Match Report - Sunday xi vs Teddington Town

“A change we can believe in” Wick pinch it in thriller to extend unbeaten run to four matches

HWRCC – 94 all out (awful batting…..)

Defeated

TEDDINGTON TOWN – 90 all out (Jimmy C 2 for 3; Duncan 2 wickets; Junaid 0/7 off 6 overs; Whinney 1/18 off 8 overs; Tong 0/11 off 8 overs)

I am a political geek. I’ll admit it. Often, in the midst of my deepest and darkest sleeps, I’ll somehow manage to wake up in a cold sweat as I recall some of great quotes of the world’s present and past leaders. It’s a bugger. Really, it is. Some people wake up because they’ve forgotten to turn the iron off or locked the front door. But not me. Oh no. I’m woken up by the words of bloody Maximus Meridius (“at my order…..unleash hell”).

Often, the same quotes seem to wake me up. Here are but a few:

Churchill: “We shall fight on the beaches”; FDR: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”; Bush: "Either we'll succeed, or we won't succeed. And the definition of success as I described is sectarian violence down. Success is not no violence." Lt. Frank Drebin (Naked Gun): “Like a blind man at an orgy, I was going to have to feel my way through.”

But as it’s 2008, and with the current US presidential cycle in full swing, a new orator is keeping me up at night: Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama from Illinois. And in particular, there is one quote from Barack that is doing the damage to my sleep pattern. It is a quote that is so inspiring that even yours truly is brought to attention (not in that way….). It’s a quote that sets out an agenda. A blueprint if you will. And here it is:

(Barack Obama) “That’s why I’m asking you to stand with me, that’s why I’m asking you to caucus for me, that’s why I’m asking you to stop settling for what the cynics say we have to accept. In this election - in this moment – let us reach for what we know is possible. A nation healed. A world repaired. An America that believes again.”

So when I consider HWRCC’s miraculous win against Teddington Town on Sunday, a win that sees the team go undefeated in all 4 outings this season, I think this quote perfectly encapsulates what is happening at the club at the moment. We are indeed a Wick that indeed “believes again” – there’s no doubt about it. Gone are the days when cynics (DBW orrrrrr…..) will tell us what we have to accept. Stuff that. We want to win. And there are no limits to the possibilities.

Arriving at the club on Sunday morning, fresh from a good night’s sleep, Skipper Jimmy C was raring to go against a Teddington Town side that was packed with talent. With Graham Tong making his Sunday debut as part of one of the strongest sides put out all season, the Wick were confident.

Having lost the toss, the Wick were put into bat on what remained of Saturday’s 1st XI track. With Matty D and Tonga out in the middle, the boys made a confident start to the innings. Matty and Graham looked comfortable, so comfortable. Punishing the loose balls and picking up the one’s and twos, the Wick were soon at 40-odd for no wicket and on our way to a big score.

But as many at the club will know, the Wick don’t often do things the easy way. And something horrible happened.

In what was one of the most embarrassing batting collapses this writer has ever seen (think England in the West Indies in ’94), the Wick went on to lose all 10 wickets for a misely 94 runs. Following the departure of Matty D and Tonga, who were dismissed to two good catches, the team looked shot to pieces. Not even Duncan, who appeared to resemble Robert Downey Junior after a big night out, could get amongst the runs, and was clean bowled soon after arriving at the crease.

Skipper Jimmy C followed soon after when he mistimed a donkey drop from the leg spinner and was given out LBW. Not to be outdone, Whinney, Hirsch, Del Boy, Maloj, Will were all then removed cheaply after some pretty ordinary shots. Save the last 20 runs which were put together by Sam Kemp and Junaid, the Wick would have been looking at one of the most embarrassing totals ever – FACT.

Despite the simply shocking start, the Wick were not down-hearted at the interval. Far from it. Following a solid DBW tea (ats), Skipper Jimmy C still believed he had the bowling stocks to deliver a knock-out blow to Teddington Town. With Whinney, Tonga, Junaid, Duncan, Traveloj and himself in the locker, there was a belief that the Wick could still give this a really good shake and come out victorious. In fact, word reaches Wickman Junior that, so confident was Jimmy C, that he was overheard uttering to Lownsey: “watch this mate – we’re going to win”.

Opening with Maloj and Junaid in an attempt to get early wickets, the Wick quickly put Teddington Town on the back foot. After 8 overs they had only reached 12 runs, and their openers seemed more intent on playing watchfully rather than chasing down the total. When Whinney and Tonga came into the attack, the pressure only continued to mount on TT’s opening batsmen, who simply couldn’t buy a run. The pressure eventually took its toll. Whinney bowled out their opener with a lively Yorker, leaving TT at just 1 for 37 after 20 overs at the drinks break.

Continuing the magnificent early pressure from the start of the next 20 overs, Jimmy C took a blinder of a catch at cover off the number 3 bat – who was doin a bit – to put them under the cosh. And as the run rate continued to slow to just over 1 per over, following successive run-outs and a caught and bowled by Maloj, TT were well and truly on the ropes.

At 8 down for 87 with just one over to go, and needing just 8 for victory, the Wick grew in confidence, and an amazing comeback was on the cards. Skipper Jimmy C took the ball for the last over and promptly bowled the remaining batsmen after a couple of lovely Yorkers. Game over. Job done. Undefeated.

It was a tremendous win defending such a low total but, as is the case at the moment, the belief at the club is so strong that you get the sense that if the Wick had scored 50 runs they’d still be able to defend it. FACT.

Bring on this Sunday and Teddington away. Can’t wait.