Also, Evan will be presented with a trophy at the North Somerset League dinner on the Friday 16th October. What could Evan have possibley done to deserve this?  Taking the most wickets in Division 5 of the Saturday conference. His full bowling figures were 109.3 overs, 23Maidens, 364 runs, 25 wickets, 4/3 best, 3.32 economy, 26.28 strike rate 14.56 average.

If you want to go to the league dinner to celebrate tell Stevo.

The cricket team under the guidance of Rob gave indoor cricket a try on Tuesday. This game is a sort of cross between cricket, squash and cage fighting played in a 6-a-side format. It turned out to be a comfortable victory by 50 runs and as they say “a good time was had by all”, well “they” would wouldn’t they. The problem with this game is that as a cricketer you normally waist an entire day playing a completely futile sport whereas this indoor form of the game only lasts for an hour. The result is that it feels like one has made it through to drinks and wants to push on for a big innings, however the game is over and one feels teased and unfulfilled. Never the less since it is good fun and makes you sweety the Cricket team plan to join the league when the robin next comes around in December, until then there will be a few more friendlies.

The Cowgirls lost to Red Thunder 0-8

12/09/2009

The Saturday A Team drew 1-1 with Cabot Asset Finance. Quiffey scored a rare goal for the Cowboys.

The Saturday B Team beat Cotswool Res. 2-1.

The Suburbans beat old Cothamians 2-1.

The Cricket Friendly Team lost to Bath Exiles, Evan report:

A crack(ed) team of 8 headed to Bath to take on Exiles in this hastily arranged friendly. Exiles won the toss and batting first scored 205 for 5 declared, with Grant taking 2 wickets and Al bagging Exiles top scorer in his first ever match for the Cowboys.

The Cowboys reply was a little uneven, with only Gary (55) and Just-in (15) getting into double figures. Exiles loaned us their Honourable secretary, 86 year old Cliff Bastin to make up the numbers; he was our third highest scorer, with 3. The Cowboys were dismissed for 87 in 25.4 overs.

Netball 1 lost 32-22 to DHT

Netball 2 won their 1st match of the season beating Ashton Hearts 22-21.

13/09/2009

The Cricket 2nd Team lost to Bristol Indians by 177 runs. BI hit 291 for 8. In reply EC got to 114 all out from 32 overs.

“And so the game is played out, on the sinking Wigan Pier.”

Inspired by the best, and indeed, only winning streak of the season, the Sunday 1st team travel to leafy Failand to play Old Bristolians Westbury. This is the new habitat of the former skipper, Chris Hunt. We are not expecting him to face the music by turning out for the oppo.

Duncan won the toss again, 3 in a row, and elected to bat on a lovely dry flat looking covered 1st team pitch. With a reasonable batting line up, he and Bernet headed to the crease in relaxed fashion. A seamer and a leg spinner opened against us and it’s clear that the dry pitch takes turn, however inaccurate. After a brisk start though, Bernet was bowled for 9 by a double bouncing daisy cutting leg break through his legs. How very Cowboy! Justin would have opened but was a bit late so came in at 3 and looked great until he wellied a cut straight to cover with his score on 12 and the total on 45. Evan stepped up and he and the skipper put on 26 until in a bid for quicker runs, Evan called Duncan for a quick single and ran him out on 40. So the collapse began, from there at 71 for 3 to 82 for 4, Evan for 5 and 86 for 5, Dave Flinton for 12. Both caught off the child bowler voted most likely to succeed DC2 as the slowest in Christendom. 89 for 6, Jeff for 3. 92 for 7 Roger for 3. 102 for 8, James Tinx for 8. 104 for 9 Rich Garner for 1. All fell to bowler of the day Ollie Folland, who took 4 for 4 in a 5 over spell off very good off spin. Wayne fell victim to the youngest player on the pitch, bowled for 4 by a ball from outer space. 106 all out on one of the best batting strips in the league, the last 7 wickets lost for 29 runs in 11 overs.

It’s lucky Mr. Hunt wasn’t there really, wasn’t it.

So to the defence of such a total. Both Martin and Rich G opening the bowling were dispatched for boundaries with their first balls. Thereafter with steely determination, they settled into the task but made only one inroad, Rich trapping the baby opener with the score on 26. Bizarrely, the other opener was given out LBW to Martin, but the umpire changed his mind under duress from the number 3 and that was the Cowboys last sniff of an unlikely charge towards victory. Losing never really looked in doubt though as Duncan, Evan and Roger were all not quite good enough to pressurize the very relaxed batsmen as they cruised to 107 in the 20th over.

A rather damp squib of a finish to the season. But the session at the Plough was cheery and loud.

Well done to all who gave there all during the season, and there is no doubt in my mind it’ll all be better next year.

The Cowgirls beat Pink Panthers 10-0

29/08/2009

The Cricket 3rd Team lost their final game of the season to Bath Exiles by 107 runs. Exiles hit 209 for 6 from their 40 overs. Ev Bowled 8-3-15-1 and DCII bowled 8-1-40-2. In Reply the Cowboys struggled to 107 all out in 28.2. The Webgimp scored 28.

The Saturday A Team beat AFC Bohemia 4-0.

The Saturday B Team beat Bristol Barcelona Res. 5-0.

30/08/2009

The Cricket 1st Team lost to Old Bristolians Westbury by 9 Wickets. The Cowboys hit 109 all out from 33.3 overs with Dunc hitting 40. Westbury hit them in 19.4 overs, Garner bowled 4-0-18-1.

The Cricket 2nd Team beat Portway by 57 runs. The Cowboys scored 176 all out in 38.4 overs. Reg hit 44. Portway were all out for 119 in 31.3 overs, Harry bowled 7-1-17-4 and Aran bowled 5-0-8-2. This is the 2nd Team’s 1st victory of the season.

01/09/2009

The Saturday A Team lost to Bristol Barcelona 4-0.

The Cowgirls beat Bristol Panthers 10-0.

The Cricket Friendly Team lost to some Cheltenham Council lot by about 10 or so runs. The opposition won the toss and decided to bat despite the fact that half our side had been delayed by not knowing  junction 10 on the M5 has limited access. Due to this decision, or shall we be blame the coin for not letting us win the toss, the game started 20 mins late dooming us to another dark finish. They scored 129. Kalu, who was brought up playing cricket with a soft ball, kept wicket for the first time using a hard ball and excelled letting no byes through.

In the dying light the chase was on. Jeff hit 24 in a mutually appreciative stand with Grant. The extras ensured that we were up with the run rate. We had reversed our batting order however, they had reversed their bowling order too and as the darkness descended the extras dried up. In the end we were all out off the last ball as Justine lapped Neil running three to Neil’s two. It was a great joy to have Toby from Brighton playing with us and he performed bravely in the face of an unsympathetic hang over.

22/08/2009

The Cricket 2nd Team absolutely hammered Weston’s 4th Team by 10 wickets. A late ground change – which saw Jeff go to not only the wrong ground but also the wrong town – meant that we played in Failand on a wicket that looked so suspicious and spiteful that on winning the toss Tinx thankfully put the opposition in to bat. Oobs, our normally glorious leader and looser of the toss, was off watching the Ashes at the Oval and so did not give a toss. Weston who had been hit by the holiday season and U2 playing in Cardiff struggled to get a side together, consequently the side that turned up was half their women’s XI, a few kids and the odd stalwart. In the face of Gary, Garner, Gibbons and Rob this rag-tag fugitive fleet could only manage 33 runs before being all out in 22.4 overs. Extras were equal top scorer with 9. Ev bowled 5.4-3-3-4 and is now the leading wicket taker in our division, Garner bowled 3-1-6-3. In the field Gary executed a ruthless run out from point, Grove took an improbable catch and Gary took 2 regulation catches. On a day that saw the 3rds pouch another 3 catches it is pleasing to note that of the 18 players in the division who have taken 5 or more fielding catches, 5 of them are Cowboys.

In reply Grant and Jeff had their second mutually appreciative innings of the week and brought us home without loss in 8.5 overs, Jeff getting 14, Grant getting 13 and the sundries making up the rest. Still hyped up for the game and unfulfilled the Cowboys made there way back to The Plough and got plastered.

23/08/2009

The Cricket 1st Team beat Failand and Portbury by 4 wickets on the penultimate ball in a game of unequal halves. Duncan reports:

After a week of letting the first win of the season sink in, the Sunday 1stXI took to the pitch at Frenchay to attempt a change in fortune at home against the aging and cantankerous ‘Grandads’ of Failand and Portbury.

A dry wicket may have looked a decent bet to bat on, but F&P had chased down 263 last week, so after changing his mind several times Duncan decided to field on a cloudy but increasingly bright day.

The risk looked ominously doomed as 11 came from the first over, but subsequent tight stuff from Wayne and Roger restricted F&P to just 49 from the first wicketless 12 overs. First change bowler Duncan made an immediate breakthrough courtesy of a fantastic forward diving catch from keeper Angelo. Bernet ably supported from the shed end but F&P had big numbers in mind and although never racing away, (except for the Cuthill effect, see bowling figures) put on a century for the next wicket. The creaking knees of Mr.Ormesher eventually upset the concentration of the no.3 bat enough to coax him into a rash cross-batted swipe at a straight ball which accurately clipped the top of middle stump.

A couple of Mav beamers were enough to see his spell cut sadly short, replaced by Skipper Dunc now aching enough to bowl off spin. Many more runs seemed on the cards with one very good opener still at the crease eyes partly on getting a century to his name. But Steve, Dunc, Wayne and Roger cobbled the final overs together well, for only 51 runs, taking a few wickets including an astonishing catch by Steve O under the pounding hooves of a Maverick shaped stampede which knocked Oobs clean off his feet. A call would have been handy. However, this did bring our cider moment voting an instant nomination. Amid the comedy classics, the fielding and team ethic had remained probably the best of the year so far.

• Wayne Kelly 8 1 41 2
• Roger Ball 7 0 29 0
• Duncan Brewood 8 0 32 2
• Bernet Cochrane 8 0 35 0
• Alan Cuthill 1 0 21 0
• Steve Ormesher 7 0 42 2
• Colin Parnell 2 0 15 0
• So onto the chase.

Justin and Angelo opened with steadiness until Angelo(6) was given out stumped, twice in the same ball, despite eventual protestations involving his toe being behind the line. Enter the Maverick, who edged and drove his way to a decent 33 before being run out. Bernet looked a little out of sorts but good progress was made until another running mix up occurred and Justin(71) was stranded mid-wicket, showing a modicum of displeasure by hurling his bat a few yards. He was very cross indeed.

Dave Flinton, spasming back in some discomfort, codeine his only solace, batted like a man possessed smashing a magnificent six over ‘cow’ which lifted the spirit of the whole team. Could we do this? Oh yes indeed, maybe we could. Bernet now literally had his gloves off and also pinged the ball out of the ground for a maximum. Tired from all the willow-swinging, he was then run out on 41 with the score on 191, the fourth wicket bringing a very tense Captain Brewood to the races. Soon it was bye-bye skippy for a desperate 2 runs, but meanwhile the exhausted Dave F.(23) had creamed another 6 before making way for our resident Scotsman. Could the ‘Wee Man keep his heed’ now with Roger, gnashing rather angrily, for company? Could he reverse the ‘Cuthill Bowling Effect’

Emphatically, he did. Alan(13n.o.) and Roger(8n.o.) drove and scuttled about for the final few overs in the gathering gloom to give the Cowboys a stirring and very dramatic 4 wicket victory with 1 ball to spare.

Hoo-Fuckin’-Rah!!!

1. Justin Avery Run Out 71
2. Angelo Bordi + Stumped Phillip Dungey 6
3. Colin Parnell Run Out 33
4. Bernet Cochrane Run Out 41
5. David Flinton Caught (Jeff Astle) jamie fear 23
6. Duncan Brewood * Stumped Jeff Astle 2
7. Alan Cuthill Not Out 13
8. Roger Ball Not Out 8
9. Steve Ormesher Did Not Bat
10. Jonathon leach Did Not Bat
11. Wayne Kelly Did Not Bat

Byes(9); Leg Byes(6); Wides(13); No Balls(1); Extras 29

Total 226

Wickets 6

Overs 39.5

I, Sparticus, hereby say a massive THANKYOU to all 10 of my revolting slaves for a thrilling and I think brilliant team performance.

A very special round of applause goes out to Jonsey whose comparitive youth and footballing skills on the boundary saved enough runs to make our run-chase possible. He has yet to feature in the batting and bowling line up, but has approached his fielding in these last 2 games with enormous enthusiasm and great cheer. And so with genuine ‘gratitude for his attitude’ hats off to him.

And Skippy D says ‘Here’s the Cowboy Moment’

The final over from Wayne, in which he took a wicket for 5 runs, was the 41st of the opposition innings. Fuck knows how we and F&P managed to do this, but it’s no wonder the scorebook was a mess and didn’t add up. Why on earth they didn’t stop us from bowling it I don’t know. However, having spoken with complete and total chagrin to the Malcolm Buck of the league, I’m sorry to report that on their website, Wayne’s figures are now shown as 7/1/36/1.

But we all know you got it really, so in the spirit of ‘Absolute Cowboyness’ we’ll add it to our records.

Stop Press

Have discovered an extra over in Oobs bowling figures which the shortsighted grandads somehow invented, probably as a result of a quick journey to another Universe, and left in our book. Old people! What are they like eh? Anyway, has now been scrubbed, Wayne has his wicket back on league website, Steve’s creaky knees really did only get strained for 6 instead of 7 overs, our book and the NSCL website now add up properly and above all, WE STILL FUCKIN’ ROCK!

The Cricket 2nd Team lost to top of the league Bristol Bangladeshis by 1 wicket in a very close match. EC batted first and were 144 for 8 off their 40 overs. Aran was guilty of jug avoidance for getting out for 46, this came as a surprise to his dad since Aran is not of a legal age to imbibe intoxicating liquor. BB got the required runs in 33.1 overs but lost 9 wickets along the way. Aran bowled 6-1-12-2, Harry bowled 4-0-15-1 and Neil bowled 7.1-1-49-3. Stratto took two great catches out of the 5 taken by the Cowboys and of the 10 players in their division who have taken 4 or more catches 3 are Cowboys, Dean leads the field with 8.

One Liner Of The Week (and perhaps the century)

A member of the 3rd Team was talking to one of Weston 4ths lady players. To his surprise he found out that the women’s game is played with a lighter ball than that used in the men’s game. “Oh really”, remarked our man, “and is it any good for mood swing bowling?”

The Cowboys Friendly Team travelled to Gloucester to take on DCI’s work mates last night and lost in the rain and the dark. This is literally what happened and this is not some existential statement about the state of the cricket team. Surrounded by a Travellers’ encampment and on a terribly stodgy wicket the Cowboys got off to a really slow start, the plan of opening with Angleo and the Webgimp backfired when Angelo was out in the first over. The Webgimp and Pudsey struggled to get the ball to the boundary, in fact no boundaries were scored until the 15th over when Alan hit a brisk 27 and made those who had already batted look like chumps. The result was 102 runs in our allotted 20 overs.

The council employees on the other hand got of to a very brisk start and looked like they might get the runs in about 12 overs. However, some dark clouds caused the batsmen to call for the red ball to be replaced with a white one and in the rain and gloom wickets began to fall, the run rate slowed to a trickle and the game became more of a contest. Angelo took two great catches behind the stumps, Andy took a stunning catch in front of the stumps and the Webgimp bowled one batsman but since the bails never came off he was not out. In the end they got the runs needed in the 18th over and we headed to the pub, where a pub quiz master asked us to estimate the total number of balls bowled by Ian Botham in his 110 test matches.

The Cowgirls beat Calloway Ladies 6-4.

25/07/2009 & 26/07/2009

All of the Cricket was rained off

The Cowgirls lost to Woodstock Jollies 6-3.

11/07/2009

The Cricket 3rd Team lost to Wrington 2nd XI by a massive 185 runs in the rain. Wrington hit 250 for 7 from their 40 overs with Ev bowling 8-0-27-2 and Garner bolwing 8-1-47-3.  In reply the Cowboys could only manage 65 and were all out in 21.2 overs. Justine scored 31.

12/07/2009

The Cricket 2nd Team lost to Portway 1st XI by 54 runs. Portway hit 218 for 7 from their 40 overs. Neil bowled 8-0-33-1. In reply the Cowboys got to 166 all out from 36.2 with Neil hitting 90 not out.

The 1st Team were rained off.

The Cricket Friendly Team lost to GCC.

02/07/2009

The Cowgrils lost to Carrington Rovers 1-12.

The Cricket Cup Team beat Clevedon 3rds with a walk over. Their Captain was in Corfu and forgot to arrange for a stand-in.

04/07/2009

The Cricket 3rd Team beat Avonside 1st by 24 runs. The Cowboys hit 216 for the loss of 6 wickets in their 40 overs, Justine scored 91 and Stevo scored 47. In reply Avonside scores 192 all out in tipically do or die display. Roger bowled 8-0-45-5.

05/07/2009

The Cricket 1st Team lost to Bath Exiles by 2 runs. Exiles hit 231 for the loss of only two wickets, with roger bowling his 8 overs for only 21 runs. In reply the Cowboys go to 299 all out with one ball left to go. Harry’s dad hit 55 and Bag Puss hit 44.

After the resignation of Chris as 1st Team Captain Dunc has manfully stepped into the breach and will see us through to the end of the season.

The Cricket 2nd Team lost to Bristol Bangledeshis by 35 runs. BB hit 211 all out from 38 overs. Stratto bowled 8-0-40-4 and Chris Bowled 7.4-0-30-3. In reply the Cowboys were 176 all out off 39.1 overs. DC I hit 43.

The Cowgirls beat Hels Belles 8-2.

27/06/2009

The Cricket 3rd Team beat Bath Exiles 2nd Team by 7 wickets. It was  a sultry afternoon on a sticky wicket, Exiles won the toss and decided to bat. Few couple have imagined that the words “hartick ball” and “DC II” would be mentioned in the the same sentence before the day was out, however with three regular bowlers missing the moth balls were removed from every crevice and DC II was sent into action. With batsmen failing to handle his pace, or lack of it, DC II found himself bumbling up to the wicket to deliver a hatrick ball…. unfortunately it was a wide, but still finishing on figures of 6-0-22-2 was a good days work. Gary bowled 8-1-18-2 and Pagey excelled behind the stumps as Exiles were pinned back to 141 for 7 off their 40 overs. Unfortunately the Cowboys best fielding of the afternoon went unrewarded as two clear run outs were not given, the first of which was a stunning direct hit by Gary fielding at point. Stevo then managed to break his horrendous run of ducks as he and Grover put on 44 of the first wicket. Justine and Gary (44 of 21 balls!) brought the Cowboys home with Gary hitting 3 huge sixes, the last of which won the game, in 31.5 overs, just as the heavens opened, .

28/06/2009

The Cricket 1st Team lost to Old Bristolians Westbury Sunday 2nd Team by 5 wickets. The misery of the 1st Team continued this week with Duncan’s finger injury being confirmed as a break. There have now been three broken digits in the 1st team this season. The Cowboys won the toss and decided to bat with Chris hitting 47 and Bernet hitting 59 they reached 205. A lack of available bowling was aparent again as OBW hit the runs off in 34 overs for the loss of 5 wickets. Sadley Chris decided to resign as Captain after the macth.