CURDRIDGE vs EASTLEIGH WARRIORS - 3rd May 2025
On request from Harry, a short version using small words: We lost. Sod it.
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There are days when it quickly becomes apparent the cricketing gods are against you. The match versus Eastleigh Warriors was very much one of those. This isn’t so much a match report as an After-Action Report.
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On a sunny afternoon we turned up at Turnpike Way to find a square which had so much grass it wasn’t much discernible from the rest of the outfield, not the mention the abundance of weeds growing up from the strip. And the artificial strip on the edge of the square just to add some extra ‘fun’ to fielding. Losing the toss (in the finest Curdridge tradition) we were put in to bowl first. Sam found out he didn’t have the right shoes with him, and Del had to borrow Mike’s boots to bowl in. What did I say about omens…
The first ball of the day set the scene for much of what would follow, as Del ran in, tripped up on Mike’s boots, and hit the floor. Shaking that off, his next ball was promptly swatted for four. Never a good sign.
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Despite runs coming from the first over, opening from the other end Mr Hillman struck early, trapping the batsman LBW to leave Warriors 11 for 1. More runs followed before Dan running claimed a catch leaving Eastleigh 28-2. Runs continued to flow, though, before Del’s second wicket left the score at 49-3, before a partnership followed which saw the runs continue to flow. During this time the first of the injuries which dogged us through the day occurred, as Dan reacted like lightning to stop a certain boundary but in doing so took the full brunt of the ball on his hand, leaving him in need of the cold spray and with an injury which would persist through the rest of the match.
A change of bowling brought Harry into the attack, and soon a snick from the batsman carried its way right into Jack’s gloves. Up went the shouts from pretty much the entire fielding side, plus a couple of spectators down at the far side of Hedge End who would have heard it too. What did not go up was the umpire’s finger, so we must have all been mistaken.
Soon after Harry picked up his first wicket, a catch leathered into Alan’s hands for a sharp catch, and another wicket for Harry left Warriors on 121-5. At 143, the non-walking batsman pulled a ball from Sam in the air, and Rob took the catch at mid-wicket.
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To add to Rob’s disgruntlement with the day, however, on Play Cricket this catch was attributed to Mike Punt…
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Following Harry’s bowling spell, more ill-fate, as he dove to stop the ball and emerged with a dislocated finger. Asking around for someone to put it back in, up stepped Mike, like a Snake Oil salesman from the Old West. ‘Turn around, it’s easier from behind’ said Dr Punt, putting the fear of God into Harry. However, Mike successfully (and we’re told, effectively) returned Harry’s finger to its socket.
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As runs carried on amassing Dan came into the attack despite the afore-mentioned injury, picking up a wicket, and Mike with a good spell took three at the end, including a sharp stumping from Jack. Mike polished off the innings with two wickets in two balls to leave him on a hat-trick for his next game! All out for 189, a gettable but tricky score.
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So, to the Curdridge innings. Opening up were Dom and Rob, fresh from good innings’ last week (and we all know what that means…). An interesting first over with the ball both staying low and rearing up to hit Rob in the sternum spoke volumes about how the pitch was playing.
8 runs did come from the first over, 6 of which from Rob’s bat although inexplicably 4 of them have been attributed to Dom on the scorecard… with the scores being entered directly by the Eastleigh scorer, it seems either he had a grudge against Rob or just wasn’t paying attention.
However, once again proving the adage that (his) form is very much temporary, the next over Rob top-edged a ball which got up on him, was caught, and departed incensed with himself (for 6, not 2, grumble, grumble, grumble…). Entering the fray at number 3 was Jules, and for a while the innings continued serenely, with Dom and Jules striking cleanly the score passed 50, then 60, before Jules missed a straight one and was bowled to leave us on 67-2. In came Jack, who struck a ball for 4 before being bowled, and things were looking dodgy at 73-3.
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Things got a whole lot worse when a ball reared up off the unreliable pitch and struck Dom square in the face, opening up his eyebrow and leaving his shirt spattered with claret, forcing a temporary retirement.
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Things got tricky from herein, Alan and Sam at the crease doing their best to pick up the runs and the run rate, with the Warriors changing up the bowling, taking pace off and keeping things tight. Wickets continued to fall despite valiant contributions from the lower order, particularly from Harry batting with – as it transpires – a broken finger as the total crept closer, but Curdridge running out of wickets. Del came in and second ball was struck on the fingers by another ball rearing up off the pitch. Dom having valiantly returned to the field continued where he had left off, but with one wicket remaining and 28 needed from the last two overs, a run-out saw Curdridge all out for 162, and a disappointing loss first league game of the season.
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A tricky loss, and a game which kind of got away from us, not helped by injuries left right and centre, a pitch that was as much a battle to field on as the game itself, and several batting errors costing us a match we probably could have won.
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Man of the Match: a couple of contenders here – Harry for his two wickets and 25 vital runs put in a great performance, but the award goes to Dom for his 66 not-out, not to mention batting on with a pretty nasty injury, getting us within sniffing distance of a win.
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Donut of the Day: Definitely Rob, getting out so early and putting far too much pressure on the other opener and the rest of the batting line up.
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Champagne Moment: There was a lot of effort, perseverance, not to mention injured players battling on despite their injuries – Dan, Harry, Dom – but this week it goes to Mike, both for putting Harry’s finger back into place and for his two wickets in two balls to end the Warriors innings (and ending with figures of 3-15, (but not two catches)).