Frimley vs 1xi

HWRCC (9pts) drew with Frimley CC (7pts)

Frimley are a great bunch of guys. They smile, they talk to you with affection, they have fans (families), they give you hints about their team, they give you nice teas, they look after Alison, they have a large TV with the World Cup on, and unfortunately yesterday they won the toss. Bow Locks. Im trying to think of a way to describe a flat track without saying Witches t*t. But I can’t.

Frimley won the toss with a clever flick of the wrist and the Wick would open up. With no tail whatsoever, we had to score big.

Davies was dropped first ball of the game at first slip, and then off a leading edge a few overs later, and then also high at cover on over 10. However, in the interim he chose to hit the ball hard everywhere, scoring 66 off a mere 33 balls.

Nomaan got a good one and was caught at 2nd off the shoulder of the keeper.

Whinney, promoted to 3, got a rough lbw, scoring a strong 25.

Rashid scored the same, caught on the boundary.

Kam got 50 without breaking sweat.

Cronin suffered when one brings two. Caught slip.

Mackie laboured somewhat to 15.

Ewen blasted 28 off 15 balls, running himself out (although debate remains as to whether the keeper took it cleanly).

Gates was 33* at the end.

Madoc Jones J on debut scored 10*.

And Marfleet didn’t even get in!

270-8 off 47.5, a score unheard of in recent Wick memory. I think on reflection we could have perhaps got a few more, and that between us someone should have got a ton on that dutch pancake. Nevertheless, 270 is a phat score and by declaring half way through we kept it real somewhat.

Teas – easily a 9. Watching Germany put the nail in Argentinas coffin wasn’t ideal, but the plethora of options was a delight, and the volume was epic. Clearly the families in tow were in on the food stakes and were able to fill their boots once we’d finished.

Ewen and Ali opened up with pace and some good direction, but aside from Joey's extra height and consequent bounce, the track was still lake placid. The first wicket fell at 60-odd and Whinney was the man. His infectious fielding on the awful boundary surface galvanised the team and his breakthrough started a semi rot. Bowled, then a slower ball nicked, then another slower ball toed to cover. Raza than joined the party, somewhat fortuitously inducing the opener to handle the ball on instinct, leaving Frimmers teetering at 100-4. A good run rate, but they certainly wouldn’t have a 7-11 like we did.

Then came the crucial partnership, try as we might we couldn’t get the next breakthrough. Raza did induce some false strokes, but the outfield was so fast and bumpy, the pitch so dead and the ball so scuffed that unless you had a mystery spinner on his game (ahem), we were always up against it getting 10 wickets.

Turning back the years (actually only one year), Raza got the breakthrough, bowled (‘still got it’). A further brief rally almost saw Frimley threaten victory, but at 6 down and new bats at the crease it would be tough. Ali induced two aeriel shots that were both caught by Raza at cover and Frimley were suddenly 8 down needing 40 off 4 overs. That wasn’t going to happen, although we would do well to get 2 more wickets. One Chinese cut failed to nibble the leg stick, but that aside the game ended with a draw and points almost shared.

Wick had the better – certainly bowling better than Frimley did, and probably batting a bit better too (although Frimley did well to bat under more pressure, knowing 271 was a mammoth target to chase down). All in all a welcome change from the past 2 weeks which has seen a game abandoned after 3 overs and a complete thrashing. A game of cricket at last hurrah!

MOM – Whinney for his batting (unlucky), fielding (infectious and fearless) and bowling (straight, experimental, enthusiastic and successful)