SUPER-ALI-FRAPPELL-ISTIC...
Ballinger CC 184-5 dec
WCC 164-9
Match drawn
The key to success in any team sport is strength in depth - or, failing that, the use of emotional blackmail, harrassment and nuisance phone calls. Thus were Alison Frappell and Vijay Hajela coerced into the squad on Sunday morning, the latter nursing a broken right hand encased in a scary metal splint that made him look like a B movie mastercriminal. The late call-up duo soon made an impression on the game and distinguished themselves from their teammates by (a) fielding very well and (b) not urinating on the outfield. Later on in the climactic closing overs of the match their batting partnership was arguably the finest seen in recent times between a South London rheumatologist and a member of the Mary Poppins production team.
The afternoon started well with the Weekenders XI fitting snugly but not uncomfortably into the saloon bar of the pub where they were able to spend quality time stabilising their body mass indices. The pub telly showed West Indies and India losing early wickets in the autumnal conditions but Ballinger were confident enough to risk batting first against the WCC pace juggernaut of Douglas and van der Borgh.
The hosts started cautiously and captain d’Inverno soon found an ideal containing partnership in the evergreen Dunne and Greg Man, making a welcome return after a year’s absence. Greg normally plies his lively seamers for the Earl of Carnarvon’s XI and he struggled to adapt to this level, saying things like ‘bad luck’ and ‘well tried’ every time a catch went down off his bowling.
When a wicket finally fell at 58 it was thanks to the courage of Hajela who latched onto an on-drive with his broken hand, ignoring a shriek from the outfield of ‘Vijay Don’t!’ But Vijay did, and what’s more he did so again soon afterwards to an even more firmly hit stroke. And he didn’t leave it at that - the hard-as-nails healer pounced on a misfield and pulled off a superb run-out with his weird prosthetic arm. But these were rare spoonfuls of sugar as Ballinger continued to ladle out the medicine.
The hosts timed their acceleration well - the assault on van der Borgh was especially unfortunate as Simon is still working with his therapist to repair the psychological damage done by his first-baller at Ampney Crucis (desperately slow work, obviously, as Freud’s views on running between the wickets are virtually useless, working as he did long before the improvements in fielding brought about by the one-day game).
Chasing 185, Mike Harvey fell quickly with a top-edged paddle and Smee followed shortly having driven 200 miles to score 1. With the innings in a nosedive Hogben and Man took control in a tremendous run-a-ball partnership of 107 - Man’s strokeplay in particular lifted the spirits like Julie Andrews’ brolly carrying her charges safely up and over the rooftops of London. However it wasn’t to last. Lyons’ batting these days has all the natural assurance of Dick Van Dyke’s cockney accent, ditto the footwork of van der Borgh, Douglas and d’Inverno. So with 40 needed off the last seven overs and three wickets in hand it looked like our chances had gone up the chim-chim-chiree.
But in came Ali to play with the assurance and footwork so lacking earlier on, while Dunne biffed away bravely at the other end. When Dunne was dismissed (for only the second time this season) there were 21 balls remaining. Out walked the one-handed Hajela, like a cross between Doctor Strangelove and Colin Cowdrey without the Brylcreem. He blocked out the over. In the next, the cheers rang out as Ali drew level with her husband’s score. When the pair survived the final overs amid the Wagonners predatory kraal they entered the Weekenders pantheon.
Ali was typically modest in the pub afterwards when she was formally presented with the match ball. But there were mutterings about a shift in roles in Frappell/Harvey household. Mike has been at IKEA all day today so has been unable to confirm or deny rumours that Ali went out on the lash with her mates on Sunday night then woke him up with a midnight phonecall saying in a slurred voice ‘Love ya Babes, can you tape the golf, cheers.’
STATS
Ballinger Wagonners 184-5 dec ( 41 overs)
Webster 57
Bowling:
Douglas 7-2-19-1, van der Borgh 8-1-52-1, Man 13-0-51-1, Dunne 13-3-48-1.
Catches: Hajela 2
Run out: Hajela 1
WCC 164-9 (41 overs)
M. Harvey 1 (7 balls), Hogben 45 (61 balls), Smee 1 (8 balls), Lyons 0 (1 ball), Man 67 (68 balls), d’Inverno 4 (4 balls), Douglas 1 (7 balls), Dunne 12 (27 balls), van der Borgh 10 (16 balls), Frappell 1* (31 balls), Hajela 4* (11 balls).