Match report 2021

Match Report Catus versus Eymet CC, 15th August

 

Le Lac Vert has seen some extraordinary events over the years. Water skiing is one, Beach volley ball another, but occasionally if you delve into the quiet corner that is the cricket ground, you will witness extra extra extraordinary deeds too.

If you were privileged to be there on Sunday August 15th 2021, as a lucky few were, including a lovely French family who made enquiries about the game and sat through many overs totally bemused at was unfolding, although somehow transfixed by the antics going on, your heart would have skipped many a beat as a certain Rahman, laid waste the much-vaunted bowling attack of Eymet.

The Theatre of Dreams has seen many fine performances in the past. The stage has been lit up by the award-winning efforts of the likes of Allen, Robson, Worsford, Kavannah, Keeble, Cole, Weaver, Drummond, Harris, but the ghosts of the past would have been in awe of the innings that defined this particular production.

To fully appreciate the extravaganza, one must first set the context. Eymet are top of the league, Catus were bereft of a number of front-line players. There were debuts for a couple of young Catus lads, one of whom Emran showed much promise with the ball. Stirling and the evergreen Beard were pressed into action, Scheers deputised behind the stumps, Artik was made Captain for the day, but despite the efforts of the selectors, or should one say the press gang, Catus only had 10 on the field, and two of them were, how shall they be described, not in the first flush.

Artik won the toss and elected to bat on a warmish day, with a bit of cloud cover, and we were heartened to see, or was it trepidation, the sight of helmeted openers in the shape of Stirling, wearing shorts and brown trainers, and a fully kitted up Beard striding purposefully to the wicket.

They faced a couple of opening bowlers in Hossain and Rahmad who both managed to get considerable lift off the wicket, and bowled very tightly, Rahmad’s figures of 7-3-6-3 being especially impressive. Stirling was quickly into his stride, rolling back the years with a beautifully executed square cut for four, but possibly emboldened by this, perished the next ball, attempting a similar shot to one that was a good length he edged to slip, where a fine catch low down was snapped up. Scheers strode out to repair the damage and survived for a number of deliveries, meanwhile Beard was off the mark, and was demonstrating his adhesive qualities, when one kept very low from Hossain and rearranged his furniture. Captain, Artik made his first appearance as high as four, having played well recently, but his first ball was short, and he attempted a pull/hook and gloved it to square leg. 8 for 3! But the worst was still to come, Scheers judged LBW to Rahmad. 8 for 4! The predicted calamity was surely about to happen. This game is going to be all over by 3 at the latest.

New batsman Rahman and the ever-reliable Sutton were now at the crease, and they saw off the hat trick ball from Hossain, and survived three tight overs, all maidens. At the end of the 7th over, Catus were 8 for 4, a run rate just over 1 and four precious sons back in the hutch. Anyone for a bet on a Catus win? No one sane.

However, one man ably supported by another, turned the game on its head. In 8 overs, 54 runs were added, until Sutton was cleaned out by Balough, another one keeping low, undoing the batter on the back foot, a well fought 8, defending for his life whilst Rahman got established. What happened over the next 10 overs was wondrous to behold. Just short of a hundred runs were added, with Rayman hitting 12 x 6’s and 7 x 4’s in breath taking 113.

There were some mighty blows, sending the balls into the depths of the forest from one end or soaring over the river at the other. In a blink of an eye, Catus’s total looked respectable. Boby and Zahir weighed in with useful contributions and at the break Catus had set Eymet 180 to win off 35 at just over 5 an over.

Boby opened from the forest end Artik from the River, and after 2 overs Eymet were 0 for 1. Great bowling from these two stalwart leaders of the attack, the Anderson/Broad, Waqar/Wasim of Catus. After the initial burst of tight bowling, the Catus sickness of wides once again struck the camp, and in all 35 were bowled, Eymet’s second top score. However, on a regular basis, Eymet lost wickets, but still the game was theirs to be won, with lots of overs left, but they wanted to blast their way to a win rather than craft their way. Perhaps inspired by Catus’s Rahman. From 124 for 5, they were all out 169, with Boby’s figures of 5-2-19-3 very impressive, Artik 4.3-1-21-2 not far behind. Debut boy Emran 5-0-38-2 showed much promise, and he tightened his line and length as he got over his debut nerves.

So it was that a make shift Catus team defeated the might of table topping Eymet...it was a joy to behold, although not their rapid departure from the scene without as much as au revoir, and we are playing them next week!

Perhaps it was the enforced removal from their attack of the dangerous Hossain, who bowled one too many throat balls and had been warned. Perhaps it was the unfortunate run out of Singh G, backing up and the ball hitting Emran and then the stumps, perhaps it was one of keeper Scheers’ four excellent catches behind that they thought was not out (although one definite nick was not given) or perhaps they were aggrieved at an LBW decision.

No, its none of these minor, fairly usual events that irked them.

It was the way their vaunted attack was dismantled by an incredible innings, and the way their batsmen perished.

15th August 2021 was indeed a famous day in Catus CC history, the Theatre of Dreams that is Lac Vert witnessed a seismic change in a games trajectory, the like of which has not been seen before.

Allen, Keeble, Kavannah, Robson, Wolford, Drummond, Cole, even Harris, the current crop did you proud.

 

Ken Sutton.