3xi vs Kempton (a) - Match Report by Lloydy

HWRCC 3XI lost the toss and were inserted.
HWRCC 191/7 declared from 49 overs.
Kempton 160 All out from 41
Phil “The Finisher” Linter- 6-1-5-3

This week's away trip saw the 3s travel a short distance to the picturesque Kempton CC in the shadow of the famous race track. The ground was very pleasant with a large main square and a second pitch nestled in a tree lined glade beyond. The 3s pitch is apparently a football pitch during the winter and the strip was effectively cut out and rolled from the centre circle. This gave us an oblong shaped ground with extremely short boundaries square on both sides (literally 20M) and mahoosive boundaries for exponents of the on or off drive. Indeed had we been fortunate enough to have brought our travelling Simian friend with us this weekend he would have filled his little monkey boots in a big way. Sadly he was revising for his Ape levels (sorry) or something and to add insult to injury Sayce and Walsh who, between them put on close to 100 runs last weekend were both away. The track itself was in remarkably good nick considering the groundsman had only 4 weeks to prepare it though the rain had turned it squidgy and green but with the wind blowing across created a few dry areas and some un-even bounce to keep it interesting.

Opening the batting in overcast and windy conditions, messers Ewen and Lloyd got us off to a great start though the score line was assisted nicely by the Kempton opener insisting on bowling as fast and short as possible and firing at least 3 balls an over wide of the crease. Both bats looked comfortable against the erratic pace and gentle line and length provided by the opening pair and the score board was ticking over at between 4 and 5 an over. Lloyd smashed a flat 6 through cover followed by a four and looked to be seeing it well before mistiming a pull and edging to slip for 22 and Ewen received the first full straight one from the quicky to join him in the hutch shortly afterwards. Nathan and U16 colt James Maddoc-Jones at the crease and Nathan looked comfortable before mistiming a short one and lobbing the ball gently to midwicket for 1 again narrowl;y avoiding the quack. The Kempton players clearly hadn’t heard about James’ batting prowess as they brought the field in and quickly retreated again as the youngster smashed the quicky for a succession of boundaries.

A brief rain delay afforded us some contemplation and perhaps it was the freezing wind or the wafts of some of Jamaica’s finest but the mood was one of relaxed confidence. Two overs lost to the rain delay and the wick resumed in blazing sunshine on a tacky but drying pitch.

Tommy D stuck about and struck some confident runs though offered up two c&bs before being bowled and replaced by Tony Copeland who along with MJ kept the runs flowing against the burly leg spinner and the lofty offie. Tony eventually fell for 17 bowled though his legs (twas a nice ball to be fair) and Chairman Mao fell shortly afterwards for 1 to be replaced by Graeme who didn’t trouble the scorers (quack!). Incidentally both wickets fell with the score on Nelson… spooky!

MJ and Linter then shared a 40+ partnership which brought our total to 191 and the declaration was called at the half way point. James finished on a magnificent and chanceless 66* and “The Finisher” on 27* most of which were boundaries.

Tea was served in the delightful Kempton Club house and was actually very good. Plenty of fresh cheese and cucumber/ tomato and Tuna mayo sarnies, with a MYO ploughmans scenario o fFrench bread, cheese, ham, turkey + pickle. Scotch eggs, pork pies and cakes a plenty and most crucially gallon buckets of hot tea. No drinks interval though and some did wonder about mild salsa with Dorito’s but to mark down on this would be very critical of a good tea effort- 7

With an impressive array of bowling talent at his disposal the skipper eventually settled on the opening paring of Lown and Smith and they were unfortunate to go for a few too many runs without reward as the Kempton bats looked to use the short boundaries to every ball. Graeme did get the breakthrough with the oppo on 41 taking a sharp C&B to dismiss the #1 who played across the line and caught a leading edge. The #2 continued to frustrate the wick fielders with multiple edges flying over the slip corden to the boundary leading to a run rate of 5/over. The number 3 continued to hit powerfully across the line however and pushed the run rate along well. Tommy D entered the fray replacing Graeme and was unlucky not to gain a wicket having caught the #3 low on the shin whilst trapped in front but it wasn’t to be. At the other end Hill replaced Lown for his first spell of 09 and looked like he hadn’t been away, producing some beautiful movement and took a wicket with a text book out swinger. Tommy was replaced by Dick in an attempt to stem the runs and change the pace and he was rewarded for his patience as the free scoring opening bat was bowled attempting a sweep shot but only managing a gentle top edge onto his helmet and onto the leg stump with just enough force to dislodge the bail.

Tails up with 4 wickets down and runs to play with the wick upped a gear and Hilly took his second wicket with another full straight one. Next over Dick was unfortunate not to gain his second as an arcing shot was fumbled by Nathan at cover… you can imagine how pleased he was about that!. Fortunately he only had to wait another 6 balls before he did the job him self off his own bowling.

The back of the Kempton batting was seemingly broken by now and they still needed 40+ runs so the skipper turned to his finisher to blast the tail out. By now a partisan crowd was gathering on the sidelines for what was to be a tense finish and they were to be disappointed with the result. The oppo needed 40(ish) runs, we needed 4 wickets and there were 12 overs left in the game. I’m not sure they were expecting us to have such a stable of bowlers that our 4th change would be the most potent but the skipper was glad he did.

Lints bowled some fantastic lines and proved very difficult to score from. He was rewarded in his third over with a double wicked maiden with an exquisite in-swinging leg stump yorker and an LBW and then two overs later with a further yorker that knocked back the middle peg. In the mean time Graeme replaced Dick and with 31 needed took the last wicket LBW in his second over.

A great game all round played in good spirit that provided highs and lows in equal measure for both sides at 111 for 6 we were in a bit of trouble but saw it through nicely and then with bats available and so few runs to get, Kempton looked to have it in the bag and we were all but out of the game but 13 points to the men from the Wick is all that matters.

Next weekend we take on fellow promotees Thames Ditton at home, one of only a hand full of teams who have also won their first two games.

MOM- tricky to award really as Maddoc-Jones scored a fantastic maiden 66* an achievement for anyone let alone an U16 and then kept wicket on a tricky wicket. His partnership with Phil coupled with the latter’s 3 wickets for 5 runs in 6 overs won us the game so I’m going to cop out and award a joint MOM this week.

Well done lads!