1s Triumph to Open Up 44 Point Gap to 3rd Place - Match Report by Matty D

1xi vs Guildford City
Guildford City 156 (32 Overs)
HWRCC 1xi 158-4 (22.5 Overs)

Scorecard

''Guildford Cricket'' was invented in 2006 in homage to the Wick's performance against Guildford City on the last game of that season. We needed to either get 4 points or stop GC winning to secure promotion for ourselves. Having got 184 (and therefore maximum batting points) they declared, leaving us a difficult chase. We were soon in the shyte at 28-6. Were we going to cock it up right at the last, having been unbeaten and top the league all year? No, thereafter ensued the most almighty block-session. The likes of Ewen and Tughral (one of only three surviving players in this fixture) fought their way to 76-8 off 45, meaning we didn't lose (and GC didn't win) - and we were promoted.

Last year our game against GC was abandoned due to the pitch being deemed unfit for play. Yours truly was playing in that game, and was going quite well, until one reared from a length and hit me in the face.

You could say this fixture has history.

2011 was no different. On the balcony Coley called it "the greatest win he'd ever seen down the Wick". Thats some statement.

The day started for me on the Number 4 bus heading from Highbury to Waterloo. Text from Fudgey suggesting I "get down the Wick and get the covers off".

'Since when do we have covers?'. Since Nomi spent 3 hours on Friday folding up the old ones (with holes in), in an apparently vain attempt to protect the pitch. A week of warm weather was to be replaced with heavy rain overnight on the Friday. This isn't surprising because statistically it does actually rain more at the weekend than during the week. Stephen Fry said so on QI once [Must be true - Ed].

Fudgey was convinced it was game on. Arrival at 1130 suggested otherwise. It was Duck weather. The cover however was still in place and if Nomi had applied it correctly, there was a fair chance that the track would be moist but more than playable. The outfield, as always, was fine. The square however was getting puddlier by the minute and it was almost getting stupid.

Firstly credit to Guildford City - they were keen to play. And despite Keith's best efforts at Square protection, he was convinced otherwise and it was game on at 1610 - the latest time we could start. We assumed (wrongly as it turned out) that most games would be off, and so the need to get a game in (and potentially win) could make or break the season, especially following a below par run-out fest last week which ended in a thoroughly depressing draw.

Secondly, credit to most of the boys who worked their t*ts off for over 2 hours trying to soak up and move the surface water away from the track. Groundsmanship is boring and tiring, but it can be very rewarding.

You must be getting bored now...

I won the toss and decided to bowl - unsurprisingly. The track was fine, the outfield a bit dank in places, and the skies looking evil. But it was dry for the moment. Daisy and Tongy started things off, the latter showing more control, and being rewarded with two important early wickets against some bats with good eyes. Nomaan had a go, as did Tongy jnr. Both showing control on a good surface. Wickets fell regularly, and the run rate slowed, but GC would have a total to defend. We nailed a few last on the keep the score to 156, which we would have 23 overs to get them in. No chance, or so I thought.

We decided to go for it. If we got rolled, we would still get 4 points (the same as if the match had been abandoned). After taking one look at the leggie from the Millennium Wood end I decided if I was to score it would be off the seamers. Or I would get bowled... I got bowled. This brought Tongy Jnr in with Ali - both of whom played good attacking but sensible cricket. It's hard to be bowled out off 23 overs, so whilst the run rate was building, wickets in hand meant that a late biff could mean 20 points.

They put on nearly a ton, Tong being replaced with Raza, who came in a hit a quickfire 10. Ali got a wonderful 74. Needing 9 an over for the last 10, and consistently getting it right to the last, I could barely watch. Then it became 30 off 24. 25 off 17. 18 off 12. 9 off the last....

5 off 3. They take out fine leg and Daisy plays a paddle and top edges it. Boney gallops like a hare and it's 3. 2 off 2. Boney misses and it flicks off the pads between slip and the keeper. The appeal goes up but the finger stays down. WICK WIN WICK WIN WICK WIN! The boys go radio rental.

The 4 teams below us in the league either lost or had their games abandoned. I couldn't have written the script any better. Keef loved it too... hee hee