Larne Cricket Club

Larne’s Fourth xis made the short journey to Rashee Road on Saturday, and were defeated by two wickets in an entertaining encounter with Templepatrick Thrids. Larne won the toss and elected to bat on an artificial wicket which looked unlike any other plastic pitch ever seen before. There was a huge bare area at one end of the pitch, as well as two large holes on the batsmen’s crease. The edges of these barren areas were secured with large steel rivets, and most amazingly a area of about one-foot square outside the off-stump had been cut out and loosely replaced with a new piece of pitch, the edges of which still protruded invitingly. The long, wet grass and dubious nature of the pitch combined with some hostile fast-bowling form Overton saw Larne sink to 21 for 3 in the eleventh over. First Wilson was caught at cover for a duck, then William Graham followed after a bottom edge onto the stumps and then Burke deflected a short-ball off his gloves onto the top of the stumps. Only a resolute stand of 67 between Michael Lyle (44) and Jonathon Graham (19) revived the innings. They found scoring very difficult but they saw off the dangerous opening bowling and then increased the scoring rate as the change bowler came on. Indeed, the first boundary of the innings was a big-six over mid-wicket off the first ball that the change-bowler delivered, and it was greeted by a grateful cheer from the young Larne team who suddenly realized that scoring runs was not impossible.

Lyle was returning to lead the team after his bizarre decision to miss the cup’s semi-final match the previous week, and he was opening the batting for the first time this year. His idiosyncratic technique proved very useful against the fast bowling, and Overton were soon employing a 7-2 off-side field in a bid to stop him playing the good-length ball through, around or over the slip area. Eventually he was caught by the wicket-keeper, having hit two sixes and no fours, but his partnership with Jonathan Graham had seen off the opening bowlers and given the lower-order a chance to face the change bowlers. Graham played an unusually defensive innings, hitting no boundaries, but it was invaluable in stemming the flow of wickets, and he deserves great credit for adjusting his normally attacking game and playing an innings which suited the situation. In addition, he performed ably behind the stumps and clearly Jonathon has the talent to play at a much higher level than the Fourths.

Both batsmen though were dismissed in quick succession, and Larne were soon back in difficulty at 105 for 8 in the 33rd over. The decline though was stopted by John Haveron, who was making his first appearance of the season for the Fourths. He played an incredible innings, hitting five fours and three sixes in a whirlwind knock of 48 not out. He only required 15 scoring shots, and over 40 runs came in the last three overs as Larne finished on 145 for 9 off their 40 overs. Haveron scored most of his runs through the mid-wicket area, but his fine knock left Larne feeling confident that they could defend their total. The tail-enders Dean McDonagh and Cameron Rhys also deserve great credit for staying with John Haveron while he played his destructive innings, and the last two wickets put on a crucial 45 runs. Larne’s total of 145 for 9 seemed to be above expectations as the players left the field for tea.

There was no pavilion at the ground, which is usually only used for schools cricket. Larne had brought the food, meaning that their selection of ham sandwiches had been gently warming in the car boots whilst the first innings had progressed on the hottest day of the year. Neither set of players had felt particular comfortable at the ground, as the local residents of Ballyclare had not missed a chance to shout obsenities either from cars driving past the ground, or from passing pedestrians who felt the need to express their anger by shouting the phrase “cricket is shit!”. So there was an unusual feeling of solidarity between the teams as they partook of the tea which had been placed on the bonnet of a car, on a tartan-green picnic rug brought by one of the players. The mini-bus and several other cars circled the car with the food rather like wagons protecting cowboys from marauding Indians in the old west, although the sweltering heat meant that there was no need for a camp-fire. It was actually the third time this year that Larne 4ths had been forced to play what should have a home game at the opponents own ground, and the third time the young team had been asked to bring sandwiches and buns as well as then pay for the transport to the ground. This is not satisfactory, and is the main reason that the club needs to get another ground somewhere in the town.

Templepatrick though are obviously in a similar position, for this ground at Rashee Road was as rough as could be imagined. Besides the extremely long grass and awful looking pitch and absence of a pavilion, the lack of toilets was of particular concern between the innings as several of the Larne team over-ate on the warmed ham sandwiches and developed the dreaded stomach-cramps which indicate the need to defecate. With no toilets in sight, there were several desperate pleas to the captain to organize a bus run back to the rugby-club and their welcoming water-closets. Time though did not allow for this luxury though, and the poo-pooh bus was delayed indefinitely. Larne were quietly confident that they had enough runs to triumph as the second innings innings of the match began.

When Templepatrick had only reached 49 for 2 at the drinks interval at twenty overs, Larne were feeling even more confident. William Graham had produced a hostile and economical spell, passing the outside edge and bowling with good pace and without luck to concede just 18 runs off his eight overs. At the other end Cameron Ruys struggled slightly to find a good line and length, but still managed to cause some problems for the batsmen. Michael Lyle replaced him though and he continued to enjoy his day by bowling accurately onto the damaged section of the pitch, and he caused all sorts of problems for the batsmen as he bowled five maidens and finished with figures of 3-15 off his eight overs.

The game though took on a new complexion just after drinks though, when some shocking events transformed proceedings from a friendly game of cricket to a potentially dangerous civic-disturbance requiring the presence of the police. The local youths of Ballyclare had been watching the match with jealousy all day, and they now gathered together their dutch-courage to launch a stone attack on the cricketers. The deep-mid wicket fielder in particular was in danger, as were the cars and mini-bus that had transported the players to the game. The attackers hid themselves in the trees near the ground and launched their cowardly assault just as the game was reaching a tense point. It was simply not safe to continue whilst an unknown number of thugs were propelling a volley of stones onto the field. The game came to a halt, and the two teams met in the centre of the pitch to consider their options in a rational way. It was a strange confrontation; on the field were the forces of civilization, dressed in white and intent on enjoying an organized game of throwing and catching, whilst on the other side of the fence where the forces of chaos and disorder, hiding in the trees like savages whilst throwing whatever came to hand in a bid to stop other people enjoying themselves.

Not all the Larne players though were prepared to give the matter rational thought. The most excitable (and oldest) member of the team decided that a direct assault was the best way to tackle the situation, and he ran from the field toward the kit-bag like a soldier under attack making a run for the armoury. He grabbed a bat, and began sprinting toward the trees, brandishing it above his head in a threatening fashion. He looked to me like Larne’s version of Gandalf the White charging toward an army of Orcs with his bat raised instead of a staff above his head, and the Ballyclare Orcs scattered at the sight of him.

Cooler heads prevailed though, as one member of the Larne team managed to first calm down Gandalf and then phone the police. The game was thus able to resume, although the constant threat that the forces of darkness might return was never far from the thoughts of the players. Eddie Wilson and John Hood both posed problems for the batsmen with their slow bowling, but it was a rare full-toss form Lyle which brought the next wicket as the opener McGee (26) drilled the ball toward mid-on were Esler Burke was standing. It was a tremendous hit right off the middle of the bat, and Burke showed great courage to flick out his right hand and intercept the ball.

It popped up out of the palm of his hand and gently lobbed off his shoulder. The batsmen had begun to run and they passed each other as the ball took another mid-air deviation, this time off Burke’s left hand. By now the batsmen had completed the run, and they joined the fielding team in awaiting the result of this attempted catch. The ball was now kept in mid-air by Burke’s right hand, and the batsmen had time to check that their cars were still intact as the right hand again came into play, lobbing the ball skyward yet again. The batsmen were contemplating a second run when the ball was finally brought under control, and with the score now at 93 for 4, Templepatrick now needed 47 off the remaining 13 overs with seven wickets in hand.

Larne though had made the same mistake that Overton had earlier in the match by bowling out their two best bowlers. The change bowling was un-usually weak, and Davies, the Welshman who had opened the bowling with great effect now appeared to club 30 quick runs off the Larne attack. Esler Burke was summoned to have a bowl, and although he was dispatched for one huge six he grabbed the wicket of Davies to give Larne a chance at victory. At the other end David McIlwaine was also bowling a good spell and he took two wickets, including a fine caught and bowled as the pressure began to tell on the batsmen. McIlwaine showed great promise, and he looks capable of bowling a good-paced away swinger.

By now the police had appeared, and there was another brief delay as the circumstances of the earlier confrontation were explained to the law. Predictably the trouble-makers had long gone, but the match was still very much in the balance. Two factors were crucial in Larne eventual defeat- Firstly, they had bowled out their two best bowlers, and secondly the costly decision not to run the poo-pooh bus between innings’. This decision led directly to one young opening bowler having to be helped from the field of play after bowling just three overs, as his chronic stomach pains meant that he could no longer stand vertically. He left the field to crawl into the back of the bus, and he spent most of the remainder of the match lying in a foetal position awaiting the blessed relief that the end of the match would bring. Young Richard Hood, who did a fine job as twelfth man all day, filled in capable in the field but Larne desperately missed their incapacitated bowler.

Meanwhile, the match was drawing to a close as Overton had reached the sweet symmetry of now needing four runs off four overs with four wickets left. Eddie Wilson drew a false shot out of the batsmen, who was attempting to finish the match with a lusty blow over mid-wicket. He top-edged the shot and John Haveron was directly under the ball on the boundary. If Burke had made a meal out of taking a difficult chance earlier in the match, then Haveron now had breakfast, lunch, brunch and tea followed by a three-course dinner and wee mints afterward as he took what should have been a routine catch. There was yet more drama when McIlwaine cleanly held onto a catch of his own bowling to bring Larne to within two wickets of victory, but Templepatrick held on for a two wicket win.

The match was kindly sponsored by the Curran Court. There was an extreme rush after the match to get home, with several of the players having passed the point of desperation. There were some sharp words of encouragement from the front seat as the equipment was gathered together and farewells were made- This was taking too long for their tastes. By the time that the bus pulled up to Newington Avenue, one fast bowler was so intent on getting home that he neglected to shut the back-doors of the bus. As it pulled away a steady stream of cricketing equipment fell out the back-doors of the bus, whilst somewhere inside a locked door a similar purging of human contents was going on. Larne had lost, but there was a considerable sense of relief in the team as they arrived home.