After all of the miserable weather during the early part of 2024, Chelmarsh Cricket Club got their season underway a day late on the 5th May away to Newport 3rd XI.

A large number of our second XI squad were unavailable for the game, including the vice captain and captain and so we went to Newport with an under strength side.

Saturday captain, Robert ‘Wobbler’ Price, was stand in skipper for the day. A role he has performed many times over the previous 3 years.

Making his Chelmarsh debut, at the age of 13, was Henry ‘H’ Rollings

Wobbler lost the toss and the Newport captain decided he wanted to bowl first.

Chelmarsh put into bat

Chelmarsh were going to have to set Newport a target they could hopefully defend. Lea ‘Burty’ Burton and Chris ‘Fester’ Holmes were given the task of getting the ‘marsh off to a good start.

For the first fourteen balls everything was going great before Lea couldn’t decide on whether he should smack it or tickle it and got caught at point. Joey ‘The Essex Express’ Ellis-Perks replaced him at the crease. What was going to happen here?

In the very next over we lost Fester playing a pull shot that went vertical, things had not started well for the marsh.

Matthew ‘Mellis’ Ellis joined Joey at the crease and for a while the ship was steadied. Matt playing his usual steady game and Joey counter attacking bowlers with a number of lusty blows. We lost both in quick succession though, both bowled.

Paul ‘Bonkers’ Glendinning and Steve ‘Scuba’ Lampitt (promoted so far up the order that he suffered with a nose bleed) were the next men up. Once again a mini recovery was staged, before being undone by Bea Eade who bowled them both.

Kieran ‘Special K’ Wilson and Wobbler Price were the next to have a go. Kieran didn’t last long before he got his duck. Wobbler was given the first surprising decision of the day when he was given out lbw to a ball that most people hadn’t hit his body at all. The umpire could have well been right though, it is a rather large body, hard to miss really.

A moment for the ages

In the funniest moment of the innings Henry ‘H’ Rollings ran out his father, Robert ‘Rollo’ Rollings, pushing him for a second. He told his dad later that he should have ran faster.

John ‘Joey’ Price was last man in. He didn’t have to do much as Henry was the last man to fall pretty quickly. Chelmarsh, 75 all out. It was going to be difficult to defend this total.

Newport Reply

Henry Rollings, on his debut, was asked to open the bowling. His opening partner, his dad. A proud family moment in front of his mum, his gran, his grandad and other close family members. They bowled well and economical with Rob taking 2 quick wickets to keep us in the tie.

Bonkers and Scuba, a reliable Chelmarsh partnership for a few years now were the next to chance their arm. Bonkers as miserly as ever only going for 9 runs from his 4 overs and Scuba getting the 3rd wicket. This was a catch from Mellis behind the stumps that didn’t look like it came off the bat but the umpire’s opinion is the only one that matters.

Kieran and Joey were the final 2 bowlers used on the day. Joey bowled 2 overs for 1 run and Kieran took the final wicket. Caught at first slip by Fester Holmes where the ball looked like it hit the batter on his thigh, about a foot below his bat. But, once again, the umpire’s opinion is the only one that matters and he did have the best view.

Newport finished on 76-4, The marsh gave it their best but, on this occasion, it wasn’t good enough to win the match.