Rettendon CC. Rettendon CC.
Match Report Date 24/05/26 Oppo Rettendon (a) Type 35 Overs Report by Osvaldo Ardiles With Epping Foresters suffering with selection issues (Or running scared?!) Club President and Fixture Secretary Liam Mulholland rushed into action to find the O’s an alternative match on a hot May bank holiday weekend where temperatures reached 30 degrees. Rettendon was chosen - Always a favourable selection with an excellent tea and friendly opposition. An earlier start of 12pm in a 35 over match, Skipper Richardson lost the toss (As normal) and the Os were invited to bat. Ritzy and Big Alan Syrett opened the innings as the O’s got off to a tricky start when Ritzy was clean bowled second ball of the innings. “Best ball I’ve ever faced” he muttered as he took his gear off. In fairness the left arm Sterling wasn’t a bad bowler and an over later he also bowled Alex Baker-Merry for another duck. O’s were 0-2 as Matt Hiscock trudged out to the middle to try and get the O's a run. A couple of edges, a couple of drives and a couple of pull shots and the scoreboard was finally moving but not for Big Al who could just not get off the mark………………………(These dots represent Al’s innings) Matt (16) fell after chasing a long hop and Syrett succumbed to the pressure falling for a 24 ball duck with the O's top three failing to score a run between them. 20-4 and Rettendon were looking like they might even catch the 12:30 Kick Off. Young Freddie Meaden came in and made it look very easy with some fine shots wearing his Richie Richardson floppy hat, Freddo got a decent score of 24 before mistiming a pull and getting caught. This brought Pratham Bhatia (26) to the crease aiming to build a partnership alongside the experienced Paul Elby who again made a decent score of 33 until he was very unlucky to play onto his stumps. Before that the opposition were most amused at Prats constant screams of “Two” when the ball had barely left the square. Elbs made it clear 1) There was not even one run and 2) It was nearly 31 degrees! Prats also unusually decided to play an individual game of pass the parcel with Freddie’ bat. Unwinding 94 meters of tape, he revealed what originally looked like a decent bat to basically a cocktail stick. That said, he did well as the O’s had crawled up to 100 before Joe Clapton, Ansar Hussain and Ollie Buck all played little cameos in the last few overs to see the Os finish on 132 for 9. Tea was up to the usual high standards with a cheese board a favourable selection. Rettendon started nervous with the Chai King Hussain and Surrey CCC Debenture Holder Clapton opening the bowling putting the ball on the money and offering very little to the batsman. Clapton got an early wicket in his best spell for the club thus far clean bowling the opener with a beauty. He almost had a second wicket an over later when a pull to square leg went straight at Syrett who unfortunately could not hang on. Rettendon were not smashing it to all parts but they did start to pick off the bad balls and by the time the much needed drinks break arrived, the hosts were in a comfortable position with wickets in hand. Richardson brought himself into the attack and picked up a wicket with his first ball doing the batsman for sheer pace and accuracy. His second wicket came when a fellow ‘Over 60’s County Pro’ chipped one up to Hiscock who picked up a smart catch. Too little too late for the O's though as Rettendon knocked off the winning runs with 7 wickets spare and 7 overs remaining. To the O’s delight, our hosts were televising Wet Sham’s embarrassing relegation to the Championship. Debates begun as to whether the Shammers would ever play at the top level again. Essex Senior League was mentioned which seems a fair call. The day got even better as the hosts revealed a BBQ was on and the O's could dine all evening for £2 a plate. Ansar generously bought 11 plates making sure no player would leave without their dinner. As a queue quickly formed, some O's players were taken aback when Big Al asked the chef “You got any Lobster going mate?” and was genuinely shocked to hear it was a no. Post match conversation was an interesting mixture consisting of Ollie sharing diaries of “happy” times with his “bestie’ Lawrence Vigoroux, Ansar asking for the 47th time when the tour dates are and Big Al revealing he once shared a taxi with a fella who was in with the Krays revealing they were “running the Orient” back in the 60’s Memorable to say the least…… Next up a trip to Harlow CC to take on Nettleswell and Burnt Mill.
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© Dave Revell