Fish and Chips

It is difficult for some of us more “experienced” Saddos to play against Fishers without thinking of our late, and much missed teammate Mr Jonno Hook.

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For those that never met Jonno, a brief Saddos’ biography would read as follows:

He co-founded the club (with Winners Snr and Sargent Wilson);
He designed our club badge;
He decided we should play in maroon trim, to emulate the swagger of the 1980s West Indies;
He was passionate that we be all inclusive (two overs each), no picking on ability and that we play to play (never play solely to win); and
When we play Fishers, none of the bullet point immediately above should apply!
Why Jonno hated Fishers with such deep passion, I never really understood. But he did. I think it may have stemmed from the fact that they were better than us, that they were, on occasion, not big on humility and that we lost to them regularly, by a margin.

Fishers have, however changed since Jonno passed, and in a way he would approve. They are no longer noticeably better than us, they are now a nice bunch of lads, and we now usually beat them.

So, how would Jonno have viewed yesterday’s game away at their lovely ground (now 3% part owned by us by proxy)?

Saddos Bat First (4/10)

Well Jonno would have recognised our batting innings as classic, as in a call back to our early years of failure. In a sport where 120 to 140 runs is a par score, we we all out for 84. The “highlights” of that innings were:

WG and his trigger happy apprentice Gustovo Pagget (see picture below) first up as umpires, no Bondy playing today so up who would the fickle finger of controversy be thrust?

The Noble one and Grant me a wish opened. Noble prodded, tested out Fishers’ catching ability 3/10, and watched as Grant’s wish of an early bath was given as he was Caught for 4.

Enter the Welsh dragon, would we see fire to heat up those pies they we throwing at him? We’ll eventually. After a a binary start 1..1.1..1.1 they bring out the leak and potato pies, and he is in his element 4.6.1 and then he misses one. It hit the pads. All eyes move to WG, but he is stood at square leg. Sighs of relief on the Saddos balcony, but what’s this, Pagget has stuck his finger up and smoke and flames emanate as the dragon slowly flaps his way back “none to too pleased” with the umpire’s on field call. Williams gone for 16, 44 for 2 at the half,way point.

Noble falls for a decent 17 and enter Pointer. Exit Pointer. Not clear whether anyone took his hand, off to never never land, for 3.

Chennels in sporting his new “I would never have bought this if Luton had not been promoted to the premiership but as a glory hunter I will” LTFC hat. He was gone for 0, just like LTFC will be.

Enter the Skipper joined by everyone’s favourite No.7. We both got 7, lucky us, before both being bowled by their own garden designer.

Pagget enters to “shore things up”, so he imagines, inside edges for 2, misses the next one.

Winners (8 not out) tries to fight with the tail, but when the tail is Clampers and WG that’s some ask. Clampers out for 4, WG “ambled out” for 0. Could WG come back from this confidence blow?

So was 84 enough? The corporal tried a few rousing words about there being a chance, but was generally sniggered at by doubting Timmers and several others. Gustavo adds the rousing “you never know what is a good score until the other team bat” speech. Ten heads nod mumbling “but you always know what a s&+t score is from the start “.

Saddos bowl/field (9/10)

Remember that everyone bowls 2 overs nonsense mentioned earlier? Well Fishers didn’t, so Captain Roberts ditches principles for practicality. Williams and Pointer graciously opt not to bowl/duct out of future blame.

LTFC and Winners put in a blinding 6 over spell that ends with Fishers on 11-2. The highlight was a truly magnificent one handed catch by WG at mid-wicket. The speed with which he moved has not been seen since the pensioner last dropped a Wethers Original and took it via a diving catch.

Pressure on the Fish as they reach the 1/3rd mark looking at a total of under 40. Will this great bowling last?

It could not, but we did bowl well and we were pretty good in the field. Noble saved numerous runs at point and Gustavo P had far and away his best game as keeper. Was this a result of the unasked for “advice” offered by Longbottom, prowling from the side of the pitch? No. Could it be the result of Glenno dropping him as WK mid game last year? No. Could it be that Paggey, the mild mannered former PSO has actually worked on his game and got better? Could be.


We kept it tight (well bowled Marko) and with 3 overs left Fishers needed 7. Three wides later they hit the winner off the last ball of 19th over.

One wag in a none club approved hat was heard to say: “you know I think we would have had this if WG had not bowled those 2 wides!” This remark is slightly harsh on a very old man who had bowled 3-11 off 3 overs and caught a blinder. It was harsh, although also fair. Oh and he was man of the match.

In the bar afterwards Grant me a wish was heard to complain that £15 was quite a lot for a beer and a few chips, the retort that he was more than welcome to bat for longer for his money brought the house down.

The Fishers lads warmly shook hands, said what an exciting match it had been, and how much they had enjoyed it. Would Jonno have approved of such fraternisation/camaraderie? I hope he would.