Reflections on an afternoon at Nantclwyd
Cricket doesn't really get better than an afternoon at Leyland Oval in Llanelidan, home to Nantclwyd Cricket Club.
The North Wales team, which plays Sunday friendly fixtures, describes itself on its Play Cricket site as "a friendly group who play in the picturesque village of Llanelidan, N Wales.
With a delightful Pub across the road, a great sense of comradery in trying one's best without pressure, or, in several instances, skill, there are few better ways of spending a Sunday afternoon than here."
Most visitors to Nantclwyd praise the scenery, and indeed the ground is situated in extremely picturesque surroundings that inevitably add to the enjoyment of playing there. The rolling hills and the chocolate box pavilion wouldn't look our of place in an episode of Poirot: it's easy to imagine the Belgian detective watching on, his mind perhaps on other things, as Captain Hastings toils away in the middle. But there is something else that is special about Nantclwyd, something so much more crucial.
Nantclwyd, like Mersey Rose Recreationals, is a club committed to promoting social, friendly cricket. While several of the club's players are drawn from nearby clubs who play league matches on Saturdays, Sunday friendlies are played in a completely different spirit. The club understands that the entire purpose of friendly cricket is to include everyone who wants to play, irrespective of ability or experience.
Friendly cricket is, after all, perfect for those of us who are learning to play cricket, who have physical limitations, who prefer the more leisurely approach or who simply dislike the cut and thrust that is a common feature of fierce competition. Friendly matches are where fathers and mothers play with sons and daughters, where the umpire is the batter who was last out and, crucially, where everyone gets a chance to play however unselectable they may appear.
Friendly cricket often throws up surprises. Spectators - and there were a few of them at Nantclwyd yesterday - may find themselves impressed by the consistent line and length
of the sexagenarian bowler, awed by the strokeplay of ageing campaigners or excited by the fielding of young teenagers. It’s unrehearsed theatre, even if the cast is far from stellar.
Friendly cricket is where so many players are born, and where they ultimately return.
Mersey Rose Cricket Club was founded specifically to promote inclusive approaches to cricket, and believes that friendly cricket is the best route through which to achieve these aims. It makes sense, because friendly cricket and inclusion are a perfect fit: friendly cricket is, and should be, nothing other than inclusive. By nature it doesn't discriminate and is generally based on the principle of Ludere Causa Ludendi - playing for the sake of playing.
It is one thing to create a club focused on friendly cricket but it can be challenging to find opponents who understand the ethos of social cricket, especially in the north of England where the focus is on league cricket. The tradition of friendly cricket is not what it once was, especially with the proliferation of ostensibly competitive 3rd and 4th teams. Our club's vision to create a friendly, relaxed environment in which everyone can enjoy cricket only works with the cooperation and understanding of our opponents.
It was, therefore, reassuring to have pre-match discussions around our teams' respective abilities, leading to certain rules being relaxed in order to ensure everyone has the best possible experience. We had eight players in our team, but these were complemented by substitute fielders from the batting side. There was no doubt whatsoever than Nantclwyd Cricket Club not only "gets" what friendly cricket is about, they also understood what Mersey Rose Recreationals are about. Most importantly, the club understands that friendly cricket is not the absence of league or cup competition but a set of values the informs their approach to the game.
The results in such matches, if not entirely inconsequential, matter less than enjoyment of the game. Even the toss was inconsequential - Mersey Rose wanted to bowl first, while Nantclwyd preferred to bat, in both cases for reasons of wanting to provide the best experiences for their respective players.
For the first 15 overs or so everything went the way of the visitors and probably represents the best hour of cricket the team has played so far this year. The first wicket fell when Andi Page managed to do what he hasn't for several weeks - successfully appeal for lbw (it was a pretty obvious one in fairness). Shortly afterwards Aaron McKenna struck from the other end and the hosts were on 17 for 2. But things were to get better for Mersey Rose as Page claimed another three victims - one via an outrageous one-handed catch from one of the substitute fielders at square leg, one bowled and the third with a relatively straightforward catch at long-on. The introduction of Dan Barrowcliffe into the attack paid dividends and he bowled economically while also claiming a wicket with a perfect yorker.
At this stage Nantclwyd were 32 for 6. This was, unfortunately, as good as things were to get for Mersey Rose as the home side was able to mount an effective recovery. With bowling options limited, Andi Page bowled through most of Nantclwyd's innings and, while he came close on several occasions, he could not find a fifth wicket. On a hot afternoon both the bowling and the fielding became increasingly tired. Nantclwyd eventually passed the 200 mark, with retirements ensuring that everyone was given the opportunity to bat.
Despite the near-impossible target, Mersey Rose were feeling quite happy with the wickets they had taken, the opportunities they had created and the performance of Jake Vaughan, playing his first full game as wicketkeeper (in only his second hardball game). Vaughan and Andi Page went out to open the batting with the hope not so much of a successful run chase but of playing positively. Unfortunately disaster struck when Page was run out following an absolutely superb piece of fielding and, following this setback, Anna Page came to the crease with the mission to bat as long as possible. She survived more than 15 overs as wickets fell at the other end, and later found some assistance in providing some stubborn resistance in the form of David Crossley. They were also able to add a few runs, but nothing like enough to make a contest of things.
Anna and David both succumbed to full length balls after each batting for over an hour, and their contributions nearly helped the visitors bat out the full allocation of 36 overs. The last pair of Ian Mosquito and Dan Barrowcliffe (both batting for the second time) almost managed to hold out but the latter came unstuck as a delivery clipped the top of his off stump and Mersey Rose were bowled out with 12 balls to spare.
However, the result doesn't detract from the fact that this was a most enjoyable game of cricket against opponents that represent the best values of the friendly game. At a time when the ECB is looking to promote more inclusive approaches to cricket, it is somewhat surprising that social, friendly cricket doesn't seem to feature very much in their thinking. Perhaps they need to watch a match at Nantclwyd?
Nantclwyd v Mersey Rose gallery
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