Match Report - Ashtead vs Sunday xi - by Selvsey

"Another Bea the Sunday xi might want to get away from" - Ed

You wait for one Sunday Match Report to come along...

HWRCC 133
Ashtead Got them something like 6 down...

Remember back to the second four day bank holiday in one week: no rain, street parties, commoners marrying princes, mass gatherings in London without a kettle to do some kettling in sight and Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club Sunday XI, away to Ashtead, looked to keep the Royal in the weekend a day longer following the Saturday Wick Wash?

Winning the toss Tong chose to bat and at 32 for 0 from 5 the only issues facing the Sunday XI was if Charlton would think the electric scoreboard was for texting his love interest or if he would pass out from the flatulence in the score box after a royal wedding and a captain’s night at the Wick. But just like Eugene and Beatrice what looks good with a glimpse can be misleading and before Charlton could write “I love you” on the scoreboard the Sunday XI were 67 for 5 from 16.

Out in the middle Rashid was the pick of the early batting looking like Gower till his Husain-like run out (Saddam? ie so slow he was dead? - Ed). Singh looked good until one got through and Miles was sublime, cover drive, then not so with a Strauss (Adelaide day two) leave. Byme hung about for a while and showed promise after a break from the game. Fahad showed promise but didn’t hang about.

Smith and Selves played a quick game of first to pad up goes in next then tested the others early season fitness with some ones and twos before both mistaking the pies to come with the change of bowling as an early sign of tea and holed out wondering when they would next be in the teens with 15 overs left to bat. Meanwhile Charlton’s love messages had worked and he had an audience. A quick 20, with Sadique chipping in a few, left the Sunday XI 133 All Out from 36. Despite Charlton’s girlfriend putting the G in the tail’s WAG the score looked more Duchess of York than Princess Diana and the Sunday XI pondered their chances over some coronation chicken (You're having me on - Ed).

Ashtead started well and at 37 for 0 from 5 the game took on a déjà vu feeling. Fahad had one put down at keeper and then at second slip but a third flew to the right of second slip and Tong caught well. Next ball went straight to second slip again but popped out. With only one option left to assure the wickets his bowling deserved Fahad decided hitting the top of off next ball would do the trick. With one catch, one drop and one bowled in three balls “just do the same again” was easy to say but Fahad did by yorking the next man and taking middle stump. The hat trick next over was not to be but another bowled left Fahad with 4 debut wickets for 38 and Ashtead on 58 for 4. Sadique came on for Fahad and got a good nic for a good catch from Rashid and the Sunday XI looked to be doing more than making a game of it.

As with most tight games there is one person who steps up to make the difference and although Fahad had put the Sunday XI in with a great chance Ashtead’s number 2 was pacing his innings well and sensing the need to up the tempo before running out of partners quickly took himself to 60 and Ashtead to over 100. The Sunday XI did have their chance after tight lines from Tong forced indecision in the Ashtead opener between a front and back foot pull and the ball ballooned between mid off and mid on. Two more royal star crossed lovers appeared as the resulting collision between mid off and mid on left two men on the floor and the Sunday XI’s chance gone. The usual half chances we all imagine could have been more came and went but even with a wicket a piece from Smith and Rashid Ashtead had the time and pushed the ones and twos to get them over the line without taking risks.

A reminder to us all that not all royal love stories end happily and the weekend wick wash was not to be. However, Fahad is clearly a great prospect with the ball for the season and everyone else looked to be getting back into the swing of the new season. 30 more may have been enough, but then Eugene and Beatrice could have picked other dresses and still been upstaged by Pippa Middleton.