La Victoire!

.. was the cry round the ground on Sunday from the spectator. You have probably heard of VE day, well Sunday 14th May will go down as VH day in the Gattling Fenns history!

VH Day = Victory over Harbury!

The Gattling Fenns Select IX (yes it’s meant to be a 9!) returned home yesterday to a winners reception after winning their first game! Even though they were handicapped by only having 9 men, everyone put on a fine performance resulting in a well deserved win.

The Skippers Report:

“Having won the toss,I elected to bat and opened with Colin G. Having made a steady start unfortunately Colin holed out. This brought Bill in, his 75 was not only the higest score to date by a Gattling player but provided the match-winning bedrock. As usual the skipper’s dismissal was pure Marx Bros. Having gone for a hook shot far too early, he had ample time to spin round twice and have a chat with the wicketkeeper whilst they waited for the ball to arrive and hit the wicket. With everyone however chipping in including 20 plus scores from Tom and Tony, a total of 180 was reached. With an asking rate of only 4.5 runs/over and at least 4 batsmen capable of seriously damaging a bowler’s figures, Harbury came out to bat. Suffice to underline what Tony has said-by some outstanding fielding including his own in the deep coupled and with Colin G’s tactical advice we held our own. Lee took a great early catch, Paddy fielded beautifully and Peter T. not only risked life and limb but made a crucial stop of a certain four just when it looked like Harbury might get back in the game. Tom had a great game behind he stumps watched by a proud Dad who bowled some miserly overs himself.

All the bowlers kept their nerve and in the end we won by about 40 runs. I was so proud of them.”

Man of the Match

After the game, speculation on the results of the man of the match competition were wild. Would it be Bill for an outstanding batting performance of 75? Would it be Tom for a solid wicket keeping performance? Would is be Lee for managing to hold a very difficult catch? How about Paddy for turning many a surefire 4 into a single while fielding? Would it be little Pete for fearlessly throwing himself in front of anything that came his way?

When it came to the result, it was unanimously decided that the man of the match should go to the games biggest improver. There was one man that fit the bill perfectly. He didn’t make a single mistake, he didn’t drop a single catch, his bowling figures broke club records, he didn’t embarrass himself batting but most of all, his placing in the field was impeccable. I am of course talking about Tim Brookes. So congratulations to Tim on winning Man of the Match, it was heartily agreed in the pub afterwards that we hoped Tim would have many more performances like that in the future!

Just one more thing to Tim, as you were on a bike ride in Nottingham instead of actually playing Pete is looking after the trophy for you!

Skippers Comments:
Brooksey for Man of The Match? Well ermmm… OK. Yes, yes I know you say he didn’t drop a catch, but he did fail miserably to collect the tea money.”

This is indeed true, i’m sure the Gattling Fenn Select Committee will listen to an appeal to not impose a fine on someone not performing his duties!

Gattling Fenn of the Match

As you all know, the Fenn of the match is the person that showed the greatest character, not necessarily the player that played the best. This honour was bestowed in a brief meeting to the old man on the bike, Pete Lewis. The reason is quite simple, he managed to get himself completely lost in Harbury after the match while trying to find the pub, and this was before any beer! To make better context of this, Harbury, the village, is made up of 5 pubs and about 4 houses and I do believe at one time in his life Peter did actually live there!

The Final Word

“… and gentlemen in England now a-bed
shall think themselves accurs’d they
were not here …”
Henry V