Return to From Outside The Rope

Give Them An Inch

One of the most important pieces of equipment in a vineyard is the vehicle used to transport the grapes from the vine to the press.

The journey from Milverton to B’ruddery appears to have interfered with the mechanism of this conveyance to the extent that even the experienced, master viniculturists seemed to be almost incapable of stopping the wheels from falling off.  Happily, there were a couple of apprentices on hand who remembered their lessons and who were able to limit the damage to some extent.

It’s never easy for The Hills at North County neither is ever a sinecure for County to visit The Hills. This edition of the age-long struggle should, at a glance, have been among the classics, given the league positions of the protagonists.  However, as Jim Bennett might have said, “life is what happens while you’re making other plans”. From the outset the motor refused to turn, bits fell off with alarming frequency and when the chief engineer strode forth to take control of the situation only to return, chastened, to the shelter of the pergola without having contributed to the correction of the wobbly axle, spirits sank.

The ‘prentice boys, Edwards D. and Donegan M. did their utmost to restrict the damage and were successful in keeping the wheels from parting company with the wagon totally.  The next task, having failed to get the engine firing on more than three cylinders, was to attempt to force the County cart into the ditch. That didn’t go according to plan either.

An inch is defined as (1) the smallest complete unit of length in the imperial system or (2) a small island.  The Hills thought that the first of these definitions had been granted with the early dismissal of their hosts’ paid help but no, the home boys soon disabused their visitors of that notion. Soon it was obvious that The Hills had found themselves marooned on something very like the second definition and in a vehicle that wasn’t in a fit condition to convey them to safety.

Another apprentice is deserving of mention, Kavanagh A. stood up to the challenge and was rewarded with his first senior wicket, dismissing the sometime Hills man and now North County captain, Jonno Andrews.

North County won by six wickets; The Hills 137 all out.  North County 140 for 4

 Anyway, let’s put that behind us, there’s a big day coming up in The Vineyard on Thursday next (11th) when Ireland Ladies take on South Africa Ladies in the final ODI of the series. This promises to be a great occasion, there’ll be lemonade and buns and sport and craic and maybe even a braai (that’s a -BQ to you.)

So rock up to The Hills for the 10.45 start and give our brave girls all the support they deserve, especially our own leggie, Ciara J.

NA CNOIC ABU

C’MON THE HILLS

KOMAAN DIE KOPPIES

KOM ON DET BAKKEN

Share Button

Permanent link to this article: https://thehillscricketclub.ie/outside-the-rope/give-them-an-inch/