SJS
Hall of Fame Member
# 45 : More Bizarre Local rules
At Croxley Green, on the ground of Old Merchant Taylore, they showed much more flexibilty but only after some blood shed !!
There were several trees inside the playing area of this ground and on the base of one of them grew a very large and *****ly holly brush.
In a match against visiting Richmond Town, OMT batted first and scored 216. Although the visitors ha\d some trouble anticipating the rebound off the trees, there wasnt any major problem in the home innings..
In their reply, the visitors were at 90 for 3 when the ball was hit in the general dirstion of the trees. The batsmen had completed two runs when they realised that the ball had disappeared in the heart of the hollybush !
The fielders were as confused as the batsmen and got into a debate as to who should enter the *****ly abode of the ball
The batsmen, in the meanwhile, decided to make the best use of the fielders' dilemma and started a marathon run-gathering excercise.
When they had run six, the umpire nominated by the visitors called "Dead ball !!"
The home team umpire quickly over ruled him saying "Carry on running. The tree is in the field of play."
The batsmen resumed running and had reached nine and were about to embark on a tenth when a a scratched and bleeding hand emerged from the hollybush holding the ball !! But for the delay by the batsmen after completing two runs as the umpires intervened and debated, twelve rune would have been scored off a single hit !
At Croxley Green, on the ground of Old Merchant Taylore, they showed much more flexibilty but only after some blood shed !!
There were several trees inside the playing area of this ground and on the base of one of them grew a very large and *****ly holly brush.
In a match against visiting Richmond Town, OMT batted first and scored 216. Although the visitors ha\d some trouble anticipating the rebound off the trees, there wasnt any major problem in the home innings..
In their reply, the visitors were at 90 for 3 when the ball was hit in the general dirstion of the trees. The batsmen had completed two runs when they realised that the ball had disappeared in the heart of the hollybush !
The fielders were as confused as the batsmen and got into a debate as to who should enter the *****ly abode of the ball
The batsmen, in the meanwhile, decided to make the best use of the fielders' dilemma and started a marathon run-gathering excercise.
When they had run six, the umpire nominated by the visitors called "Dead ball !!"
The home team umpire quickly over ruled him saying "Carry on running. The tree is in the field of play."
The batsmen resumed running and had reached nine and were about to embark on a tenth when a a scratched and bleeding hand emerged from the hollybush holding the ball !! But for the delay by the batsmen after completing two runs as the umpires intervened and debated, twelve rune would have been scored off a single hit !
