Where the pitch was rugged, the bowling was rapid, and the fight was real
Sometimes in lower-league cricket, you rock up to a council pitch that looks like it’s been used for army combat training, only to find yourselves facing a side several leagues better than they ought to be. Saturday the 14th was one of those days — and it just so happened to coincide with us being a little light on both batting and bowling options.
Still, our patchwork team owed it to ourselves, the opposition, and our emerging youngsters to stand up and give it a go on a day blustery enough to blow the bails off, but still featuring some warm June sunshine after a soggy Friday.
East Anton Bat First
East Anton won the toss and, predictably, stuck us in the field for a bit of gentle punishment. Zak Newton and Will McCarthy opened the bowling, and while their good deliveries were genuinely good, they quickly learned a harsh truth of cricket: decent batsmen tend to send half-tracker leg-side balls somewhere in the general direction of Stonehenge.
Will was replaced by Joby Beatty, who made an instant impact, taking a fine low catch to dismiss the dangerous-looking Bruno Mars — who, rather fittingly, looked up into space in surprise. Zak then removed Liam Burden-Brown, leaving the score at 80-2. The fightback was on! Briefly.
Hickling cruised past 50 with ease, and when Bob Lethaby came into what was now ironically labelled an ‘attack’, Anton tucked in like Eamonn Holmes at an all-you-can-eat buffet. At the other end, Ollie bowled good lines and was rewarded with the wicket of Newton (no relation), who was batting like he had a hot date with Beyoncé and didn’t want to be late.
Brief Hope
When the excellent Joby removed Hickling, 157-4 looked a respectable effort. County 5 teams usually have four proper batters, followed by a mix of sadistic rabbits and blokes who’ve been dragged along with the enthusiasm of someone holding a ticket to hear Nigel Farage talk bollocks about little boats.
Not East Anton. They had Harper — a busy, gutsy, clever little batsman — and Randolph James, a West Indian who decided Saturday was his official Chris Gayle Day. You know you’re in trouble when your best deliveries are going for four and the bad ones are landing somewhere near Salisbury Market.
What followed was a chastening hour of cricket. As the heat rose, so did tempers — especially with some ‘boundary banter’ directed at Harper, unfairly criticised for not hitting it as far as Gayle-lite Randolph. His unbeaten 66 probably answered the critics. James finished on a blistering 88, despite offering a couple of chances — which, of course, we politely declined to take. The target? A breezy 278.
The Reply: Brave Faces and Brutal Bowling
If we hoped Anton’s strength lay solely in batting, that dream was swiftly kicked into touch by Tommy Bethon. Picture facing the Courtney Walsh of Hampshire club cricket — on a lively pitch. That’s your man. Why he’s playing at this level is anyone’s guess, but he was rapid, mixing quick deliveries with even quicker ones for added comedy.
Openers Kris and Chris fought gamely. Kris was done in by an absolute jaffa for 8, while Mozzer battled on, surviving a few scorchers and riding his luck. Joby Beatty joined him, nonchalantly smacking Bethon for four with his first ball, and then dispatching Cradduck for another. However, Cradduck — a clever operator — tempted youthful enthusiasm with an outswinger Joby couldn’t resist. “He’ll learn,” Mozz commented, before proceeding to do exactly the same thing when looking good on 15.
George Digs In
George Lethaby then came to the crease, digging in against Bethon’s pace and Cradduck’s growing accuracy. So accurate, in fact, that even his one hopeless full toss somehow got through and removed Dave Parry for a duck. Cricket, eh? One minute you’re seeing off rockets, the next you’re humiliated by a rank full toss. Dave did well not to cry or be sick. Or both.
Tom Hartgill came in and cracked three lusty fours but, by his own admission, couldn’t handle Bethon and headed off with the sort of shrug reserved for batsmen undone by an unplayable one.
George soldiered on, toe-to-toe with Bethon, defending stoically and pinching the odd single. He was joined by young Will McCarthy who, after hitting it to all parts in Colts cricket, was finding the senior step-up a challenge. But he’s a good sportsman and now owns a forward defensive that had previously eluded him — something that’ll serve him well in the long run. His 14 off 49 might not dazzle on paper, but it was full of grit and growth.
When Will departed, it became a procession. The long tail tried its best to hang around just long enough for George to reach 50 — and they just about managed it. George went on the attack, reaching an excellent 55 before finally falling. He always seems to step up against quality bowling — now he just needs to concentrate a bit more against the unguided pies. If he cracks that, there’s plenty more runs to come.
The Verdict: Not the Result, But Plenty to Take
So yes, in terms of the scoreboard, it was a bit of a hammering. But we knew it would be tough — and it was. Yet, there were plenty of positives in the performances of our younger players. Zak is a fine bowler who’ll get better with more practice, as will Will McCarthy, who learned the hard way that bowling well isn’t always straightforward.
Joby is a first-teamer in waiting if he keeps his head on and his standards high. And while George has made a fair few fifties for The Oaks, that one was probably his hardest-fought yet. A genuinely battling knock.
A Word on East Anton
East Anton are far too good for this division and need to climb a few leagues — and find a pitch that doesn’t double as an assault course. The outfield at Augusta Park has “five grand and a new set of teeth” written all over it. Anything hit hard along the ground risks ending in A&E.
They bat deep, bowl with pace and control, and if they can keep their big line-up happy and cut out the unnecessary internal squabbles, they’ll be a match for anyone from County Two downwards. A good bunch of lads, too. Good luck to them going forward as a new club in a sport that is seeing village clubs disappear with every passing season.
On we travel.