Loafers v Selsey Bill (Home at SCG - Salthill Cricket Ground)

The eagerly awaited start to the 1999 Loafers' cricket season gets underway at long last as the keen competitors take to the field after a long hard winter of training and more training. (Mostly in the Coach & Horses). Selsey win the toss and put the Loafers in to bat first on a pleasant and rather typical early spring evening under a deep blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds.

The crack of cliche upon willow sends the shiny new red ball spinning accross the freshly mown lush green outfield and the first game of the year is on.

Er, at this stage your intrepid reporter had other business to attend to so the report is really a little sketchy at the moment until some feedback is received from members of the team. Come on guys, get those emails in to me as soon as you can...

Some early reports: Star all-rounder Ian King managed a splendid catch at the third attempt after fishing around in thin air for what seemed like an eternity. Leter, in his four-over bowling stint he managed to get 2 or 3 wickets (he can't quite remember and that's just about typical of the level of attention to be expected at this level of the game). When facing the Selsey bowling himself he managed to amass a healthy 21 runs as the evening shadows did what evening shadows were put on this earth to do. (That'll be lengthen then).

Steve King scored runs. How many we don't yet know. As the Loafers' entered their twentieth over it looked like a lost cause, 30 odd runs still needed but with their usual never say die attitude several big hits saw them in with a slim chance. Loafer Dave Burford was umpiring by this stage and his impartiality was severely questioned (by the Selsey team) when he gave a no-ball off a Selsey bowling effort that had been easily tonked for six. Despite a heroic effort the cause was lost but with no loss of pride as they managed to avoid a humiliating defeat to lose by just one run.

A fun evening was had by all and the two teams retired to the Fishbourne Club / Coach & Horses (delete where applicable) to mull the game over and down a pint or two.

Score card (kindly supplied by N Jerram):

Selsey batted first scoring 120 for 6 from their 20 overs.

Loafers wicket takers were A Walsgrove (2), I King (2), N Pennicott and S King (no relation)

The Loafers Card was as follows:
 

Some pictures:
 

At the end of the Loafers' innings N Pennicot, I King & D Jacobs do what Loafers do best. Loaf.	(Picture S Jerram)
More loafing Loafers, S King, N Jerram, L Jacobs, K Budd and number one Scottish roving supporter K Ferrier.	(Picture S Jerram)
The lean, mean, cricket machine - er, well, the Loafers '99 line-up (for this week anyway) back row D Burford, M Laycock, N Jerram, B Walsgrove, I King, S King (no relation), P Edwards (umpire), front row P Bench, L Jacobs, K Budd, D Jacobs (practicing receiving their OBE's), A Walsgrove & N Pennicot.	(Picture S Jerram)
Number one Scottish roving supporter K Ferrier sits with part time Loafers photographer S Jerram as Selsey go to 31 off  5 overs in the very early stages of their close-run victory.	(Picture Pete King)

Win for Selsy Bill by 1 run

Loafers v Richmond Rollers (Away at WACA - West Ashling Cricket Association)

The second game of the season took place at one of the most pleasant grounds in the area, the WACA, in the beautiful countryside at West Ashling. Unfortunately your regular reporter couldn't make it so there are no photographs this week but a report has been filed by N Jerram along with this week's score card, so, over to you Neil:

"Richmond Rollers 64 all out (14.3 overs) - one batsman returning for a second go as they only had 10 men.

S King 1, A Wallsgrove 1, D Jacobs 2, N Pennicott 3, L Jacobs 1 & 2 Run Outs - one of which was a shot straight back to the bowler, Alec, who deflected the ball onto the stumps with the non striking batsman a yard out
of his ground.

The Loafers Card was as follows:
 

Then shadows lengthened and both teams adjourned to the Richmond Arms where supper was taken. And you missed it!!!!

Neil"

Thankyou Neil, hope I can make it next week...

Win for Loafers

Loafers v Prudential (Away at SCG - Salthill Cricket Ground)

A threatening thunderstorm did nothing to deter the brave souls of the Skulking Loafers and the Prudential cricket teams as they took to the greensward that is the Salthill Cricket Ground. Winning the toss, Prudential elected to bat, and were soon in trouble, losing 4 quick wickets in the first 4 overs, whilst putting only 14 runs on the board. However the wickets then dried up as did the weather, as Prudential went on to amass a score of 95 for 4. Loafers wicket takers were Steve King (2) and Paul Simmons (2), thanks to some fine catching from Keith Budd, Dave Burford, Nick Pennicot and Ian King.

So under darkening skies the Loafers went out to bat, but despite fine knocks from Burford (24) and Budd (33), the Prudential bowlers kept the runs to a minimum. As the overs neared the allotted 20, the required run rate rose to over 5 per over, and even though Steve King entered the fray with a short but sweet 10, the Loafers were left requiring 3 from the last ball to win. Alas only a single was forthcoming, and for the second time in a fortnight the Loafers trooped dejectedly into the Fishbourne Club, beaten by a solitary run.
 
 

Did Not Bat: N Jerram, D Jacobs, B Wallsgrove.
 

Win for Prudential

Loafers v King & Barnes (Home at New Park Road)

Tonight's match started at 6.30pm, after a half hour delay due to the visiting team, King & Barnes, putting in some extra curricular quality control work in the Coach & Horses. When both teams assembled it became obvious that there was a mismatch in numbers and so Mick Laycock was duly dispatched to play for the opposition. K&B won the toss and invited the Loafers to bat.

The openers, Burford and Wallsgrove, got the team off to a good start, so much so that, on reaching 31  Wallsgrove was invited to retire. His early exit saw Jerram make his way out to the wicket, elevated to the lofty
heights of No 3 no doubt on the back of his improved performances this season. However, as they say, all good things must come to an end, and so it was with Jerram's early season promise as he was dismissed first ball, and trudged dejectedly back to the pavilion. His place at the crease was taken by Jacobs (Snr) who, following the untimely dismissal of Burford, was joined by Jacobs (Jnr) in a rare father / son partnership. Neither managed to reach double figures, and were soon replaced by Budd and I King, who set about the bowling, giving the Loafers a good score to defend. Both, however, were to be dismissed and it was left to Pennicott and
Simmonds to see the overs out, with the Loafers finishing on 126 for 7 from 18 overs.

Some strange Horsham custom dictated that each of the players except for the wicket keeper should bowl 2 overs each, and so it was that the Loafers opening bowlers should be the unlikely partnership of Jacobs and Jerram. It has to be said that when a player is having a bad game then he really has a bad game and so it was with Jerram who followed his Golden Duck with two overs which conceded 16 runs. However the other bowlers were in sparkling form by comparison, and soon skittled out King & Barnes for a meagre 43, the wickets being shared - two each for Jacobs (Snr), S King, Jacobs (Jnr) and Simmonds.

The visitors had arranged for samples of their product to be freely available back at the Coach & Horses, and so it was for more than just the reason of winning that saw a happy Skulking Loafers team enjoying their post match meal.
 

Did not Bat: S King

Win for Loafers

Loafers v Emsworth (Home at New Park Road)

The Loafers played host to an Emsworth side strengthened by the addition of several of the Emsworth League side who had heard about the Loafers legendary hospitality. Emsworth won the toss and elected to bat. A catalogue of fielding errors did nothing to help the Loafers cause and after 20 overs they had managed to take just 3 wickets, through the bowling of Pennicott and Jacobs (Jnr), and a run out, with Emsworth amassing a score
of 153.

In reply the Loafers put together what would normally be a respectable score of 129 for 8, but which in this game was good enough only for second place.
 

Did not bat: I King (In fact, did not turn up due to work commitments)

Win for Emsworth

Loafers v WSCC Harlequins (Away at Oaklands Park)

Playing a rearranged fixture at Oaklands Park, the Loafers were anxious to get back into winning ways, and the bowlers certainly put their team into a strong position, limiting the Harlequins to 77 for 9 from their 20 overs. The wickets were shared amongst Ian King (2), Neil Holmes (2), Nick Pennicott (3), Liam Jacobs and Steve King (1 each). Of special note were Pennicott's 3 wickets, coming in one varied over which also contained 3 wides and conceded 3 runs - certainly a case of things coming in three's. Also notable in this match was the emergence of the new Steve King under arm fielding return, designed to get the ball in quicker. Strangely it was only seen the once, when the accuracy of this technique was called in to question.

Replying, the Loafers chose to open with John Symons and Alec Wallsgrove, who between them had advanced the score to 46 before Symons was caught. Just 6 runs later the same fate befell Wallsgrove, but they had built a strong enough platform from which Keith Budd and Steve King were able to knock off the remaining runs  required to give the Loafers a victory by 8 wickets.
 

Did not bat: N Jerram, L Jacobs, I King, N Holmes, N Pennicott, S Newman and M Laycock

Win for Loafers

Loafers v Autolek (Home at New Park Road)

A bright and sunny evening saw the Loafers return to New Park Road where they entertained Autolek, who lost the toss and were invited to bat. The Autolek openers moved the score along steadily until Neil Holmes took a
magnificent low catch off the bowling of Steve King to break the opening partnership. However this was to be the solitary success in the field as batsmen 2 and 3 then proceeded to put together an undefeated stand of 139,
giving their team a score of 161 for 1 from their 20 overs.

In reply the Loafers seemed to have just one thing on their minds, that being to get back to the Coach and Horses as soon as possible, as wickets tumbled from the second over. The one exception to this was Dave Burford, who, batting at Number 1 was still there at the end, having scored 44 out of the Loafers reply of 101 for 9. The match over, both teams headed across the road to the pub, where refreshments were taken.
 

There is no match next week due the mud loving cricketers heading off to festivals as far afield as Pilton and Pumpbottom, so the next match is on Tuesday 29th June.

Win for Autolek

Loafers v Barbarians (Away at Felpham)

Match report will appear here...

Win for

Loafers v Richmond Rollers (Home at New Park Road)

Match report will appear here...

Win for

Loafers v Prudential (Home at New Park Road)

Match report will appear here...

Win for

Loafers v Harlequins (Home at New Park Road)

Match report will appear...

Win for

Loafers v Autolek (Away at)

Match report will appear here...

Win for

Loafers v Barbarians (Home at New Park Road)

Match report will appear here...

Win for

Loafers v Selsey Bill (Away at Selsey)

Match report will appear here...

Win for

Loafers v Emsworth (Away at Emsworth)

Match report will appear here...

Win for

Page created by Peter King last updated Friday June 18 1999

© Peter King 1999