Wilburton walkout ends exciting game

 by Girish Menon

 

CamKerala 3s (CK3) were around 162 runs for 6 chasing Wilburton’s 208 with 14 overs left. A partnership of over 6 overs and 40 runs had developed between Fabio and this writer when Fabio cross bats their spinner over midwicket. The ball is caught but the fielder was standing on the boundary line. Umpire Adarsh signals a six but Wilburton walkout ending an exciting game that appeared to be once again moving towards CK3.

For scorecard please click here

 

Wilburton turned up for this game at Comberton with a mood to right the wrongs they suffered against TAC in a friendly last week. Their 16-17 year old betrayed this view as he was the first arrival on the ground and told this writer that in the last match TAC had been liberal in calling wides and no balls. This lad righted TAC’s wrongs by being unduly harsh on CK3’s wides, no balls and lbw appeals. That set the tone for the game and this writer had to indicate to Saheer the harshness of the wides and the no balls. Another notable incident was during CK3’s run chase. The same lad denied CK3 a four by claiming the ball did not cross the line. Some CK3 players watching the incident began protesting this decision while a Wilburton spectator joined the argument on the other side. A pregnant Martha (Savio’s wife) was so convinced the ball had crossed the line that she was seen expressing her view.

 

The game began on a disappointing note for CK3 who were denied the chance to bat first (despite having a 75% probability of doing so according to captain Saheer). After a couple of early wickets Wilburton consolidated their innings with a couple of mature gentlemen, one of who later played as the wicketkeeper and was the agent provocateur of the walkout. This man swatted a few full tosses and egged on the lad to be harsh on no balls etc. This pair put on a good partnership and Wilburton edged towards a good score. The other partner scored a 70 and shepherded the rest of their batting which was not poor. In a late flourish CK3 took a flurry of wickets and Wilburton were all out in the 40^th over. Debutant Herald bowled an excellent spell of offspin, with Saheer and Himanshu helping to wind up the innings.

 

CK3 started tennis ball style trying to hit boundaries. This was epitomised by Freddy who hit a six and trying to repeat the action was bowled in the next delivery. So, the run rate was high but wickets kept tumbling. Arun tried to calm things down and he had a good partnership with Saheer before Saheer was declared run out. Herald also declared Arun out lbw which brought Fabio and this writer to the crease. Fabio and this writer operated on the principle that if CK3  batted the full 40 overs then a win would follow. It was decided that one boundary and 1-2 singles was what would be attempted each over and good balls defended. What happened thereafter has already been highlighted in the introduction and will go down in CK3 folklore.

 

Wilburton players followed the script of the pigs in Animal Farm with their dictum " Our Umpires Good, Theirs Cheats". Also, revenging the TAC game against CK3 because of 'similar looking people' may be considered racist. They also ensured a continuous flow of sledges while CK3 were batting.

 

CK3, after last week's start with its main players declared lbw, may have seen the writing on the wall as far as lbws go in self umpired village cricket leagues.  And Captain Saheer’s Cornwall holiday mood may have ended quickly due to above events at Comberton.