It is a truism in scriptwriting that only conflict can show character. Get people into a position where their opposing interests surface and we will see what they are truly made of. Perhaps civilisation is in the way in which we deal with these conflicts. Do we bash each others head in (option1), yell at each other (option 2) or amicably agree to disagree after clarifying each others position (option3). Enter the ACC4 - Bloemendaal3 game of last Sunday. And no it was not JinnaII - vs JinnaIII though at times the neutral onlooker may have been fooled to believe otherwise. 

First Innings

Skipper Brian puts Bloemendaal in to bat. The fun starts after ten overs or so when their opener is caught in the covers by Duncan and the batsman then informs his umpire that he is not walking because he is not convinced he is out, it may have been a bumpball. This leads to a bit of chinwag as noone else has the same lack of convinction, but the umpires confer and allow their man to stay. Discussion (if that's the word) gravitates towards the issue wether it is the done thing to talk to your umpires or whether the batsman should simply stay at the crease when he is unconvinced. Our bowler Patrick settles it (though Duncan wont actually let it go) by saying cricket is a gentlemans game and he is willing to trust the batsman's word. Play resumes. Now if this were a script, it could be quite funny to have the peacemaker get into a position where he slips from option3 into option2. In any case the tension is in the field. There is grumble of dissent at every run the batsman makes (and he makes quite a few). Misfields get a bit of a sharper remark for teammates. The mood is setting itself up for what is yet to come. And then it comes. Patrick who is bowling extremely well but keeps being denied wickets gets a caught behind that is not given. Disbelief is hardly the word to describe our state. Off comes the cloak of civilisation: ‘Walk!' Paddy demands of the batsman. He doesn't and Paddy falls back on the laws, as we all know rules are made up in peaceful times for the moments of conflict that may lay ahead. Paddy asks for a change of umpires. Brian our captain thinks he is only speaking in jest. Brian is wrong. Very wrong. We get the change of umpires. But it is hard to change the mood. Even Brian taking the ball himself and getting five wickets in the last three overs, including the last two balls (does that mean he is on a hattrick next match?) only lifted the spirits slightly. Our fielding is atrocious in the end and they finish on 182, which should have been 160 say.

Lunch

The rites of eating (and drinking for that matter) have an underestimated value in the course of the history of mankind. If opposing kings had only shared the dish more often, surely there would be fewer bones on the battlefields of the world. But then again, those kings didn't have Jana and her crew preparing their food. Duncan sits next to Bloemendaals bumpballer and they settle their differences over the lovely lunch. We don the cloak again.

Second Innings

We don't start well. Haney goes early. Robert doesn't look like he even knows what a century is. Perhaps also he is rattled by a beamer that smacks into his wrist and the needling by their wickie that otherwise might have amused him, gets on his wrong side and he angrily slaps a stupid shot. Patrick is the only one who uses his anger to sharpen his concentration and he stays as just about everyone else disappears for little. Brian and Tim get 15 and 13 respectively, but batsmen Duncan, Mr Matchett & Nagesh are gone for zip (big lad got 1). Joost and new guy Eelco get ducks too, though Joost did a good job staying out there and Eelco did smack the ball hard. And so chasing 182 we are 124 for 9. and to be honest it is a miracle we even got past hundred. Patrick knows a heroes journey is meant to be painful and full of sacrifice so he lays on his back as Haney does horrendous things to his legs and gets Tim to conjure up the most awful drinks that he forces himself to drink. He gets substitute runners to cramp up and then need substitution themselves. A heroes journey. But one with a lovely twist. For Paddy should of course farm the strike keeping Richard Wolfe coming in eleven from exposure and nudge along to the end of the game. Even if only to make sure Bloemendaal don't get to go home early - surely they haven't deserved that. But because Paddy has reached his limit (is that age-limit paddy?) it is not Richard that has to be protected, but Batsman 11 has to keep batsman 4 from harm. And ‘Our Kid' as Richard is affectionately known uses up just about nine of his lives as inside edges wiz past stumps, balls drop in gaps, jaffas fly just over the bails. And the cloak starts slipping from Bloemendaal's shoulders. A request to adjudge the success of a stumping attempt with the score at 140 is answered, but not to their wickie's satisfaction and words fly. But they settle. It is unthinkable that the post-mortem paddy will survive much longer or that Our Kids luck can not run out. There are still 43 runs required. It is unthinkable so they get on with it. And the unthinkable starts to happen. We get closer and closer. And then at 175 Our Kid smack one down the throat of deep square leg who gobbles it up. Bloemendaal rejoice. Our torture of postponing this certain victory of theirs has come to an end. We did a good job, even got them worried at the end. Probably made sure they weren't home in time for dinner, but at least it's wrapped up. Or is it? The umpire at the bowling end is calling out something. Me thinks he is even grinning as he says it. Whats that? Slow ball? No it is Noball that he is shouting. That ball was above the waist. The cloak is blown away in the wind. This time the discussion gravitates towards whose job it is to call noball. Bloemendaal are convinced it should be the squareleg umpire and not the bowlerumpire. Things get a little heated. But at least that means they agree it was a noball and that they only would have liked someone else to call it? This gives mixed reactions. But the game continues. Though all this uncloaked business seems to have unsettled their 15 year-old bowler who adds a few wides to our score. And then Our Kid, sensing that he is running out of lives, smacks two fours. And putting on his highest total ever (he scored 1 run in his whole first season), two more singles and the incredible, 60 run stand for the 10th wicket is a fact. Ricahrd is 22 not out Paddy 60 not out. And ACC who probably had no business winning this game are sitting in the dressing rooms with grins on their faces that would dazzle a chesire cat. Paddy cant cycle home, Duncan is off to the hospital with a dislocated finger (I think he hurt himself during lunch) and Roberts wrist is screaming at him, but the impossible, incredible has happened. We won. Give me that cloak. It aint hard to be magnaminous with the winners grin cracking your jaw. And then. The gentleman's rites of sharing a beverage proves its worth again. And we force Brian to cough up for his five-for. All is settled amicably with a green bottle in thehand, though I do think some of the younger Bloemendalers may have left without shaking hands. 

For scorecard click here