Printer-friendly pageMonday, August 13, 2007
35 over match
London Saints 199 for 6
Gents of West London 184 all out
Just a week after recording their first win for more than a year, London Saints beat their old adversaries Gents to find themselves on a winning run of two games.
Losing the toss and sent into bat under darkening skies, the youthful pairing of Yogeswaran and Jones made steady, if slow, progress against some accurate bowling.
One clue to the reason for the sluggish scoring rate was provided by Kumar who, having warned his batting partner at the start that he couldn’t run, announced after the second over that he couldn’t see either.
Despite this, the pair had put on 39 before White Viv mistimed a pull shot and was caught at square leg.
Griffiths, playing at his former team’s home ground, strode out confidently to the crease, only to slump back soon for a second ball duck to an inswinger from Snarler Snelling.
Wathan soon set about the Gents attack with his trademark forward “defensive” off-drives and quickly raced to 10, as the blind and lame Kumar plugged away at the other end.
Wath’s dismissal brought Pearce to the crease and he, too, weighed in with some lusty blows before he was caught on 9.
Captain Thomas then joined Kumar as the sun broke through and miraculously Kumar’s vision returned.
The pair increased the scoring rate until Kumar, targeting Gents’s dodgy looking substitute fielder (Wath), went for an off drive for six and was caught splendidly by his teammate.
With nine of the 35 overs remaining and the score on just 106-5, Berkeley joined the skipper and set about attacking the bowling and fielding with some excellent quick singles and twos.
Normally DT would have been delighted at such a partnership, but he was busy turning a nasty shade of puce and trying not to vomit. Indeed, after another scampered two, DT collapsed on his back and told Pete: “Slow down, I’ve been on the piss for two weeks”, with Pete replying: “Well I was on the piss until 3am.” Close your eyes and it could have been an exchange between Denis Compton and CB Fry.
Despite their dubious preparation for the match, the pair put on an incredible unbroken 93 in nine overs – setting a new London Saints record for a sixth wicket partnership.
DT finished on 47 not out and Hilda 32 not out, lifting the total to 199 off the allotted 35 overs.
Then followed tea, with the usual London Saints suspects leading the charge to the cakes. It followed a predictable pattern, with Wheelie Bin, Pearcey, Wath, Gary Burrell and Aaron Frood devouring their allocation of strawberry tarts and cream and jam scones, before polishing off the Gents’ leftovers as the visitors left to limber up for their innings.
The food binge had varying effects.
Aaron, on a massive sugar rush, clean bowled Gents opener Denton on the third ball of the first over.
It had a different effect on the fielding, however, with at least five catching chances missed – allowing Snelling and Shenware to pile on 35 runs in good time.
The breakthrough finally came when Snelling’s well struck drive off Pearce’s bowling was snapped up by White Viv in the covers.
The dismissal seemed to inspire London Saints fielders and there followed a series of great catches – a diving catch by keeper Damian Chalmers, a sharp chance taken at second slip by Kumar and finally one on the deep leg side boundary by Hilda Berkeley to bring an end to Patel’s impressive innings which was threatening to win the game for Gents. (nb. Wath, standing near Pete as he took the catch, later confessed he considered telling the umpire that Pete had stepped over the boundary as a glorious wind-up – but despite the obvious joy to be had at Hilda’s expense, he decided that a second London Saints win in seven days was even more attractive).
The catch won the match for the home side by 15 runs in a game played in the best competitive but friendly spirit.
Champagne moment:
DT’s physical suffering during his record stand was a contender, as was Wath for some “diving” stops in the field which resembled one of Fred Dibnah’s chimneys crashing to the ground. But the clear winner was Wath’s dining companion John Griffiths who, minutes after spurning two catching chances, missed a gentle practice bowl from the skipper at the start of his spell and had to retrieve it from the guffawing spectators on the boundary.
Man of the match:
Despite a dogged 41 from Kumar Blunkett, there were two clear contenders – Pete Berkeley and Dave Thomas. In addition to their match-winning record partnership, both returned similar bowling stats with a wicket each. DT’s shrewd captaincy also restricted the rampaging Patel, but Pete Berkeley just shaded it with that catch on the boundary that sealed the victory.
- ANDY JONES
Jones ct Snelling bowled Gilkes 19
Griffiths bowled Snelling 0
Wathan bowled Gilkes 10
Pearce ct Gilkes bowled Bender 9
Thomas not out 47
Berkeley not out 32
Extra 41
(Frood, Burrell & Chalmers did not bat)
Total 199 for 6
S.Patel 7 0 29 0
Doud 7 0 20 0
Snelling 7 0 32 1
Gilkes 7 0 28 2
Bender 5 0 38 2
Gsaria 2 0 34 0
Gents scorecard
Denton bowled Frood 0
Snelling ct Jones bowled Pearce 22
Shenware lbw Burrell 24
Patel ct Berkeley bowled Burrell 71
Gilkes bowled Thomas 30
Bender ct Chalmers bowled Frood 6
Lewis ct Kumar bowled Berkeley 0
Burman run out ( Pearce ) 0
Gsaria not out 0
Extras 31
Total 184 all out
Frood 7 0 36 2
Burrell 6.3 2 39 2
Thomas 7 0 33 1
Pearce 3 0 28 1
Berkeley 6 0 28 1
Griffiths 2 0 21 0
