Cricket: Forget Fred... Robbie is a perfect 10! (From Bournemouth Echo)

Cricket: Forget Fred... Robbie is a perfect 10!

7:00am Wednesday 26th August 2009 in

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EAT your heart out Freddie Flintoff – anything you can do, super Robbie Stammas can do better.

While Freddie was helping England to Ashes glory at The Oval on Sunday, Robbie was claiming a perfect 10-wicket haul for Wayfarers in Ferndown.

His heroics came in their easy win over Dorset League Division Two rivals Old Blandfordians at Dolmans Farm.

Opening bowler Stammas went for just 13 runs from his 10.5 overs as he single handedly dismissed the visitors for just 38, with seven of his victims bowled, two caught by wicketkeeper Mike Annesley and one he caught himself.

Charminster-based Stammas, 22, has been playing for Wayfarers since he was 15 and his previous best return had been six for 32 for their Saturday team in 2007.

Despite his exploits, Stammas was far from happy with one particular over, while he was also forced to plead guilty to a charge of jug-avoidance.

Traditionally, club cricketers scoring more than 50 runs or |taking more than five wickets will mark the achievement by buying a jug of beer to be shared among team-mates and opponents.

But as Stammas explained: “As I was driving, I wasn’t able to celebrate afterwards and think I may owe the lads a few jugs next week!

“I was dropping off a couple of the lads and as they were too young to drive, I couldn’t nominate one of them.”

Discussing his eighth over, Stammas said: “I took four wickets but missed both hat-trick balls. The boys gave me some fearful stick over that. I had missed a hat-trick on Saturday as well.”

Stammas’s feat came a little over 53 years since Jim Laker became the first player to take all 10 wickets in a Test match innings against Australia at Old Trafford.

“It nearly didn’t happen though,” revealed Stammas, who has just returned from America where he has been working at a summer camp.

“We lost the toss and they decided to bat. Our skipper wanted to bat first and although I said we should bowl, he wouldn’t listen to me!

“The lads were saying it could be on when I got the seventh one. I think the last one gave me most satisfaction because the guy had batted really well and was starting to frustrate me.

“I was quite lucky really because Jamie Holten bowled superbly at the other end and I don’t know how he didn’t get any.

“Their lads were brilliant. They were all shaking my hand and gave me a round of applause as we left the pitch. It was a lovely gesture.”

Old Blandfordians club captain Ian Milne, who came in at number 11, was the only batsman Stammas failed to dismiss.

“I faced him for a few balls but couldn’t get anywhere near any of them!” laughed Milne.

“He bowled extremely well and, even though we lost, it was a privilege to be involved in the match.”

Wayfarers won by eight wickets.