The V-Tourists were Harley, Rich, Rohan, Geoff, Ajay, Jon, Dave J., Ivor, Dave Miles, Doc S., Footie, Ben who was skippering. ( average age 59.8). It would have looked impressive - if anyone had been there- to see the Venturers fetching up in their extremely large coach at Catus CC car park. We’d already wowed the local village coffee set who probably had been taking bets on when we arrived. The grandees of Catus CC (Martin and Kenny?) were amenable to our suggestion of a two-innings-each affair, rather like we’d had at the Boneshakers, and so began a couple of hours of mayhem, slogging, great shots and confusion over rules. One rule was retirement on reaching 50; but at the end of the over.

 We batted first and our 20 overs was a season-highlight with both opener Ajay and his replacement Geoff reaching 50. Ajay’s 54 was so quickly achieved that he seemed almost disappointed to be walking back undefeated, and would have got a hundred if allowed to. His three sixes and seven fours were awesome to watch and capped a great season for him. Geoff’s innings included five fours and two sixes, finishing explosively in the 20th over with a pair of giant straight sixes into the trees which got him to his maiden half-century and the Vs to 167-1. Opener Ivor’s contribution was invaluable. He stayed a long time for his 22, hit three fours of his own and was the only wicket to fall. Rohan looked in good nick, hit two boundaries but was hit on the foot and hobbled off ( it was later diagnosed as a fracture) Ben was there at the end and got four off the few balls he faced.

The Catus batsmen must have thought ‘Anything you can do….’ and they set off at a fair lick against Ajay’s opening over. Their opening batsman retired on 50 and is a good player - he’d hit the first ball for six. His partner, also a six-hitter was approaching his own 50 but mistimed a delivery from replacement bowler DJ and top-edged to Ivor at cover who took an award-winning over the shoulder catch. Credit goes to Dave M  who helpfully called “ Off-stump, Dave!”. He did this and took two more wickets but the Catus score reached 181 and a lead of 14 after the 20th over.They hit ten sixes, and two late wickets belonged to Geoff and a returning Ajay. The tea of course was VG!

The second innings’ were curtailed to 15 overs each due to showers and we had to follow on from the first, so we opened with Ben and Jon. Energetic singles were the name of the game now instead of sixes into the trees, and Jon was on 6 in the third over when he snicked behind.  Rich then hit three fours  in his 19 before being bowled and Doc was unluckily run-out for 3. Ben’s innings was one of steady accumulation ( as he does)  but he suddenly walloped his way to 50 with five fours in an over and walked back with 69 not out. Harley snicked a four and didn’t get out for 7, Dave M. got the solitary duck of the tour and DJ was nowhere near the outswinger he faced as last ball. Catus were now faced with 107 to win but with their tailenders lined up before the big hitters of the side. Their progress was understandably slow with Ivor and Jon not giving them much. JP picked up two wickets for four runs before Harley answered Ben’s call to ‘Have a bowl’ with ‘Alright but I’ve never done it’. It had been a long game and was made longer during Harleys over. His efforts to produce a legal ball, overarm, underarm and sideways, were finally successful - only for umpire Footie, who thought he would further enliven events, to call “No Ball!” before H. had even reached the crease. His labours continued until Footie gave in and kindly let him finish his one and only over, wicketless but memorable. Dave M. bowled a single over removing a couple of tailenders and then got hit for 6 as a reward. The batters were back, but time was running out for them and try as they might they were held in check by bowlers Ben, Ajay and Geoff.  Ben took a late wicket and Ajay two, as the Catus innings petered away to 74-7, losing by 32 runs. It was a good day for catches, Ivor snaffled three, Jon held one of his spectacular long distance efforts, and Rich took a snick without conceding any byes. 

 

In contrast, the game at Damazan ( which we were worried about weather-wise) was played over 35 overs with the home side batting first, having won the toss. There were only brief showers. Most of the Damazan players were sporting their league shirts and the top three liked to hit sixes. Ajay and Geoff opened the bowling with the latter taking a wicket in his second over, and the batsman was already on 19 when he was bowled. First change Ivor removed the dangerous No3 thanks to a great reverse-gear catch by Ben but the Damazan batsmen were doing very well on 120-2 after 18 overs.  The slippery pitch wasn’t helping the bowlers and had the colour and consistency of a one-star hotel showermat. It was remarked upon by Dave Miles but didn’t stop him ‘ ripping out the middle order’ (quote)  inside three overs. One of these wickets was at long-on by Rohan, who was probably worrying about his throbbing toe, so it was doubly a great catch. After his final ‘bowled’ Dave’s figures were 3-38 after his 6 overs, and went towards his later bowling award. It wasn’t DJ’s day, trying to bowl like Bill off one pace, or Ben’s either, but Ajay had two late wickets and Damazan were 217-8 after the 35 overs. The ever genial Gagan once again did not bat, preferring instead to umpire and watch his young charges at close quarters. They were very vocal and excitable, obviously enjoying their day away from league cricket.

 We needed 6 or 7 an over and began with the old firm of Torkildsen and Wilson. Rohan hit a couple of fours, as he did the day before, but here he departed c/b for 11. Ivor and Geoff pushed on to 55 in the 11th over when Ivor was bowled by an express delivery, but he’d hit three fours in his 21.  The bowling didn’t let up, and batsmen got in and then got out again - Geoff lbw, Ajay caught, and Ben bowled. Only Ivor, Geoff and Ajay  got over 20. Rich and Jon were both caught at square leg, and score-board pressure was probably having an effect. As the game was nearing its end with the Vs some way off the win, Harley provided entertainment when he looked like getting out twice - first edging towards a close fielder, then hopping round on one leg before collapsing on the stumps with the fielder managing to hold on to the ball. The on-field hilarity was similar to an earlier incident when Geoffs fiercely hit straight drive hit Ivor’s rear-end thus preventing an easy four runs, there being no fielder at long-on. It was actually quick thinking by Ivor who had no chance of getting out of the way and the ball had been heading for his box. The injury didn’t prevent Ivor from knocking another four before his lbw, but he may have been glad to seek the solitude of the shed and a tube of Volterol. At the end DJ prevented a hat-trick by Suzy, Doc was one boundary not out, and we’d lost by 66 runs..

 

Later at the excellent Nous Restaurant in Montauban Doc and the Vordermanesque Dave M. conducted us through the awards ceremony. Harley got the Brown Ale Award for his ‘Bambi on Ice Cockney-swivel’ , Ivor won the Catch of the Tour (over the shoulder). Geoffs final six at Catus was the Champagne

Moment, and he was also Player of the tour as his bowling was the most economical overall. I think Ben got the batting  award, he certainly deserved it, and Dave M. was the bowler of the tour, topping the table with five wickets. Footie was again the Tourist of the tour, though Harley did sneak up on the rails and share the award. F.was everywhere, organising pretty much everything , umpiring, and being the money-man. Merci, Keith. Thanks to to H. for the coach. And to Rich, the keeper is always the busiest on the pitch, and he was excellent. And Get well soon skip!

 

AJ 12-0-106-4. Ben 12-0-66-1. Jon 5-1-33-2. Dave M 9-0-76-5. DJ 8-0-73-3. Geoff 11-1-64-2. Ivor7-0-25-1.         DJ