DAY 11 – Saturday 20th January
First available lazy morning and then off to
MATCH 4 v Kelvin Grove CC at the Kelvin Club near Newlands
A picturesque setting adjacent to the Test ground and Rugby Stadium at Newlands. Seniors travelling scorer Dick Batchelor (having recovered from his Dambulla, Sri Lanka experience) manages to overcome the lack of an opposition scorer, scoreboard, teamsheet….After 20 overs former Seniors captain Jan Bridle concedes only 1 extra but then misses an easy stumping off deceptive Pat Wickson. Table Mountain shakes in disbelief!! Free scoring Kelvin Grove are pegged back by the Seniors 3 W’s (umpire Tony Wharton and bowlers Pat Wickson and Chris Westbrook 4 wickets) and they reach 195 after 40 overs. Former Dorset Seniors captain in the last century, Keith Balmer and Martin Hall score briskly, taking the score to 65 after 13 overs. At the halfway stage the visitors look well set but scoring then is restricted by some tight bowling. Steve Mitchell, with some lusty blows, hits 17 in one over but is then unfortunately run out by his batting partner, the quicksilver Pat Wickson. Stan Rudder, in his first bat for 2 years, strikes his first ball towards the square leg boundary where he is caught by their youngest player who is then subjected to some heckling from the Seniors team and also his watching mother.
Seniors finish on 173 all out and the playing stats are now won 2 lost 2
Skipper Alan Wright, having failed to trouble the scorer earlier in the day, is chastised by a lady member for daring to wear shorts in the Club and is obliged to conduct post match formalities from the balcony.
DAY 12 – Sunday 21st January
An early start for the cable car to the top of Table Mountain on a glorious sunny day with no wind blowing as in previous days (the Cape Town doctor). We are truly blessed to experience Table Mountain in such conditions - President is inspired to write a further verse to the tour anthem
Later in the week, one of our number, the intrepid Andrew Yorke abseils down Table Mountain – there were no witnesses to this foolhardy behaviour (we can only take his word!!).
MATCH 5 v Constantia Uitsig CC at the Uitsig Club in Constantia
Set in a majestic setting (no sign of Mark Thatcher!) with local rules prevailing (eg. no one out 1st ball, retire @ 35 etc ….) our hosts compile 158 for 9. Steve Mitchell’s stats of 8 overs 3 maidens 15 runs 2 wickets bely the fact he also clean bowls 3 top order batsmen first ball. (Quite rightly, he is fined for this misdemeanour). Peter Doust chips in with 3 for 29. The Seniors eventually pass this total with 5 wickets in hand – there are useful contributions from Tony Adams
(39 retired), Colin Handley (31) and the Petersfield connection of Chris Wood and Jim
|
Smallbone who see the team home with nearly 5 overs to spare. A victorious rendition of the Tour anthem followed.
Day 13 – Monday 22nd January
The first free day of the tour with no cricket or organised excursions.Tourists spread their wings – helicopter rides, township tours, shopping etc. are the order of the day.
The only competition of the day is to be found on the Royal Cape Golf Course where Messrs Rickard and Foreman exact revenge over Balmer and Yorke by the narrowest of margins when Foreman sinks “monster” putt on 18th green!!
The tour party mourns the departure of distinguished Echo cricket correspondent and bon viveur Mike Vimpany who returns to Arctic climes in the UK.
DAY 14 – Tuesday 23rd January
MATCH 6 v Fish Hoek CC at Fish Hoek
In gale force winds off the sea, reminiscent of playing in a wind tunnel, the Seniors bat first and with caps, hats and bails etc blowing away. Umpire Tony Wharton and his local colleague decide to dispense with the bails. We lose 2 early wickets of Martin Hall and Andrew Yorke, who have difficulty coping with the high wind. A welcome return to form by skipper Alan Wright (55), obviously used to batting in such conditions, steady’s the ship. The Seniors struggle to 166 all out . The home side, used to playing in a gale, start like a “hurricane” and an easy win seems on the cards but they are pegged back Chris Wood ( 4-23 ). With the last man at the crease and 4 runs required, CW bowls a pie and their Number 11 crashes the ball to the boundary. The Seniors shelter in the clubhouse and are royally entertained by the local club late into the night. A rendition of the Tour anthem (minus the President) fails to reach the previous heights – maybe it was the wind still howling outside.
DAY 15 – Wednesday 24th January
No cricket or golf, so majority of tourists enjoy the Cape Point coach tour passing through Houte Bay, and take a boat trip to Seal Island where the boat skipper manages to soak all on board with a particular tricky manoeuvre. By popular acclaim, Keith Balmer, Dorset captain of the last century, wins the wet T shirt competition. The coach travels along the snaking cliffs of Chapmans Peak looking towards Capetown and then on to see the penguins at Bolders Beach who were stood at attention in the breeze; reminiscent of the Seniors in the field!! Cameras were a plenty at Cape Point, the most South Westerly Point of Africa. Delhi is nearer to here than London. Scorer Dick Batchelor is shocked to meet baboon in toilets - nothing like this happens at Milford-on-Sea!!
|
