Match Report: Tweenhills Tigers vs Park House Pirates

The Tweenhills Tigers cricket team travelled to Kingsclere last weekend for a crunch match with the Park House Pirates. Here’s our match report…

Each team fielded 11 players – including some ‘ringers’, no doubt – and each batsman had to retire at 25 (though more on this later). 

The home team batted first and were all out for 129. However, 2 of their batsmen had retired so were allowed back onto the field, proceeding to add another 40 runs to their total. Fair play to James du Plessis who scored 71 of the Pirates’ 169 runs – he must have been a ringer!

Tweenhills required 170 runs to win. 

Sebastian Thompson had talked a good game in the lead up - no shock there - about how he should already have a couple of half-centuries on his CV this year. Captain Ivo Thomas rightfully sent Seb out to open but any spectator turning up 10mins late would have missed his innings: out for 8. 

Joining Seb at the top of the order was our South African Jordan Gadsby – we just wished we’d have known he’d never played cricket before we’d signed him. Jokes aside, Jordan made a sound 15 runs including the Shot of The Day, the “Champagne Moment” given by Andrew Balding for a scoop over the wicket keeper that scored 4. 

The next 2 batsman would surely save the day: our imposing skipper Ivo and Hubie Redvers, the man who plays the most cricket, the exciting teenage talent whom the team was built around. Ivo was out for 8 and Hubie lasted 2 balls for 0 runs. 

Now finally some positives. Our Farm Manager Mike Conolly’s son Dan Conolly – surely that’s enough of a Tweenhills connection – smashed a beautiful 23 and apparently hit the biggest 6 the Kingsclere ground has ever seen. 

When Dan and Theo Ritson-Thomas scored 23 apiece in the middle of the innings we had hope. Just a shame neither could reach that magic number of 25 to retire and come back in later [Captain’s note: both lads getting out on big swings in hindsight cost us the match]. 

There was also a valiant 12 from West Isley Cricket Club’s Patrick Mackenzie-Charrington but unfortunately our batting ran out of depth. When David Redvers walked to the crease with 50 runs still needed, we knew we were done. This was also after David had attempted a catch in the field by running in the opposite direction to the ball. 

So Tweenhills scored 125 all out and lost by 44 runs. What did we learn?

We know Ivo’s position as captain looks untenable as, aside from failing to score 10 himself, his decision to bring on Josh Dugdale to bowl far too late in the play was a serious error. Josh's 6 balls contained 3 “Jaffas” and the last wicket. 

We now know Newent RFC’s Alfie Larcombe has a second sports career as a wicket keeper. His reaction-grab low to his right made up for the mistakes – though another error was not wearing a box for his 6 with the bat.  

Finally, we know we haven’t lost the competitive spirit as we all cheered when ex-Tweenhills staff member Harry Thompson was bowled out for 3 runs by Seb. 

There’s always next year.