Shropshire Indoor League – Pool B chaos report: Calverhall v Harpers
The Foxes may not have won on the scoreboard, but in terms of enthusiasm, fashion, fast learning, bravery and comedy value — they absolutely dominated and rightly celebrated with more birthday cake whilst waiting for the second match.
It was a night to remember — or possibly forget — as The Foxes made their indoor cricket debut in the Shropshire League, Pool B. Turning up early (keen, naïve, or both), the Calverhall crew arrived resplendent in matching green pyjama tops, looking more like a 90s boyband than a cricket team. Harpers, in true seasoned style, sauntered in just in time to bat first — clearly knowing something The Foxes didn’t.
Six-a-side, two runs per run, and back walls counting for fours and sixes (if not your dignity), the rules were as elastic as the Foxes’ enthusiasm.
Opening the bowling, Mr Whitchurch (aka “The Metronome”) started tightly with a miserly 8-ball over that gave The Foxes hope. Then No. 3, clearly running on birthday cake, tore through the middle order to take three of Harper’s six wickets. The Reformer chipped in with one, and after a mid-game wicketkeeping shuffle that would’ve confused even Ben Stokes, No. 2 cleaned up with two wickets, and Joe, our new wicket keeper, continued to prove himself as a dynamic member of the team.
Against all odds — and quite a few wayward throws — Harpers were bowled out for 112, an accomplishment The Foxes celebrated as if they’d just won The Ashes.
Then came the batting.
The Reformer and No. 3 opened confidently — perhaps too confidently — before The Reformer discovered that indoor cricket moves at light speed and ran himself out in embarrassing fashion. No. 3 and Mr Whitchurch steadied the ship until No. 3 was caught, bringing in Joe, the Wicket Whisperer, whose newfound protein diet clearly gave him the strength to top-edge the ball into the roof (which, unfortunately, counts as out indoors), bringing No. 2 to the crease with his signature holding of the pose post shot!
Mr Whitchurch was bowled, leaving The Foxes in the hands of The Pedleys as Sara came out to mount a heroic, stubborn defence worthy of a Netflix documentary. Together, they guided The Foxes safely to the end of the 8 overs — not bowled out! — a moral victory celebrated with more gusto than Harper’s actual win. With No. 2 top scoring and Sara second in the run league, it was impressive to watch.
