Thames Ditton Vs Wick Moore, Lloyd, Singh, Risman, Baynton-Williams, Tughral, Copeland, Cameron, Nicholls, Noor, Lown
Wick- 164 for 8 from 52 overs, Thames Ditton 166 for 5 from 41.3 overs
It all seemed so promising when selecting the side on Tuesday, with High retained at No3 and Tom B-W in for Crane who was holidaying with his parents at Butlins. All change a couple of days later as Fudgey yoinked Monkey Boy to the 2s leaving Lloydy pleading with Andy Mooray to dust off the pads to give us some extra batting at 7:30 on Friday.
This was a big game, make no mistake. With OTiffs pulling off another contentious win against TD the previous week, the top spots were wide open for the taking and the feeling in the Wick camp was buoyant.
Arriving at the recreation ground in Walton we were confronted with what looked like a smooth flat track, however on insertion of the car key it was discovered to be a similar consistency as a Baked Alaska. Crispy on the outside moist and squidgy underneath.
This was a bad toss to lose!
Moore and Lloyd opened up against their big quick bowler and the pitch began to yield its delights as the balls that weren’t fired down leg (but not quite wide enough to be called) fizzed past the ears from short of a length. The other opener was much the same though a lot slower and more tennisbally and in truth got away with murder as a result. The quicky thankfully struggled with line and length and the wick bats failed to score from the quick leg side wide ones and opted not to play the short ones going over the head so scoring was slow.
We both decided that he would be lethal if he could put it on a length which he eventually did with no small amount of away swing and Lloyd followed it like a sheep eventually edging it to 1st slip. Moore then fell playing at a wide-ish tennisball and managed to cut the ball at their shortest fielder at point.
2 overs later and Riso played the same stroke and joined him in the hutch with an uncharacteristic duck to his name.
Nathan and Tom at the crease and the runs began to come. Tom, smashed a 4 then shuffled across his stumps and missed a straight one for the easies LBW ever. “I was about to walk it was that plumb he said”.
Nathan and Zohak toiled away for a while until the former drove a filthy full toss back at the bowler and we were 65 for 5 of 20. Not good.
Harry and ZO’s partnership lasted 2 overs before Harry gave it too much bottom hand and was caught at silly mid off for his second duck tax of the season and brought Jimmy C to the crease. He and Zo batted intelligently (honest!)for what seemed like an age as the total crept up to the 100 mark but Zo, again presented with a rank full toss, decided to give it the treatment and picked out the fielder at cow who was camouflaged against a few of our guys getting throw downs.
Keith smashed us through to the 140 mark and some hint of a defendable score before he perished and brought in Muzzy for the last 5 overs. Jimmy ended on 45* doing his average a world of good and muzzy on a career best 15 as the Wick closed on 164. Not enough by about 25 but still defendable.
Teas-Not their ground and certainly make shift facilities so scores were skewed here. Full sized sandwiches in a number of varieties meant that to sample all varieties could only result in one consuming 5 full sandwiches.
Presentation was makeshift to say the least, Cakes- no, Rocky Robins- Yes, tea- hot, Squash- Strong. Score-3 (ruined by the facilities as the fillings were great!)
Their innings got off to an interesting start as the wick bowlers again struggled to bowl at the stumps but gave the batsmen enough to think about. The vertically challenged one in particular struggling with the movement of Lown and the other seemingly in possession of a nice cover drive until he failed to pick Dom’s slower ball and Dom’s slower ball found itself nestled between left and right nut. The Bat did the bum shuffle back into his crease and lay prostrate, feet in crease, body on a length for a good 10 minutes.
Why is it that when one gets clattered in the nuts, the only thing people can do is ask “You ok mate?”. “Of course im not alright! I have just been neutered by a cricket ball and im currently trying to swallow my testicles back to where they belong!” Would be a natural response. Thou most settle for a mild whimper.
The opener left the field walking like someone had substituted the talc in his jock strap for deep heat and play continued.
Ticking over at 4 an over Tom B-W came into the attack and struck in his second over having remembered to bowl at the stumps bringing in a fellow SHC hockey boy. The banter started mild but the poor lad was totally undone when Lloyd noticed the chaps father on the boundary with the camera and brought this to his attention. Next ball from B-W was promptly gloved to Copeland and he was back in the hutch faster than you could say Alice Band.
. The humour then continued as the opening bat (retired hurt) limped back with a runner and then promptly tried to run a single. Very Odd!
Jimmy C brought some liveliness to the proceedings with a few edges and near misses but was struggling with a hamstring niggle so was replaced by Keith.
Tommy at the other end despatched the opener (and his runner) with a thick edge caught by Keith at Gully and the chase was on. With 6 an over needed from the last 10 overs the Wick went for the win but again suffered from being unable to bowl at the stumps and TD edged and nurdled their way past the winning draw total to the win with 5 wickets and an over and a half spare.
A good game all in all though unfortunately our batting let us down on the day. TD were gracious in victory and a genuinely good bunch of lads. Shame we weren’t closer to their club house because we would have happily stayed for a beer and chatted till the sun came down about certain over zealous teams we have played.
Interestingly the league is still quite open and we are not at the half way stage yet. A few results going our way and perhaps a few of us remembering to switch on in the middle when batting and bowling and promotion is still on the cards.
MOM- Tom B-W- Bowled at the stumps- took 4 wickets!
TFC- Jimmy C- Though he scored a match saving 45*, as my grandfather would say “You must respect your elders”…..including Andy Moore.
Just in case we forgot what they looked like heres 3 sets of stumps
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