AUSTRALIA
050S UK TOUR 2017
GAME
4 AUSTRALIA 050S VS HEREFORDSHIRE 050S
AT
EASTNOR CASTLE EASTNOR HEREFORDSHIRE
THURSDAY
20 TH JULY 2017
After
licking our wounds from the amazing Welsh victory two days previously
it was time to get back onto our bicycle and pedal over to Eastnor
Castle which is situated in the rolling green hills of Herefordshire.
There farmers, cricketers and brown bulls happily cohabit whilst
patiently waiting for something to happen.
Before
making something to happen in Herefordshire the team decided to
peruse the annals of monastic passion on the way to the forum.
Deerhurst
is
a village near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire England on the eastern
bank of the River Severn and nestled there on a small pimple of land
is the priory church of St Mary or Odetta’s Chapel. Built by the
Saxons it’s origins date from 804. In 1016 after King Canute
defeated Edmund Ironside, the two met in the church to divide England
into North and South. However in true Game of Throne style Edmund
soon died mysteriously and Canute ruled the place thereafter. To
celebrate the Game of Thrones TV show the team had many suitable
photos taken.
We
then pedalled to Tewkesbury the site of the famous Tewkesbury Abbey
originally a monastery which
was saved from the Dissolution
of the Monasteries by
King Henry
VIII after
being bought by the townspeople for the price of the lead on the roof
to use as their parish
church.
As we entered the Abbey the team was very impressed with their
special Australian 050s cricketer’s welcome with a unique
performance from the Abbey’s choir who just happened to stay on for
a local wedding. The more culturally based members wanted to visit
the Black Bear the oldest public house in Gloucestershire dating back
to 1308 but we turned right at that corner and wandered onto our
playground for the day in the front yard of Eastnor castle.
The
Castle is
a 19th-century mock or revival
castle,
two miles from the town of Ledbury
and was built in 1812-20
by John
Cocks, 1st Earl Somers as
his stately
home.
It was constructed at a cost of £85,000, the equivalent of
approximately £26 to £28 million at 2007 prices which makes
it
something akin to what Mal Coleman presently lives in.
In
terms of celebrity events in addition to the Australian 050s team
playing there today, the film One
More Time,
starring Peter
Lawford and Sammy
Davis, Jr and
directed by Jerry
Lewis
was shot there and the band Slade in 1984 used it for their video
“Run Runaway” which is one of the team’s favourite videos
whilst they are asleep.
The
Australian team was Tim Pellen (C); Geoff Doyle;Fabian Heaton wk;
Peter Judd; Gordon McGurk; Steve Moore; David Crocker; Ross Belstead;
Wayne Miles; Noel Raymond;.The terms of engagement were 45 overs; 4
in the circle; Australians recycle on 45; Reasonable balls down the
leg not wides.
Australia
won the toss and batted first. Openers Geoff Doyle and Noel Raymond
started cautiously after the opening bowler for the home side broke
down bowling the second ball of the game. Oh at our age we should
warm up!
The
visitors kept at the task and after 45 overs scored 9-232.The star
was Gordon McGurk who blazed 62 off 43 balls. His driving on both
sides of the wicket was pure class. He was ably supported by Peter
Judd 36 off 49 balls; Geoff Doyle 36 off 38 balls and Fabian Heaton
26 off 30 balls. The best bowlers for the home side were Steve Docker
4-45 and Mike Bradford 3-33 with Australian substitute fielder Mal
Coleman taking 2 brilliant diving catches for them in the deep. He
was obviously angling for a complimentary Herefordshire cricket
shirt.
Herefordshire
began briskly and at 2-168 were heading for an easy victory.
However
the Aussies had other ideas. Again slowing the ball delivery 2
wickets fell at 168 and 169 and then the locals lost all momentum.
They scored 17 in the last 4 overs and victory belonged to a
determined Australian side when the home team ended with 6-210 some
22 runs shy.
Andy
Robertson remained 77 no off 73 balls while Trevor Whitehouse made
46. Steve Moore was the best Australian bowler although Dave Crocker
1-25; Peter Judd 1-38 and Wayne Miles 0-28 deserve special praise
for the 3rd
victory in 4 games.