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Pyrford v Village by Jake Smith

Dear Diary

Few would argue that I am the greatest player ever to play on a Sunday, and I went into this bleak Sunday "friendly" well confident of a) plenty of wickets and b) yet another Pyrford victory. Village CC, I understand, normally boast a celebrity cricketer like myself (although none as famous as my dad!) and I was therefore disappointed that the Times's Prostitute Correspondent Alan White decided to avoid the game.

Pyrford started poorly, opening batsman Keyworth being out LBW, stumped and caught behind (only the third being given) off the bowling of the consistent Villager Boa.

At the other end, the predatory fellow Kiwi Paul Bowman was picking up colt wickets with little effort. I came to the wicket at 40-4 when 2nd XI vice captain James Lipscombe was clean bowled by Indian quick Pratik Ghedia. The sledging was extraordinary with the Village wicketkeeper pretending to mistake me for one of the colts (I am 19!) and the aforementioned nasty kiwi Bowman making comments about my "more successful" older brother Jarrod.

I started poorly and narrowly got away with an airy drive through point off spinner EK Gupte that would have gone straight to Gully had Village slipper Bowman not moved him the ball before. Things got easier however. I flicked Gupte for a pair of nice leg side sixes and dispatching the unusually quiet Australian Harty for several boundaries.

Ignoring the chose fielders chat about my being "quite good for a colt" I brought up my 50 in the 30th over, and then retired on 68 with the score 160-6 in order to preserve my not out.

Village finished well, grabbing three wickets in the final ten and restricted us to a competitive 200-9. I was confident we would be able to defend 200, which was quite a good score on a slow, unpredictable, wicket. Particularly as the Pyrford attack boasted both me, Jake Smith - overseas pro - and 2nd XI opening bowler Jon Keyworth.

We started well with the ball, Keyworth nipping out aggressive opening bat Bilal Hussain LBW and 14 year old Surrey Youth bowler Corbett clean bowling Village opener and star bat Harty for 16.

Village recovered decently however, keeping up with the run rate they progressed to 90-2 in the 20th over, before I was released into the attack. I immediately struck. Bowling the useful looking Choudhury for 30 and having his partner Simson stumped for 30 also. Village were 90-4, and 200 now seemed a very long way away. Village are two sammies short of a picnic if they think they can win this one, thought I.

James Hindle - normally a Pyrford player - strode to the wicket at 6 for Village. Normally a dour opening batsmen in Surrey Championship cricket this did not trouble us, and we commenced a tirade of sledging worthy of those convicts who live north of the Tasman sea. He blocked back a few full balls initially, but then - presumably fired up by the chat being directed at him by both Lipscombes - switched gears and batted extraordinarily aggressively. Blow me down!

He cut me though gully for two successive fours, ran quick singles to our in fielders at every opportunity, and then proceeded to smash 20 from one poor over from young Gemson, who had looked good until that point and had hit hard case Bowman for a huge six over cover earlier in the day. The poor lad will probably never recover from the shame!

Village raced to 180-5 in 32 overs, with Hindle well supported by the equally aggressive Ghedia at the other end. Things then got worse. After reaching 50 and then playing out a few overs in an obvious effort to protect the red ink, Hindle received some abuse from his teammates in the chat shed: "get on with it" shouted Harty and Bowman “we only need 3 to win”. He proceeded to launch my very next ball for a huge six over the pavilion. The ball must have travelled at least 120 meters. Tempted to plead the dreaded lurgy for the St Annes game at Pyrford on June 27!

Jake Smith - 11/06/2010

clip_image001 A little Q and A with our new Kiwi pro - Jake Smith (Smithy)

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Club History

History

Cricket was first played in Pyrford in 1858 on Pyrford Green which was situated on the Pyrford Road opposite Lock Lane. 'The Club House' in those days was the Anchor and the main event in the village was the Cricket Club Concert. History: 1858 - 2010

Honours

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