|
Sat. 28th July 2007
1st XI Hayes 282-6 AP 276-9 Drawn
(13pts)
After last week wash out and the cracking game against
Pinner still fresh in our minds we turned up at bottom
of the table Hayes very confident of a result. We
knew their strength lay in Simon, their skipper,
who has to be the best bat in the league. We won
the toss and not surprisingly batted on what look
like it would be a true surface (having been relaid
2 years ago) if a little slow.
Indeed it looked like we were right as Hayes made
slow progress struggling to get Nige and Ant away.
Simon was struggling and gave an excellent chance
when he scooped one up between point and cover when
he was still in single figures. Unfortunately no
one called and the two fielders clashed in the process
of the attempt and the ball fell to the floor. Boy
did we pay. We actually got the other opener in the
same over to an excellent bit of in-swing from Ant
but from then on we just couldn’t pick up wickets.
Simon started finding his range and after drinks
just went on the rampage. Having been on less than
100 at 25 overs they added another 100 in the next
12. Simon was just crashing the ball straight and
we had few answers. Maybe a bit more variation was
required and we called on Sandy to use his occasional
medium pace which worked a treat as we eventually
dismissed Simon for 140. They continued to bat for
52 overs with Randall bowling well we got them under
relative control and managed to pick a few wickets
up. We actually bowled and fielded well throughout,
maybe just bowling a bit to full to the skipper,
with Tharic ending up with 3 wickets but Nige, Ant
and Randall all bowling well (Sandy the partnership
breaker limited himself to the one over).
In reply we were confident as they don’t have
too much in the bowling department. Unfortunately
the umpire, who had determinedly kept his finger
in his pocket throughout their innings, decided that
Jeremy was LB to their opener, a dubious in any case
but particularly galling after some of the ones he
hadn’t given us. Sandy opened his account by
losing a ball in the field next door only to see
the replacement ball swing in late prestigiously
and take his off stump (this is presumably what Taufel
though Collingwood’s ball to Tendulkar had
done). Skipper joined the VC and the two started
taking the sword to the Hayes’ attack. We put
on 90 for the next wicket with some clean hitting,
particularly vicious on their first change who finished
with figures of 1 over 0/21. Unfortuntely both fell
in relatively quick succession as their other change
bowler, who was decidedly average, caught Ali in
front with a full toss that should have been put
away and then bowled a half tracker to Taz that didn’t
bounce and hit the top of the stumps. Ali had scored
44 and Taz 68.
Derrick took up the running with Randall and Hayes
looked a beaten side as they both batted sensibly
and at a good pace. We needed 100 off the last 20
when Randall (38) decided to take a quick single
to one of their older players. It was straight at
him and only yards from the bowlers end. A direct
hit meant he was out by feet. This put the pressure
on Derrick and despite him continuing to bat superbly
support on the scoring front did not come at the
other end. The run rate built up as their opener
returned with a good spell and suicide running didn’t
come off as JC fell for a superb 78. We had a flurry
of wickets and a run out on the penultimate ball
meant Nige had to see off the final ball to ensure
we didn’t fall to an undeserved defeat.
Yet another great game of cricket against an great
opposition (and one again a cracking tea). Hayes
are sadly leaving the league as they want to play
more clubs like ourselves rather than some of the
motley crews we end up against. We’ve agreed
to a friendly next year though and it’s a shame
all our games can’t be like the last two!
AW
4th XI Teddington 273-5 dec 39 overs AP
77 all out 22 overs (3pts)
Another resounding defeat for the fourths, yet this
week didn't feel so bad as we were up against a strong
team from a strong club and, if there's any justice,
the eventual league winners. They also had in the
words of Teddington stalwart Cobill " the strongest
eleven we've put out for years ". Well, Roger,
if any of them fancy a game at AP...
I won the toss and figured that we should try bowling
first this week. At 90-0 from 9 overs I began to
have doubts. One opener in particular (demoted from
their 2nd XI for disciplinary reasons) carved Nikal
Bajaj and Paul Sullivan to all parts, punishing
anything not of good line and length. The introduction
of Dave Kassam and his wily spin stemmed the run
flow and Paul gained some reward for holding his
nerve against the onslaught by finding the edge of
the other opener's bat for our first wicket at 113.
Nikal was reintroduced and beat the bat regularly
without reward. I brought myself on and nabbed a
couple, one to a fine running catch by Sullivan.
Kassam took the other two wickets, one from a good
catch by Shalim. Our fielding was only OK - we dropped
a couple and we still need to concentrate more in
the field. Not many shots went in the air though,
and after the opener departed for 122 the other batsmen
were content to nudge and deflect the ball into gaps
- an object lesson in innings building.
Richard Browne(20) and Shalim(13) actually looked
comfortable in opening our reply for 5 overs before
wickets started to fall. Then they fell in
a torrent - to poor calling, minimal footwork, scratchy
defensive shots and good bowling. Richard, Nikal(13),
Chris Ellis(12) and Mark Winter at the end were our
only bats to do themselves justice really and our
innings finished before the final twenty were due.
Once again, their bowling was bang on the money,
and better teams than us would have struggled to
build a decent total.
Finally, a big thank you to Erol and Chris for their
great work in preparing the wicket. It was complimented
by the guys from Teddington too.
Shalim picks up the captaincy baton for our fixture
against Tamils' third XI next week and our objective
for the coming weeks must be to gain some consistency
ahead of a crucial fixture against Poly on the 16th
August.
DC
Sun. 29th July 2007
1st XI Ruislip 162 all out AP
163-7 Won
The Sunday XI maintain their winning streak
with a win in this 40 overs a side friendly. The
visitors won the toss. Their openers got off to a
flyer, but Tharic came on and took a wicket straight
away with a catch for keeper Gary. At 98-1, Ruislip
looked capable of posting 200, but the match changed
with the introduction of Faaric Mohammed who replaced
his older brother at the City End. He bowled straight
and swung the ball at decent pace to take 6-19 off
his eight overs. Remarkable stuff. We even
had ‘ct Tharic b Faaric’ at one stage.
Amit replaced Faaric to take 2-29 and the skipper
trapped his opposite number LBW to complete a decent
AP fight-back.
Requiring four an over, there was little pressure.
We needed a good start, but we were 46-4. Tharic
then did what he does best smashing both good and
bad balls for sixes and fours to score 74 not out.
Taz hooked another six to win the game with Faaric
10 * at the other end. Other contributions with the
bat came from DaSilva 27, Anderson 16 and Manan 15.
Back to the league next Sunday with a trip to Cockfosters.
NB
|
