Without a swallow gliding gracefully above the turf to pluck at sleepy insects we could not really say that summer had arrived and yet the sound of leather on willow suggested that something was awry.
So Entrecasteaux entertained the growing force of Beausoleil for the opening competitive fixture of the 2014 season and on winning the toss Clifford Gregory sent out his trusted but creaky openers Glen Burrel (22) and Andy Fife (37). They saw off the opening attack. Colin (6-1-26-1),left arm over from the football pitch end, and Ravi (5-0-19-1) from the Garden House end had not caused either batsmen any concerns and with 10 overs gone and the score on 53 Burrell decided to shift a gear and launch his bat at anything in the least wayward. Kalith (5-0-21-0) was unlucky to have him dropped at mid-on but it was Ubeynath (8-0-29-5), who produced the key to unlock this partnership, not before he had been dispatched for consecutive 6’s by Fife, Burrell was caught at cover when the partnership had reached 60 runs. Fife followed shortly to Ubeynath’s straight delivery and umpire Mike Lomax did not hesitate before raising his finger.
Other than Ed Harland (30) the Entrecasteaux batsmen did not exactly cover themselves in glory. Chaminda Perera (16) showed promise but was then caught in the covers to a miss timed drive, Shalana Karunarathnage (9) looked out of form when he was bowled by Roshan (2-1-7-1), the skipper Gregory (7) was caught and bowled by Ashok (5-0-20-1) and had it not been for Harland’s stewardship of the crease Entrecasteaux’s total would have been unchallenging. Harland finally fell to a very smartly held caught and bowled by Colin, who by this time was bowling from the Garden House end.
James Bentley (13) was batting in a somewhat lethargic manner which was put down to the fact that he had only climbed into his bed some 7 hours before. He was joined at the crease by Shahn (0) and then Yannick Perera(0), who were both dismissed first ball (quack, quack) and so strode Francois Xavier Lecomte (10) to the crease. It being the first time this young man has played cricket Beausoleil were confident of their hatrick. Everyone held there breath, the fielders, like vultures at a carcass, massed around the bat as Ubeynath ran forward to claim his prize but with a fortitude, derived from having watched baseball, Lecomte smashed the ball into the covers and in so doing saved the hatrick. He continued in like manner before being run out, as was Bentley. With the scheduled 40 overs drawing to a close Ali(3) was joined by Bill Bentley (2 not out) before being stumped so bringing the Entrecasteaux total to a close on 171. Ubeynath had been the pick of Beausoleil’s bowlers and his haul of 5 wickets is testament to his fine performance with the ball.
With the outfield not exactly akin to a snooker table, and 10 fielders on the field (in addition to the wicket keeper and bowler), Entrecasteaux felt they had a defendable total to and with Beausoleil’s opening batsmen, Yoges Prasana (32) and Kalith (21) seemingly in no hurry to score the runs Entrecasteaux’s confidence grew. In deed by the drinks break with a total of 70 Beausoleil still required 100 runs but Gregory was starting to wonder who he could draw on to complete the overs. Gregory (6-1-15-1) had bowled fast and accurately but he did not claim that early scalp thanks to the patience and tenacity of Prasana and Kalith. James Bentley (4-0-27-0) had been somewhat dehydrated and was replaced by Chaminda Perera (8-1-22-1) who produced a very fine spell of left arm over from the football pitch end, bamboozling both batsmen, with the ball turning one way and then the other as he mixed flight and pace and spin. It was Chaminda who finally broke the opening partnership of 68 runs when he bowled Kalith. Glen Burrell (6-0-27-1) had taken over from Gregory and he had Prasana well caught by Harland behind the stumps to a difficult chance.
Baldev (50 not out) had come to the crease, his jaw set in determined fashion and proceeded to slash and swipe any errant ball with the intent on seeing his side home. He was helped by Janit (13), Roshan (13) and Somnath (8), all of whom had short but valuable innings and when the 37 extras were added Beausoleil’s total had reached 175 runs for the loss of only 6 wickets. Gregory’s problem had been a lack of depth to his bowling attack. Karunarathnage (5-1-20-1) had bowled proficiently but never really threatened and no captain would choose to call on Fife (5.2-0-36-3), with the opposition requiring only 20 runs to win and having 10 overs to score them, at such a stage, despite the fact that he did take wickets.
Beausoleil won this opening fixture by 4 wickets and deservedly. Entrecasteaux will have to shake off the winter cobwebs in both the batting and the fielding departments (note extras is the second largest scorer for the opposition) should they wish to return to their winning ways.
When all is said and done it was glorious to be playing cricket on such a beautiful day, and good to see club stalwarts Len Terry, Maggie Lomax and Ian Mackintosh enjoying the cricket from the boundary, and many thanks also to Mike Lomax for umpiring. On our return home, in looking to the skies we did see the first swallow of the year, cricket and swallows – yes summer has arrived.
Entrecasteaux: Gregory, Perera C., Perera Y.,Burrell, Bentley B., Bentley J., Harland, Karunarathnage, Lecomte, Shahn, Ali, Fife
Umpire: Lomax