Dulwich (A)

Scorecard

Question: Where is the Dulwich Sports Ground?
Answer: It is on Turney Road, Dulwich. The road can be identified by the road sign stating “Turney Road” at its start, on both sides of the road, and the ground can be identified by the big sign stating “Dulwich Sports Ground”, which is 100 yards after the entrance to Turney Road.

Sounds simple, but for the second year running, Priory 3rd XI only had six players at this mystery ground at the scheduled start time, with another two cars-full of Mensa rejects driving around Dulwich, asking for directions to a cricket ground (there are about 10 in the area, but only one on Turney Road).

It took the sight of a stripy-blazered (t?)wit standing in the road to finally guide them into the ground, where a hasty change, and a generous opposition, spared us the ignominy of having to start with six (as we had to last year), one of whom would have been wearing ripped Diesel jeans, Back to the Future II inspired fluorescent panelled Nike pumps, and a rather tatty white t-shirt, borrowed to, apparently, make him look more like a cricketer.

Despite the shambolic arrival, Dulwich were in terrible trouble within the first ten overs or so, with Shayne Cossey (3-11 from 10) making the most of the good bowling conditions. Of the top five batsmen, three scored ducks to Cossey straight ones, and one just a single to Simon Wickham’s tennis ball-bounce off a length.

It was looking like it would be a bit of a rout and an early trip home, but ex-Priory legend David Owen played the percentages, calculating that if he blocked the straight ones, then the Priory fielders would do the rest.

And so they did.

While accumulating a total of 81 runs, Owen was dropped seven times and at regular intervals throughout the innings. At least the captain knew he was putting the fielders in the right places (or, as is more accurate, was being told to put the fielders in the right places by the real tacticians in his side).

Owen was eventually caught out after top edging a slower one high in the air which Nick “it is a shame he can’t field in every position” Rotsey took comfortably at wide mid-on.

The drip-feed of dropped catches ensured a dampened mood amongst the fielding side between overs 20 and 50, and although the only other notable batting score of the innings was 20 for Sam Ellison at number six, 42 extras, including 31 wides, meant that Dulwich were able to set a tricky target of 185 to win.

The batting response from Priory kept Dulwich interested throughout. Luke Haughton batted very well for 56 opening the batting, but when he, Rotsey and Wood all fell in reasonably quick succession, Priory were 105-5 and Dulwich’s tails were up.

Michael Ramsden and Alex Robinson then took responsibility for the innings, and ran well, putting pressure on the fielders and ticking the score over. Just as it looked like Priory were taking control of the game back, Robinson was caught at short fine leg trying to pull a full toss, again getting Dulwich back into it at 131-6.

Despite losing his more experienced partner, Ramsden didn’t panic, and continued to stroke the balls into the gaps nicely and control the innings. His new partner, Shayne Cossey, loves a hero’s breakfast on Sunday mornings, and threw everything at the hittable balls, and, in doing so successfully, rapidly cut down the deficit and snatched the yellow jersey back into Priory’s possession.

Ramsden was out for 30 with just nine runs required for victory, and while he would have liked to see it through to the end, it was a very important innings and the Dulwich back had been broken. Shayne pounded a couple of fours, settling the jittery nerves of the two men still to come in, and with the scores level, pushed it into the gap for the one required and to finish 27 not out and cap another impressive all-round display from him.

After last week’s capitulation to Weybridge, this week Priory showed they still have the stomach for a scrap and will enter the next game with a renewed confidence after a gutsy victory.

Champagne moment: Michael Ramsden’s four through extra cover. Hit with an empathy and love for the ball that was reminiscent of a pillow over the face of an elderly relative, as the sun dies outside the second floor bedroom window of a seaside bed and breakfast, on a late August day.