking the new nut CtCCCC believe this is defendable. However what follows is a complete onslaught with the Windies gun going berserk and making the CtC duo look like slow-medium journeyman. Chances are offered though with numerous going down in a sloppy fielding performance. Special mention to Dillon for almost an inspired one-handed leaping grab (once a backward point always a backward point). The game drifts away from CTC very quickly after this flying start from the West Indian who has them going at about 10 an over. Meanwhile his partner is barely off the mark when the West Indian had been retired and had already taken the game away from CtC. In this innings, the first ball of Rutt’s spell was hit straight over his head for an enormous 6. CtC quite simply had no answers and Baggo was being accused of bringing the fixture into dis-repute. Some spirited bowling from the likes of Rutt, Gimson, a return spell from Fairbank, Rudkin R and Pearson follows, but the game has lost its edge and became akin to a testimonial match. Notably Baggo came and went quite quickly and Pearson decided to bowl some leg spin that coincided with the arrival of the Chairman (the Club legspinner). Whitgift cantered to the win with an ugly looking 50 being reached just before victory which was secured with 5 overs left and 5 wickets in hand. A brilliant fixture though so thanks to Baggo for facilitating. Henry Rudkin, Director of Cricket
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AuthorGeorge Dean. Archives
October 2023
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