Old Parkonians vs LOSCC.

Report vs Old Parkonians

Match Report
Date - 09/09/07 
Oppo – Old Parkonians (a)
Type – 40 overs
Report by Glenn Evans

A relatively weak LOSCC took to the field on a warm sunday afternoon having no idea what was in store for them. 
It was not to be pretty! The faint-hearted should read no further!! 
Previous encounters over the last few years should have prepared everyone for what was about to happen, 
but it was still to be a shocking experience that no sunday friendly team should have to endure.

Lophites and Parkes opened the bowling and with 6 overs gone and 62 on the board, 
with the captain Buxton celebrating his 50, everyone knew it was to be a long afternoon. 
Some lackluster fielding had the skipper screaming at his fielders that they were looking at 300 at this rate. 
If only it were to be that painless! Buxton going on to score his 100 in the 12th over, his 150 in the 21st (ish) over, 
his 200 around the 30th over, his 250 somewhere around the 37th over and finishing on 269no gave a masterclass in batting 
and a complete lack of understanding as to how sunday friendly cricket should be played. Fielding, as it turned out, 
was irrelevant as the only job anyone had to do was run 100 yds over the boundary line to retrieve the ball, 
with Buxton scoring 196 of his runs in boundaries (10 sixes and 39 fours). 
The only wicket came in the 27th over when Buxton smashed another ball which hit the bowler 
(Richardson-desperately diving out of the way of the oncoming torpedo) and richoched onto the stumps, 
running out Khan (53) backing up. In next was Porter, a 14yr old Essex Colt who continued the onslaught hitting 51no. 
The innings finished on a record breaking 395-1, beating the previous 'worst ever runs conceded' by nearly 100 runs - 
and even that wasn't an overs game.

Tea proceeded (if thats what you can call it!) with a 5/10 minute discussion in the changing room, 
conceding that overall there was very little anyone could have done, Buxton's quality being far beyond anything 
anyone had ever encountered in any form of cricket they had played in before. Nobody went into the second innings 
bloated as when we went to get some tea the home team had proceeded to devour the lot with an odd sandwich left 
looking lonely on its tray, the only saving grace being a plate of pasta brought up late. (A privilege costing £40). 
It must be said however that the skipper, allegedly, did hold back his team until Les (Scorer) piped up - 
"stuff 'em, get stuck in lads"

In response to the game already being over (a run rate of 9.875 per over being required) the O's batted well 
posting their 2nd highest total of the season finishing on 229-8 (a run rate of 5.725 per over being achieved). 
Evans being unluckily run out in the same manner as Khan, Cooper hitting a respectable 40 and 
Parkes a career high (for LOSCC) 77. The game was brought mercifully to a close in the dark of night with Hillier being out 
(14) on the last ball, leaving Walker 14no (another career high for LOSCC) 
and with only 9 Old Parks players still on the pitch.

In this match reporters opinion, all in all a very disappointing day which could have been spent much more constructively 
by people rather than participating in this farce. Whilst the Old Parks skipper really needs to get an understanding 
of how sunday friendly cricket should be played it must be said that in light of how this game has been in the 
last few years, with Old Parks consistantly hitting around the 250 runs mark, LOSCC really need to make more of an effort 
in putting out a much stronger team (the quality of players are there they just must make themselves available) 
if this fixture is to be worth keeping for either side.

Return to Main Page

© Dave Revell