Boxing Day 2011 Report - Totts Triumph in the Warmth! [Boxing Day home]
On a Boxing Day remarkable for its mildness, Tottington triumphed over Brooksbottom in a cracking game to level the series at 3-3. With around 200 spectators present, and a festive atmosphere provided not by snow this year but by the band, mince pies and mulled wine, this was another excellent occasion, and one which looks set to continue long after next year's 50th anniversary!
Visiting skipper Julian Marcroft won the toss - well, actually, the cracker pull - and with temperatures soaring into double figures (Celsius not Fahrenheit like 2009!), decided to have a bat. Doc P kicked off proceedings with a tight over despite some lusty swings from Quereshi, who was attempting to wind himself up like a set of Christmas lights! Despite a couple of sixes soon following, Totts made a breakthrough with Nick Marsh taking the opener out, and from then on it was Totts day in the field. Some very tight bowling was backed up by some remarkably good fielding, despite one side of the ground being quite boggy - this didn't stop big Marshy (beautifully resplendent in shorts ...) from pulling off a fabulous sliding catch through the muck. Young Harry Dearden, loaned out from Woodbank for the day, was also proving excellent in the field, but the highlight of the innings came when Craig Parky pulled off two copycat run outs - sadly, former Totts legend Cotters was the victim of one stupendously bad call and trooped off having not even faced a ball ... no doubt this was met with smiles from the band who he peppered in 2009 ...
Young Ry Marsh also got in on the action with some smart bowling, while the innings was finished quite clinically by Ash, who has lost so much weight he was almost unrecognisable (more later); Flash took 2-5 to mop up the tail and close out the Brox innings for a respectable 105. This was probably 20 runs short in the circumstances, but this was due in part to some great ground fielding from Totts - maybe we should play in mud more often? Craig, Doc and Flash all returned extremely economical analyses, and all the bowlers did really well.
With the crowd swelling by the minute, Totts started their reply in disastrous circumstances with Doc P removed first ball courtesy of a smart low slip catch - when Harry D followed soon after, the innings could have stumbled, but our star batsman Ash showed that losing weight has clearly not harmed his power by smacking a few large 6s to get things going. Indeed, he motored along to 50 in no time, while at the other end, a mix of comic hitting and some tremendous pratfalls from Nick Marsh were pleasing the crowd.
Ash eventually fell, missing a straight full toss, but that only brough Marshy in, and despite already partaking of the Christmas spirit(s), he clubbed some serious blows to wrap up the victory in quick time, and earn Totts the NatWest Trophy. MOM was awarded in the form of three pies to the slimline Ashley ...
We must thank all those people who gave their time and energies both beforehand and on the day, for making this yet another top day at Crompton Meadows - Clive, KC, Dasher, Dickie P, Nelly, Scott and all who helped get the ground ready; the tireless work of Dash and Scott on the day behind the bar and serving the most excellent pies (thanks, Ernills); KC for his usual work on and off the field (programmes, advertising, morale, crowd involvement, pyrotechnics etc etc); Duncan for once again working wonders alongside KC with the raffle and programme advertising; Thomson Al Fresco for their generous sponsorship; David N for doing the presentations; the players and spectators of both sides for making it a great game on and off the pitch; Cathie for sorting out the musicians; and all who turned out to help support both our clubs - and cricket in general.
Here's to Boxing Day 2012 at Brox and the golden jubilee game!
A full list of raffle prize winners is now available.
