2007 Tour - Badgers L.C.C.

In 2007 the Badgers L.C.C. travelled to Bath & Cutcombe for the 2007 tour. Games were played against the Bath Lecturers and Cutcombe Cricket Club.

Match reports:

Badgers v Bath Lecturers C.C & Cutcombe C.C.

Badger fist game on tour was against the Bath Lecturers. Not known for their gags, the banter was very reserved. Badgers lost the toss and the Lecturers opted to bat! Making a total of 238, the Badgers would be looking at their best perfomasce to match that score!! Halliday & DBS (formely known as Adam) put on a solid start and the Badger found themselves on 140-3 after 20 overs. Unfortunately the tail wagged an dthe Badgers were all out for 160 and it was back to bath for a ruby and more beer!!

Badgers

Badgers moved onto the tiny Exmoor village of Wheddon Cross, to face the might of Cutcombe CC, of Somerset League Division 3!! On levering their stiff, hungover frames out of their fleet of executive sports cars, the Badgers were met by the sight of a pitch pitched at virtually 45 degrees, and a wind that required a similar angle within which to walk.

The Badgers quickly lost the toss as usual and Cutcombe decided to have a bat. Our Leader put a tricky opening bowling partnership of Joff and Ultravox on to open the bowling. Joff hadn’t bowled since undergoing a nasty shoulder operation last year and as such was unsure he would have his old venom; Ultravox hadn’t had an over outdoors since Live Aid. Needless to say, Joff was quickly back attaining his old pace and bounce, and Ultravox was confounding the batsmen with his variations of length and pace. The batsmen started to hit the ball high in the air, and after four overs we’d reduced them to 12-3.

Badger, the wily old brock he is, turned to DBS and Pete “Butterfingers” Cotton to stem the run rate. Pete made up for his standard three dropped catches to take two wickets. The captain, sensing victory at his fingertips, brought himself on with Xan to demolish the middle order, and with Cutcombe reduced to 55-7 at one point it looked like we were going to be back in London for “Songs of Praise”. It was looking all over for Cutcombe until suddenly, out of the pavilion marched their No.11 batsman, whose hit Maxo for a massive six over long-on. Our Australian brother was not amused, when he did it again. The final score was 132-9 and the Badgers padded up.

Joff opened the Badger’s response, and hit the ball gloriously and reached 25 in about 2.3 overs. Mike supported Joff with7, then came Zan with10. Williams followed, avoiding his third golden scored 21. Sharma played his usual nurdling game, striking 18 off 18 balls and Maxo backed up with a cheeky 13.

The Badgers were coasting after Maxo and even Cotton scored a career-best 6. Lambers hit the winning runs to cement his position in Badgers folklore and the Badgers notche up thir first away win!

The host club were brilliant, and provided a cracking tea as well as a gags. Thanks to Cutcome Cricket Club and Bath lecturer for accomodating the Badgers - roll on the rest of the season!!