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Tuesday 14 July 2009

Match Report

The Mike Gatting Lord’s Taverners XI v Yankee Wanderers

Marlow CC, Buckinghamshire

The Lord’s Taverners XI 254 for 9 (35 overs)
Yankee Wanderers 253 for 3 (35 overs)

The Lord’s Taverners won by 1 run

To view the match scorecard please click here.

Match report:

What a brilliant day and a perfect example of how an out cricket match for the Taverners should be organised and played.  The host club, Marlow CC, like all host clubs, put in a great deal of time and effort and provided a splendid marquee with excellent food, all in a splendid setting where minor counties cricket is played.  They hosted the Yankee Wanderers, a team who all had to have links with the USA, and did battle for the second time in 4 years against the usual mix of cricketers and celebrities representing the Taverners.

The Yankee Wanderers are led by Michael Greathead, a Lord’s Taverner and great supporter, who puts together a team of cricket fanatics and who combine to finance the day in a most generous fashion.  The finance including the provision of a minibus which was presented to the Kingfisher School on the day and, as usual, it was an emotional experience and a joy to see the pleasure given to the disadvantaged kids who each left the ground sporting a Taverners cap to their great delight.  The organisational skill put in by Mike and his team cannot be underestimated.

Unusually the Taverners won the toss and batted and wickets fell at fairly regular intervals, but opening bat Alex Avery, playing his first game, scored an attractive 33 and James Cameron, a Surrey trialist, also playing his first game, along with Simon Francis scored a rapid 68 and 47 respectively.   Chris Tarrant, our President, looked in fine fettle before he run himself out, but lusty blows at the end from Neil Smith, Richard Trinder (making his debut) and Mike Gatting lifted the score to a fairly handy 254 for 9.

In reply James Gatting played a sparkling innings of 81 and it seemed like the Yankee Wanderers would win by 10 wickets but a retirement, a catch and some better bowling pulled the Americans back and ultimately 19 were needed off the last 2 overs and 7 off the last 2 balls, but Mike Gatting, captaining magnificently and bowling the last over, controlled the situation admirably so that the Taverners squeezed home by 1 run.

The Taverners opened the bowling with Paul Taylor and the Rev. Andrew Wingfield-Digby, who used their experience to good effect.  Neil Smith bowled himself back into form whilst Chris White did his famous imitation of Malinga (but about 70mph slower) whilst Steve Redgrave had a stint with both bat and ball and Mike Simkins, the actor and author, demonstrated an unusual bowling style and got his first wicket for the club.

Richard Benaud was one of the guests on the day and the President conducted a vigorous and highly successful auction, so a happy day was had by all.

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