We are a London-based cricket club. Although we don't have our own pitch, we usually play our home fixtures in Greenwich Park. This blog records our regular triumphs and occasional failures.

Tuesday 28 April 2009

2009/2 West XI v CCC by The Skipper

Test Match Tim combined with Big Jim and 'broken bat' Bevan to lead Cincers to a superb 46-run triumph on Sunday.
An extraordinary new ball opening spell by Jim and Tim rescued West XI to 24 for 7 - yes, 24 for 7, folks - and rescued Cincers from a disappointing batting effort.
It was extraordinary we were playing in the first place.
Over a dozen regulars were not available, including the Vice-Skip with a sore foot, Rockie studying for an exam and the Chairman also out (family engagement - three-line-whip), for a match which looked destined for cancellation late last week.
Step forward a quartet of new boys, including Biraj - kindly lent by BK.
After the Skip won the toss and with an experimental batting line-up (yup, stand by for disaster), Biraj biffed his way to 51, accompanied by elegant left-hander Alex until he discovered the joys of a slower ball and had his off-peg readjusted.
Test Match arrived at the crease with his new bat and Cincers sped towards the century mark when Biraj holed out.
Selfish strolled out with his trusty Salix, and we seemed set fair - our traditional stout opening partnership at the crease and 100 almost on the board.
Tragically, Bevan discovered a whopping great crack in his bat (kept it indoors over winter, central heating etc, tut, tut, Rockie will be furious) and had to use Jim's for the rest of his innings.

'Too heavy,' he muttered before clipping a catch and departing for 12.
O me miserum. Cincers slumped from there to 147 all done, with Tim bowled for 22 and various zeros along the way....including a second-ball duck for El Capitano and for Chris.
Briefly, Jim gave us some 'magic', including a forward defensive that nearly went for a straight six, while new boy Ben imitated absent Will to hit 15.
Tea came with Cincers contemplating defeat against some fine bowling, not just from West XI's Neep but from others including Chris Dane and Aussie opener Mr Boden. West XI's skip Chris Wright - who could be joining us on tour in Portugal - was a bit rapid.
Over winter, Tim politely pestered the Skip about fielding at first slip. He forgot on Sunday and took up post at fine leg.
The Captain, of course, never forgets (apart from match fees) and promptly ordered Tim to his new post.
After Big Jim removed West XI's keeper Bapu by shivering his timbers, Tim took a spectacular to-his-right slip catch - just like on the telly!
Selfish hates being out of the limelight so he took a brilliant forward-diving, ball-inch-off-ground catch at cover to give Test Match his first wicket.
And so it continued, Jim whipping out four for 15 off seven and Tim three for 9 off 7.
New boy wickie Adam Smith kept superbly behind the stumps as West XI subsided in a heap.
All over? Not yet - bowler Neep turned in a blistering 64 (next top score in his side was 7!) to keep Cincers at bay, advancing down the wicket and carving the second-string around the park despite desperate dives all round including from new boy Mark Hookham.
We also managed to spill five catches....
The Skip's leggies (0 for 27 off 4) wilted and Selfish (one for 8 off 5) seized his chance to restore order.
Eventually, Neep holed out off Alex's medium pace (two for 7 off 3) to a beautifully judged outfield catch from Selfish who also took the last wicket.
Now he has to buy a new bat. Jim's isn't good enough for the likes of him. Typical.
Result: CCC won by 46 runs

2009/1 - NBW v CCC by The Skipper

Cincers' 10th anniversary season - and earliest start since Aussie Joe got frost bite - opened in fine style last week with a six-wicket triumph over New Barbarian Weasels.
The weather was bright and calm at Regent's Park but poor old Weasels, batting first after sort of winning the toss (prior agreement with the Skip), were blown away for 77 by 'Big Jim' and 'Mad Max' on a bouncy artificial pitch.
Then enter Will to whack what must be Cincers' fastest-ever 50, including 19 off one over.
Before one of our biggest crowds ever (we were playing next to the cafe), Cincers' opening duo took one each in a sustained opening burst (Lewin: one for 8 off 4 and Max one for 13 off 7), before Chris Ashman whipped out two.
Debutant H. Duff became the first player called Hamish to play for Cincers and the first - apparently - to take a wicket with his first ball. He took one with his third (or fourth - who's counting) to finish with 2 for one off one.
Even the Skipper - one for 19 off 7 - and Tom - a wicket with his only ball - joined in while Rockie (his nickname shall henceforth be Evergreen) shrugged off the winter cobwebs with one for 6 off 4.
Sour point - Cincers' extras (23 of them) top-scored for Weasels who slumped to 77 all out off 30.1 overs.
So to the chase....Tom and JP opening up.
Weasels' bowler Mr Owen took Tom's edge first ball (past the flailing hand of first slip for four) to herald a fine piece of accurate, sideways-moving, medium-pace bowling.
Tom learnt his lesson? Did he heck as like.
The Dasher chipped in with a hasty 15 before perishing with a skier to the keeper. JP holed out to Owen soon after.
25 for 2. Enter the Moyners and....exit. Rapidly.
'Howzat!!!!!' Tim M out first ball to one from Owen that fizzed, turned, seamed, swung, turned again, fizzed once more and then clipped the formica.
After the game, a pair of dark spectacles were found on the pitch. 'Must have belonged to the guy with the white stick!' quipped one Cincer whose identity is known to the Captain but will only be revealed on payment of, well, a match fee.
Enter the Captain. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
A match-securing partnership then ensued with Will hitting the ball and the Skip judiciously leaving it outside off and avoiding the strike like the plague till Mr Owen disrupted his stumps with a yorker. Of the 50 partnership, the Skip scored precisely uno.
But hey, it's the winning that counts - not the taking part. Cincers managed the next 7 runs without losing another wicket to win with 21 overs to spare - Will 58 n/o. Time enough in the pub afterwards to learn of Tom's passionate love affair with the egg. 'I was making pasta the other day. Four eggs and six egg whites. Lovely.'
He's quite fond of omelette too. Oh, and boiled eggs. Pancakes are nice. Poached too. Meringues? Why not.
Result: CCC won by 6 wickets

Friday 24 April 2009

Beast Members Wear Pickersgill

Ever wonder what it's all about? Here's a pretty new toy to tell you.

Enter the address of this blog www.cincinnaticc.blogspot.com in the appropriate place and you will be given a "word cloud" in which the main themes of the blog are displayed. Apparently, the bigger the text, the more prominent the theme.

My cloud clearly spelled out the title of this post. Please share any other surreal formations you spot.