Written by Will Gibbs
Once more unto the breach, dear Badgers, once more.
Upon a fair spring afternoon, Captain Godfrey strode to the middle, though not before he had wrestled mightily with the gravest of tactical conundrums: what to do, should fortune grant him the toss. Fate, ever mischievous, spared him the burden of decision, for the toss was lost, and Bristol were invited to make first use of the wicket.
What followed was an opening salvo of rare hostility. Sam Allwood, who has fond memories of this ground after a previous five-for, and Hash thundered in with only wickets on his mind. The bat was beaten time and again; edges whispered, stumps quivering in anticipation. Yet the breakthrough remained elusive, and Bristol’s openers survived the furious storm.
Captain Godfrey, seeking to alter the course of battle, turned to Elliot Pâté. An inspired change. With metronomic precision he probed relentlessly, each delivery a direct threat to timber and tranquillity alike. In a superb three-over spell, he claimed two wickets, and suddenly the tide had turned. Still hungry for further gains, the captain summoned himself to the attack.
Yet from the far end came the true dismantling. MJ and Louis bowled as though guided by some higher hand, exploiting an obliging surface that offered encouragement to all. Their accuracy was unerring, their discipline absolute. MJ, in particular, was magnificent, collecting wickets with pleasing regularity to finish with the splendid figures of four for twenty. Louis, meanwhile, removed Bristol’s dangerous number four at a critical juncture. Rumour, indeed, suggests he may be in rather good nick.
At drinks, Bristol stood in a position of some comfort at 100 for 3. Yet cricket, like war, is won not in moments of ease but in acts of resistance. The Badgers mounted precisely such a rearguard. From that point onward, the field tightened, the bowling sharpened, and Bristol’s advance was steadily repelled.
After the interval, the call went out for my off-spin. The wicket, by now increasingly capricious, offered generous encouragement, and two wickets duly followed. One came courtesy of a catch from Sam Allwood that bordered on the miraculous, secured despite what appeared to be the determined intervention of several teammates eager to claim either the ball or the glory for themselves. Bristol, once well set, were eventually dismissed for a highly manageable 168, a fine effort, built upon discipline, persistence, and in no small part due to the fine application of their #3 who anchored the innings, batting for most of 30 overs to steer his team to a competitive total.
The chase began in encouraging fashion. A glorious cover drive from Dickie announced his intentions, while Steve unfurled a selection of trademark dabs with customary elegance. At 14 without loss, all seemed serene, the Badgers advancing with confidence.
Then, as swiftly as a summer shower, came calamity. Four wickets fell for the addition of a single run, and at 15 for 4 the innings stood upon a precipice.
Enter Hash once more, stage left, bat in hand and mischief in his eye. His innings of 52 was as sparkling as it was savage. Two enormous blows disappeared towards the boundary, causing wandering toddlers and their guardians to reconsider their choice of vantage point. Such power should perhaps have come as no surprise; his preparations had included dispatching a football at young Charlie, future Badger and stout-hearted soul, who wore the blow with admirable fortitude.
With Hash departed, hope rested upon a counterattack fashioned, somewhat unconventionally, around the reverse sweep. For a while, it appeared possible that ingenuity might yet prevail. Alas, a few more reverses would have been required. The final wicket fell with 31 runs still needed, leaving the Badgers tantalisingly short.
So, another defeat to begin the campaign. Yet there was much to admire: a stirring fightback in the field, some outstanding individual performances, and no shortage of character throughout. Hash, for his heroic all-round contribution, was a deserving Badger of the Match.
The first victory of the season remains just beyond the horizon. But the Badgers march on.