This was the game that really everyone contributed to a crucial win. And it was a nailbiting, heartwrenching win.

Our 8th from 10 games, which puts us on an 80% winning percentage. Or with 2 points for a win – that is 1.6 points average. Now Groningen still head the table with 4 wins in 4 games because they have read the small print that says it is all about points average not about number of points and prefer to call games off (four games abandoned due to rain). Nevertheless ACC4’s next game is at home vs Groningen (aug17) and needless to say we are kinda looking forward to that game. But what about Arnhem? What happened up there to make it so heartwrenching and such a complete team effort?

Well for starters the opposition suggested playing 32 overs cause it looked like rain. It was already 11:45 and they still hadn’t laid out the field so we wondered if it wasn’t more due to general tardiness on their part but nevertheless agreed (and boy were our suspicions proven true later!). We didn’t mind too much because Haans and Noor had decided to go and check out the residence of the club secretary first, who I am told has a very neat house in a very neat area of Arnhem. However his back yard does not have the required 22 yards for a pitch so Haans and Noor decided to venture out to the other address that was on the website, the one with the word Sportpark in it. This detour however, proved the perfect preparation, and we have made a list of all the clubsecretaries residential addresses for future use. We are even trying to find EP’s home so we can still use this tactic with homegames. Because Haans and Noor both took three wickets to leave them 54-6 after 17overs. Mention must be made of a most memorable moment by our man JC, also know as Dick Broggel. He stood at point wondering why he was out of bed, for even a late start is early for our Dickie. Their batsman cuts a screamer in his general direction and on instinct Paddy at slip screams catch-it. Now that was a bit cruel because A. Dickie was asleep and B. the ball was uncatchable. Nevertheless the scream wakes him up and the shock of being caught napping launches Dick into midair. Now we all know the other JC could walk on water, but our JC can actually float on thin air. He glides over the stacked up air molecules to his right descending to the ground only there where the ball is about to land and by miraculously finding a couple of extra inches of arm to stick out,  cups the ball before gently thudding to the ground to maintain appearances of being human. Surely the catch of the season, and it jolted Dickie right back into his saviour role which came in mighty handy later.

Now Richard Matchett had bowled very well as well, but was unable to actually take wickets because of a salesman in a sunglasses shop who was a little slow. What had happened many months previously was that the fielder standing at Gully was in a shop asking for contrast-enhancing glasses like Hayden wears in the slips:

 ‘You want dark glasses?’ 
“No, contrast-enhancing! They actually make it lighter. So you can see the ball better, even in overcast conditions. You know like Hayden or Vaughn.”
“ We don’t have that brand.”
“There not a brand. O, never mind give me those then,” secretly thinking the man a moron. 

Well the man in the shop got his revenge. For a dark round object came from the batsman bat and hit the Gully’s right hand. To an extent he was lucky cause now it even resembled a drop. The glasses were put on top of his head after, though they were put back on whenever Richard Matchett looked over at him because all of a sudden their darkness came in handy.

But of course it is never over, CCA went from 54-6 in 17 to 148-6 in 30. Only two overs left and Mr Matchett comes on to break their partnership which he does duly. And they end up on 154. That is just under 5 an over. Still quite a challenge.

So we waited for lunch to be brought, which although it took some waiting for was truly excellent as one of their players has an Indian restaurant.

Then the chase. Now chasing can be nerve-racking, the reason being that when you are not in the middle all you can do is get nervous. When you are out there it is okay, you are simply waiting for the next ball, which is why when it is tense when you are fielding it doesn’t get that bad. You can concentrate on the next ball. But to already be out. To see your ‘good’ batsman give away their wickets and all fall on the shoulders of the middle order and lower middle order and then the tail. It is more than painful. But the good thing about it is everyone contributes. How about these scores of the first 8 batsmen: 12, 24, 12, 3, 13, 18, 21, 7. Mention must be made of Tim Lewis who had some runs due having gone out to some shocking decisions in the games previous (shocking decisions as to what shot to play that is). Tim hit two fours in a brilliant 18 runs that tipped the game our way. Now CCA are a democratic lot because after every over they would get together and discuss possible tactics. Our batsman started to call for drinks and mobile phones to get through these long waiting sessions and it thus be came obvious that 40 overs would not have been possible despite sunset being at 10:45pm.

Now our Saviour being reawakend into his role had gotten off the mark with a 4 to put our runrate above theirs, which led us to think he was going to call in the rain next so that we could get it all over and we could get back before the dutch government had built new motorways that might confuse our tomtoms, for surely motorways are built quicker than the fieldplacements are figured out in Arnhem. But of course we had to suffer more first. Richard Wolfe managed 7 runs to tie the game when his eyes lit up to a low full toss and we all know what happens when your eyes light up – you walk to the pavilion. Now in the last two seasons we had ties. Our tie last season even cost us the title. So some were muttering that we’d rather lose than tie (not everyone). Haans Smout is in and luckily he hits the winning run. But wait he doesn’t run it. He stays at his crease because it was an inside edge and not a proper run or something like that. Clean bowled next ball. Joost bakker is in. We have 8 wickets down. Three balls left in the over. It is the kind of thing that can only go wrong. But Joost has matured much as a batsman. No risk, three dotballs and then our saviour will be back on strike he reassures us as he strides out. And true to his word. Three almost perfect forward defences and then JC hits a noball for a single so we win by two runs. Maybe we need to chase more often to get used to this, but my word it aint good on the nerves.