Scorecard
Tongey tossed up this week – he lost. We would bat. If it was a Sunday, then great, we’d watch the oppo suffer like war criminals smashing rocks with toothbrushes, whereas we’d be cooped up inside the air conditioned bar watching a sunny jolly unfurl outside. As it happens, thats pretty much what we did, but the downside was that we’d need to get 10 wickets to win the match. This was unlikely.
Davies and Ali, back together again like Brangelina (there’s always rumours), opened up without alarm. OP bowlers bowled straight enough, which in reality was all they could do given the lack of any assistance from the placid track, which turned out to be a little slower than first appeared. Davies fell with the score on 43, misjudging the length criminally. Cronin soon followed, caught doing his best Anton du Beck impression. At the other end Ali looked assured and found his way to a relatively serene 60, before getting a good’un from OP’s good’un, caught at the slips off one that jumped a little.
The innings then stuttered a little, with Rashid, Whinney and Raza all falling to what can only be described as lazy shots. Having said that I missed most of them because I was so bloody hot I had to get into the air conditioned bar to watch England cock it up against Bangladesh. At 143-7, when young Madoc-Jones fell, we were in trouble. Patience appeared to have got the better of us. High, trying to dab one got a leading edge and the ball plopped to the vacant cover region. Cue an angry response from the Wick cheerleaders, which then prompted a change in approach. 66 off 37 balls later and the Wick were back in the game. Brutal hitting hard, as well and excuisite timing off the legs and off side punctures saw the Wick push the score along. Eewen provided subdued support, although it must be noted that Ops fielding was below poor, dropping at least 6 catches in the deep. Tong and Tughral joined the fun at the end, pushing the score to 228 off 49 overs and we were definitely in the ascendency.
Teas – 5/10. Too many dry sandwiches on a day when moisture had to be the prime ingredient. Lots of it though. Oh, and some cold pizza, which I like. Go on then, have a 6.
Ewen didn’t look himself, deflated by his batting performance which angered him. However, he still managed to bowl probably his quickest spell of the year, somehow making the ball get above waist height numerous times and hitting numerous batsmen in the gut, arm, box, or inducing the odd false stroke. A real effort on a dead track. Tong equally extracted as much swing as was humanly possible from an arid day. Without success and no wickets down at drinks, Raza turned to himself and Tughral to spin the Wick to victory.
Immediately, Raza castled one, and Tughral followed with a beauty that bit the track and jumped to slip. Therein followed a difficult period of action to summarise. Tughral bowled some beauts, including a lovely piece of glove work by MJ behind the sticks, but also mixed it up with some of the filthiest bowling ever seen at any level. One wicket was a waist high full bunger sliced to Mid on who plucked a strawberry straight from Serena Williams punnet (you would, wouldn’t you), and another one that pitched half way down, didn’t bounce, induced a strange scoop from outside off that lolli-popped up to slip. 15-67-6. Heehee. If you don’t buy a ticket, you cant win.
Ewen returned and was too quick, picking up a well deserved W. Ali took a screamer in the deep, running and diving in like a salmon.
Things were close, with OP 8 down, about 35 needed for a win, maybe 10 for the draw and Wick after 2 wickets for victory. In the end, OP decided to block their way and despite a wicket falling last ball of the game, thus leaving OP 9 down, 10 wickets was always going to be a stretch, and it proved just beyond us for the second straight game. It's turning into one of those seasons.
MOM – High. Zam got 6 wickets, but he only deserved 3 of them, and High’s innings was the type of fearless of batting that we need more of.
Pratt of Match – probably Zam, embarrassed at some of his wickets, although he did manage to take 6.
WARRRRRM!
[With apologies from Wickman for failing to publish this on four consecutive days]
Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club * 1863 - 2013 * 150 Glorious Seasons
Friday 16 July 2010
1xi vs Old Paulines (a) Match Report by D
Scorecard
Tongey tossed up this week – he lost. We would bat. If it was a Sunday, then great, we’d watch the oppo suffer like war criminals smashing rocks with toothbrushes, whereas we’d be cooped up inside the air conditioned bar watching a sunny jolly unfurl outside. As it happens, thats pretty much what we did, but the downside was that we’d need to get 10 wickets to win the match. This was unlikely.
Davies and Ali, back together again like Brangelina (there’s always rumours), opened up without alarm. OP bowlers bowled straight enough, which in reality was all they could do given the lack of any assistance from the placid track, which turned out to be a little slower than first appeared. Davies fell with the score on 43, misjudging the length criminally. Cronin soon followed, caught doing his best Anton du Beck impression. At the other end Ali looked assured and found his way to a relatively serene 60, before getting a good’un from OP’s good’un, caught at the slips off one that jumped a little.
The innings then stuttered a little, with Rashid, Whinney and Raza all falling to what can only be described as lazy shots. Having said that I missed most of them because I was so bloody hot I had to get into the air conditioned bar to watch England cock it up against Bangladesh. At 143-7, when young Madoc-Jones fell, we were in trouble. Patience appeared to have got the better of us. High, trying to dab one got a leading edge and the ball plopped to the vacant cover region. Cue an angry response from the Wick cheerleaders, which then prompted a change in approach. 66 off 37 balls later and the Wick were back in the game. Brutal hitting hard, as well and excuisite timing off the legs and off side punctures saw the Wick push the score along. Eewen provided subdued support, although it must be noted that Ops fielding was below poor, dropping at least 6 catches in the deep. Tong and Tughral joined the fun at the end, pushing the score to 228 off 49 overs and we were definitely in the ascendency.
Teas – 5/10. Too many dry sandwiches on a day when moisture had to be the prime ingredient. Lots of it though. Oh, and some cold pizza, which I like. Go on then, have a 6.
Ewen didn’t look himself, deflated by his batting performance which angered him. However, he still managed to bowl probably his quickest spell of the year, somehow making the ball get above waist height numerous times and hitting numerous batsmen in the gut, arm, box, or inducing the odd false stroke. A real effort on a dead track. Tong equally extracted as much swing as was humanly possible from an arid day. Without success and no wickets down at drinks, Raza turned to himself and Tughral to spin the Wick to victory.
Immediately, Raza castled one, and Tughral followed with a beauty that bit the track and jumped to slip. Therein followed a difficult period of action to summarise. Tughral bowled some beauts, including a lovely piece of glove work by MJ behind the sticks, but also mixed it up with some of the filthiest bowling ever seen at any level. One wicket was a waist high full bunger sliced to Mid on who plucked a strawberry straight from Serena Williams punnet (you would, wouldn’t you), and another one that pitched half way down, didn’t bounce, induced a strange scoop from outside off that lolli-popped up to slip. 15-67-6. Heehee. If you don’t buy a ticket, you cant win.
Ewen returned and was too quick, picking up a well deserved W. Ali took a screamer in the deep, running and diving in like a salmon.
Things were close, with OP 8 down, about 35 needed for a win, maybe 10 for the draw and Wick after 2 wickets for victory. In the end, OP decided to block their way and despite a wicket falling last ball of the game, thus leaving OP 9 down, 10 wickets was always going to be a stretch, and it proved just beyond us for the second straight game. It's turning into one of those seasons.
MOM – High. Zam got 6 wickets, but he only deserved 3 of them, and High’s innings was the type of fearless of batting that we need more of.
Pratt of Match – probably Zam, embarrassed at some of his wickets, although he did manage to take 6.
WARRRRRM!
[With apologies from Wickman for failing to publish this on four consecutive days]
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