2020 , as a general rule, will be one that the Time Travellers Almanac will suggest to avoid. For what is usually a humorous (or attempted to be so) piece I won't do a list of disaster and destruction but I think we can generally accept that this year has mainly been about as entertaining as watching old re-runs of One Man and his Dog.
Then...then there was this.
Right towards the back end of the season came a beautiful warm afternoon under crystal blue skies, a wicket that would easily have hosted cricket of a higher level and opposition who came for the love of the game not the nonsense of a result.
It felt very much like a bad girlfriend seeking forgiveness after crashing your car, cutting the toes out of your socks and daubing obscenities on your framed picture of Ben Stokes because she thought she saw you sneaking a sideways glance at her best friend.
This was comfortably the best performance of the Duckhunters Season. 7 bowlers who all took wickets, sharp fielding , good bowling and a run chase that was perfectly paced and completed with 10 overs to spare. For a team being lined up for a sponsorship deal from a brown trousers manufacturer it was something of a shock.
All, and I genuinely mean all, the bowlers were on the money. Breakthroughs came at the right times and catching was excellent. Two catches in the deep deserve special mention, both that went through four notable phases. 1) Ball gets smacked 2) Fielder realises with some dismay that the ball is heading in his direction with no acceptable escape route 3) Ball stays in breadbasket. 4) Relief all around. Credit too for debutant David Parker who held his nerve under heavy fire and got two wickets.
The reply?
Sid blasted, Mike edged it ...a lot...., Andy 'Questionable footwear' Holmes...another 50...blah blah...yadda yadda ..MVP.... snore snore.
A final brief mention to our gallant opponents who have twice been kind enough to play us in this most strange of seasons, both times in the very best of spirit and both times boosting our win percentage. We wish you well Stoneygate and hope to see you again in 2021.
