A makeshift pre-season XI rolled into Longparish yesterday, greeted by a scene so idyllic it could have been painted; blue skies, drifting fluffy white clouds, and warm spring sunshine. The kind of day that feels almost suspicious, knowing full well the league season in May will likely begin in horizontal rain.
Longparish bat First
On paper, Longparish looked the stronger outfit, so the brief for both sides was simple: get a proper workout in and shake off the winter cobwebs.
Longparish wisely chose to bat and were immediately met with purpose and pace from the lively pairing of Alex Rogan and emerging youngster George Bird. There were a few early alarms, the sort that make batsmen a bit jumpy on an early season track, but credit where it’s due, their openers stood firm and showed real quality.
Once the initial nerves settled, the scoreboard began ticking along nicely. That said, our bowlers made sure nothing came easily. Joby reminded everyone why he’s so highly regarded around the club, while Zak Newton showed flashes of genuine menace, particularly once he remembered that overs one and two aren’t strictly optional warm-ups. DJ delivered a delightful mix of spin bowling including part precision, part chaos. With more cricket under his belt, that cocktail will no doubt settle into something more potent.
AB was tight, skiddy, and thoroughly awkward to face, while veteran Bob Lethaby continued his noble crusade of unsettling batsmen everywhere. There is something uniquely troubling about facing a man proudly described as a “pie chucker,” and Bob nearly had their star man only for son George to take a fine catch but with just enough enthusiasm to step over the rope. Pre-season generosity, we’ll call it.
Wickets were shared around nicely: two for Zak, and one each for Joby, Bob, AB, and DJ. Rogan and Bird perhaps deserved more reward for their efforts, but such is the cruel charm of cricket.
Batting for Respectability
Chasing 258, there were early murmurs of a short afternoon as Kunal and Joby departed quickly, leaving us wobbling at 9-2. However, George Lethaby and DJ had other ideas. The pair dug in, battled gamely, and stitched together a valuable partnership worth fifty-odd. George’s composed 29 and DJ’s gritty 24 provided both resistance and reassurance. Hopefully a sign of better things to come in the new league season.
From there, the innings took on a more charitable tone, with several cameos aimed at keeping Longparish in the field and everyone well exercised. Rogan, Will Rabley (including a lusty six) and Bird all chipped in, while Bob Lethaby embraced his inner Geoffrey Boycott, stonewalling his way to a proud 0* off roughly 15 deliveries. Some innings are measured in runs; others in sheer defiance. If Bob had an attacking shot in him, he’d be useful.
So, what did we learn?
Plenty. Our bowlers showed they can compete and trouble good players. Rogan looks every inch a First XI threat, with DJ and AB not far behind. Joby, Zak, and George Bird have all the makings of standout performers in the second team, while Bob continues to prove that unguided chaos is a skill in its own right and occasionally a match-winning one.
With the bat, there’s promise, but also a clear challenge. George Lethaby and DJ laid down a marker with their partnership, and if we’re to turn a decent season into a memorable one, they, and others will need to build on this and become consistent contributors.
The opportunity is there now: to step out from the shadows of the excellent batsmen who’ve moved on, and to start writing new names into the club story. That’s the challenge and one I believe we are capable of.
The season stirs. On we travel.
