The Jubilee Tour
Match report Friday 17th of July [by Sean Walsh]
After two wonderful cricket matches at Mersham Le Hatch CC and Penshurst Park CC, the ACC Jubilee touring team made its way to the famous North Moreton Cricket Club. The annual beer and cricket festival would yet again be one to never forget, but more on that later.
First, there were two very important T20s to be played against North Moreton. After a couple of late nights and a long commute, the ACC touring team looked a little fatigued heading into this T20 series. Fortunately, our very own chairman, Joost Bakker (The Gimp), had been appointed captain for these two games. Joost immediately turned into a whole different character. Cool, calm and collected, but with an authoritative edge, commanding players around and dividing roles and tasks as quickly as he could... He even tried to delegate the captain’s speech and match report to his fellow team members. Which as a role model for the club is of course, completely unacceptable. According to touring etiquette, Joost should have been fined for this, and so I hereby propose that the first fine of the next ACC tour goes to the chairman himself. I would like to thank the fine committee in advance for considering my proposal.
Now let's get back to the cricket.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, it was Wim Pielage (Wimpie) and Ramesh Sripatnala opening the batting, putting together a decent little partnership of 14. Next, we had some support from one of the Moreton lads, filling up our team because our very own touring director, Bart Sandberg (Hunni), decided to bowl his first ball of the tour at full pace, even though he was still recovering from a serious hamstring injury. Causing Bart to yet again be injured for the rest of the tour... After a slow start by ACC, it soon became clear that this innings was going to be the Stephan Hannema (Dani Minogue) show. At 32-3, Stephan came in and got the run rate up and going. With an absolutely incredible innings of 75 not out off 34 balls, smashing the Moreton bowlers to all corners of the ground, ACC managed to finish on 146. Although, this score probably seemed a little under par on the fast and small Moreton cricket ground, our captain had all the confidence in his bowlers and gave almost everyone a chance to bowl. Unfortunately, Moreton managed to seal the win with an over to spare...There were, however, two bowlers with some phenomenal figures. Guy Pathak (Garçon Frittes) bowled 2 overs for just 6 runs and took a crucial wicket and Jan Balk (Juan Falconnes) (John Falcon) (Agent 0069) also bowled 2 overs for just 6 runs. Fortunately, there was a chance for ACC to redeem themselves in the final T20 of the series
With the one and only Michael Dukker (Jugger) stepping up and playing despite being injured, moral was quickly raised. With a brilliant bowling performance from Michael Dukker himself, finishing with figures of 15-1 of 3 overs, and yet another fine and economical spell from Guy Pathak, ending with figures of 27-0 of 4 overs, ACC managed to bowl Moreton out on the very last ball of the innings for 179.
With a decent start, ACC managed to keep up with the run rate and, with top order batters Charles McInerney (SOD) and Stephan Hannema at the crease, ACC were sitting on a comfortable position. But then, in quick succession, Charles and Stephan both got out after scoring 17 runs each. The momentum of the game had shifted, and Moreton looked to put the pressure on the new incoming batters. It was Jake White (The Princess) and Sean Walsh (Punchy) who came together at 60-5 and put on an outstanding, match-winning partnership of 103 runs. Running hard, hitting boundaries and putting Morton under pressure. Both scoring half-centuries and getting ACC over the line. This levelled the T20 series at 1-1, and it seemed everything was perfectly set up for an incredible 6-a-side tournament the following day....
Day 2: Lessons and No Mercy
Day 2: Lessons and No Mercy [by Joost Bakker]
Yet another astonishing ground was awaiting us in the form of postcard picture views of Pennshurst in Kent. Our opponents were a mixture of talented youths, a former second level County player (the leftie) and several still intoxicated, because apparently something was coming home, but was still AWOL.
Captain Jan Balk directed Jake White and Charles McInerney to open the batting. The openers fully exploited the dry conditions, which made essentially all balls leaving the bat reaching the boundary: the first single was noted when the score exceeded 40. Further aid was provided by a certain lack of concentration of fielders still dreaming of a Spain-England final. Both Charkes and Jake deservedly reached their century, after which they were scheduled for retirement (Leson 1: Charles refused, so he was instantly and fittingly eliminated by his namesake Charli, a gobby youngster of the County youth). Several further batsmen ran the score up (Lesson 2: Stephan Hannema made the poor judgment to top edge a slow ball without wearing a helmet. This could have cost him his nose; instead, it cost him his wicket) to a respectable 266 from 40 overs.
An excellent lunch later, something magical happened. Lesson 3: give an Englishman a bat, and, however drunk he is, he lets the bat speak. Controlled bowling by Wim kept the run rate low. The same could not be said of Bart, who did not hold back. Lesson 4: if you feel the first twitch of pain from your just recovered hamstring: stop the bowling. If not, …. Nevertheless, the team was steadfast. Under the spirited direction of Jan, who insisted on not taking any prisoners, no consideration for batsman age, in short: NO MERCY, the team kept the pressure on Pennshurst. Of the two most prominent batsmen, the boozy big man finally fell against the resurrected Michael Dukker, whereas the leftie continued the battle until the end. The end, eventually, came with the last ball. A four required, Charles’ bowling and controlled fielding confined him to two runs: Amsterdam win. Lesson 5: take it from the old hand Jan: keep believing and you will win!
Speeches and gifts administered, the crew retired. Lesson 6: book your campground well in time (a day should suffice, an hour is a bit short notice) lest you are only left with a single option. What an effing rip-off at Lucy’s Barn, and this Nathan is a fraud! Luckily, we had a suitably poor-quality Indian dinner to give the facilities a complete make-over.
Next stop: North Moreton.
