After fighting M50 traffic, the Archives squad miraculously made it through Maynooth before the allotted 5:30pm start. Which does beg the question why we struggle to make Shanganagh before 6pm? The gloomy light of the overcast Friday evening took nothing away from the impressive clubhouse and well maintained North Kildare pitch. The manicured outfield resembled an international surface we all see on TV, and proved to be that fast, allowing great value for stroke play. But in true Taverner’s style, also byes to run to the boundary.

The Archives had only 9 players, and there was great confusion because we all thought we had 10. After repeated head counts and comparing the list on WhatsApp, we were all scratching our heads, until it was realised that the Director of Cricket’s WhatsApp team list – while showing summing to ten – actually had missed the number 7 (yes read it for yourself before the message is edited!). Thankfully, North Kildare captain John was very accommodating, allowing two Archives batters to bat again if needed, and promised two opposition substitutes to field for us.

Including Captain Tan’s mate Alan Meehan, 4 of the 9 Dalkey Archives squad were debutants, three being Australian ring-ins. Taylor’s Tasmanian mate Adrian Breen (although being Tasmanian, they are also likely related), holidaying in Dublin with his Irish wife (a welcome addition to the Tasmanian gene pool) brought his teenage son Declan and his teenage mate Arlo. They also brought some teenage female supporters, hopefully founding the Dalkey Archives support groupies – could cheerleaders for this Dalkey Archives 2025 Globetrotters generation be next? Our very own “Arki Army”?

Captain Tan won the toss and elected to bat, and it was agreed that the innings would be 15 overs of 8-balls, a big help to the Archives squad because only 8 bowlers were required. Breen-the-elder had warned the captain he wasn’t the most mobile, and he opened the batting with Hill. But thankfully he made good use of the fast outfield with some well struck shots. Hill couldn’t muster his previous form and was bowled cheaply, while Breen-the-elder smashed a 16-ball 20. He even managed 4 singles “run”.

Our other ring-in Amol accumulated a well made 18, but was caught attempting a final boundary off the bowling of Kevin, who also bowled Hill (earning him the later man-of the-match award). Breen-the-younger’s-friend-Arlo played and missed for a disappointing 1 run. Both Breen-the-younger and his friend wore shirts with “Wade” on the back, which seemed to suggest they are huge fans of Archives stalwart Wade Taylor, until Taylor admitted he had provided the shirts to the boys - or are they his Tasmanian “nephews”? One wonders whether Taylor is attempting to form his own band of groupies too?

Captain Tan came in and retired on 20 off 14-balls, with help from an overthrow 5-run boundary after a direct hit attempted run-out. Thanks Amol for being safe in his crease! Debutant Meehan, after a 30 year absence playing cricket but still in impressive whites, swung hard and hit a satisfying boundary, before holing out caught. When Breen-the-younger Declan was run out off a fine direct hit for 6, the Archives scorecard was looking shaky.

But with Keatinge knocking around singles, Taylor smashed a belligerent 10 off 7 before being bowled, allowing Breen-the-younger’s-friend-Arlo to have a second bite of the cherry. And when Keatinge was bowled by a well directed delivery for 9, the Archives score was looking light with only 2 overs remaining. This allowed Meehan to bat a second time on debut, and Meehan II cracked 8 off 5, while Breen-the-younger’s-friend-Arlo II rocketed 20, bringing the Archives total to a very respectable 137.

Hill opened the bowling for the Archives and, after getting his eye in after a few looseners, came good in the last few balls of the first 8-ball over. Amol then bowled a fiery over and Keatinge bowled his allotted two in succession (far be it for Captain Tan’s devilish tactics to break his bowling rhythm). But North Kildare knocked the ball around well, making 48 off the first 5 (8-ball) overs. Keeping behind the stumps, Captain Tan worried where wickets would come from and, after the two openers retired, it wasn’t until the ninth over that Breen-the-younger’s-friend-Arlo’s Zampa-like off spin managed to slip one through the gate, and the Archives had their first. With Breen-the-younger also bowling 2 tight overs, Breen-the-elder bowled a difficult length and snared a wicket – caught by Hill at mid on. Amol bowled a perfect yorker to remove another, following up with another next ball that, alas, didn’t count. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it three bowled yorkers out of three!

The fast outfield made restricting runs difficult, but full credit to the Archives fielders (including the opposition subs), who managed to stop a number of boundaries. But it was impossible to stop them all. Debutant Meehan was adamant he did not want to bowl after a 30 year absence, so satisfied himself with a few cans of Heineken whilst fielding, with Captain Tan licking his envious lips. Has another tradition started?

Tayor bamboozled another batter to chip another catch to Hill, before Captain Tan swapped the keeper’s duties with Breen-the-younger’s-friend-Arlo to bowl the death overs. Under a gloomy sky, he probably bowled too fast for the opposition’s Ian – too fast for stand-in keeper Arlo who allowed many byes, one even running for four. Tan bowled the left-handed opposition batter, allowing a sigh of relief for the fielders having to constantly change position (and lug their beer cans around), and then slowed his runup for Ian, who obligingly chipped another catch to Hill at mid on. That was a hat-trick of catches to the Jonty-Rhodes-like Hill who maintained his 100% catching success rate!

North Kildare required 41 for the final over, no chance with Captain Tan’s figures of 2 for 6 off 16-balls (not counting the 7 byes from the luckless stand-in keeper, nor the dropped catch that would have made it 3 wickets. Not mentioning any names).

Not quite the nail-biting excitement of the recent Archives Baz-ball performances, but still a competitive match that went to the last over. Scores 137 vs 113. Interestingly, no sixes were scored, although a hat-trick of catches by Hill was noteworthy. Kevin was awarded the bottle of wine for North Kildare for his 2 wickets in 2 overs, while Captain Tan took the honours for the Archives. Unfortunately, the clubhouse bar was closed, but still an enjoyable evening of cricket played in great spirit, with excellent facilities provided by North Kildare.

 [Written by Will Tan]