EYMET CC v Pacific CC - Sunday 22 August
“Touring Team Time”, a traditional end-of-season period where Eymet’s players smack their lips and dream of 100s, 50s and 5 wicket hauls. After the July victory over Dorking, Eymet welcomed Pacific CC on their bi-annual tour of the Dordogne. Although Tom Hinds was hoping for hoola-hoola girls, and the blasted Stade Bretou outfield resembled a beach, the club’s origins were less exotic. It was formed from a music record shop in North London in 1983!
Skipper Sam won the toss and chose to bat, consigning the pale English bodies to fry in the sun. Eymet welcomed back several recent absentees and Simon Palmer was soon biffing the ball. After a rare early departure for Mike Gear, Simon was joined by his old sparring chum, David Horlock, fresh from his mutation with Bordeaux. Normal productivity returned as the 2 soon compiled a century stand. Pacific introduced their County player, a leggy called Luke Hollman, but even he could not stop the flow. Simon biffed yet another 6 for his century and did the decent thing in a friendly by standing down to give others a chance. Tom Hinds played a quick cameo for 18 but after a huge 6 off Hollman, the wily chap beat him for a stumping. Eymet looked well placed at 193-2 with 10 overs to go but matters did not go according to plan. With acceleration underway, David Horlock was also stumped off Holman for a fine 58, and although there was no major collapse, the middle-order did not score quickly enough, leaving Eymet at 238-6, 20-30 runs short of the expected target.
In the interval, one Eymet player noted in the Pacific CC booklet that a chap called Webley had hit over 1400 runs in one season with a top score of 159 n.o. Chris Farrell pronounced that Webley was a famous gun, which the General confirmed as the pistol issued to “orficers” in both World Wars, but would this fellow really hit the ball as hard as a bullet could travel?
Battle was joined in the most intense heat of the day. Chris Farrell struck early and although the Webley man came in the “heat tactics” were working, with both bats calling for water after just 5 overs. The Cobra struck stumps shortly after and at 10 overs it was 31-2 with Eymet in charge. The alarm bells only started ringing during “Mr Economy” Farrell’s last over when the Webley man suddenly struck three perfect shots to the boundary. Ably assisted by a blocking bloke he began to re-build the Pacific innings and as the sun started to die down, so did the heat, as well as Eymet’s fortunes. Skipper Sam tried everything to upset the partnership. Mike Gear imposed a brake with a maiden over but he was soon dispatched to the ropes. Billy Rhodes, the ultra-slow, tried to buy a wicket but when it went to hand the catch was not held. Indeed, this match was Eymet’s worst fielding of the season as 8 chances went down, some sharp as the ball was hit so hard, but a few that were relatively simple. Webley marched onto a century with a 6 and offered to retire, but his skipper scented victory and ordered him to soldier on. 56 runs flew off the next 5 overs and although Simon Palmer did his best to stall the inevitable he was a victim of 3 dropped chances. Webley slowed down to allow his partner, Richards, to score his 50 but then thumped yet another 6 to secure the win. The only crumb of comfort for Eymet was that Pacific would have to change his top score to 163 n.o. in their booklet.
At drinks Skipper Sam gave his normal upbeat speech, possibly regretting that Bish and Warney Smith had been in the fickle-finger role for the day. In return, Pacific presented him with a tour T-shirt, which was far too big but just right for Tiger Tim, the Eymet President. Readers may wonder why there has been no mention of Fabio in this sorry tale, but he had returned to UK. Rumours that this was due to a Femme Fatale, or a job as the real Fabio’s football adviser, were well wide of the mark, and it was merely a winter job to ensure that he had enough beer vouchers for next season. Oh, and finally the whole truth about that Pacific County player. Luke Hollman is only 9 years old but plays for Middlesex U10s. The fact that the little rascal had wheedled out the beefy Hinds and Super-Liguer Horlock will only add to his growing reputation in the Pacific club.
RESULT: PACIFIC CC WIN BY 8 WICKETS
EYMET 238-6 off 40 overs (S.Palmer 104 n.o, D.Horlock 58, L.Hollman 2-37, Meadows 2-38.
PACIFIC CC 239-2 off 36.2 overs (J.Webley 163 n.o, S Richards 51 n.o, A.Coombe 1-19, C Farrell 1-38)
EYMET: S.Harrell, S.Palmer, M.Gear, D.Horlock, T.Hinds, B.Rhodes, P.Dixon, S.Bailey, M.Swift, C.Farrell, G.Taylor, A.Coombe
