Printer-friendly page
Paul Wathan - hobbler and almost hero of the match
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Walthamstow Horizontals (192-8; 43 overs)
London Saints (103-8; 33 overs)
20th August 2006
Match drawn
Football may not be coming home after England’s lacklustre performance in Germany, but it certainly felt like cricket was coming home for the London Saints as they assembled less than a mile from the old Enfield home ground (well, one of them) at Winchmore Hill. Three pitches and an extensive club house, replete with a Victorian administration regarding changing rules promised an interesting afternoon of cricket, as did the adoption of time game rules, so al three results – win, loss, draw – were all possible on an overcast day. More clouds gathered on the horizon by the no-show and no-contact of Dave Nanton. No excuses were heard either, so falling asleep on Hackney Marshes is still top no-show story.
Walthamstow won the toss and choose to bat, with tea scheduled for 1730. John ‘Where’s John’ Looms and Arran ‘Swampy’ Frood opened the bowling reasonably tightly, with just over 3 runs per over coming from the first spell until a fortunate ‘anti-bounce’ off the pitch provided London Saints the breakthrough wicket.
Skipper Dave Thomas picked up the reigns and was unlucky not to dispatch the Walthamstow ‘kid with the lid’ Joe with several balls pitching in the danger area but the Walthamstow bat dug in and the runs rate picked up as Winteringham in particular went on to post a decent total with some powerful shots to the boundary, resulting in the loss of the match ball.
Pete ‘Hilda’ Berkeley then joined the attack and once again took more wickets than the skill of his bowling really deserved. To be fair the first was a fine caught and bowled, which knocked ‘Hilda’ to floor. Next time: try and make it look less messy Pete.
In a varied bowling attack, Tony ‘Youth Policy’ Grimes provided the wildest celebration of the day as he pointed to his shirt nickname after taking the wicket of the bat who had scored a few runs in preceding balls.
Gavin ‘no nickname yet’ van Marle then joined the attack and took much-needed wickets, the second coming from a fine running catch from Frood at mid-on, which made up for an uncharacteristic ‘drop’ just two balls earlier: carrying an injury likely to be a bruised or cracked rib Swampy was unable to muster his usual pace to get under a ball launched high and long. Paul ‘Wath’ Wathan also took a good catch at mid-on and Gary Burrell had a good day behind the stumps: more than once he could have used some back up at first slip had the Saints had the 11th man. In fact even playing an astonishingly long 43 overs the London Saints failed to bowl out the home side who finished 192 for 8.
Tea: a decent enough standard of cakes, sandwiches, fruit and such, but no real need for soggy, inedible ‘pizza’ slices that were universally ignored by all teams who tucked into the tiffin provided. In fact, the most interesting aspect of tea was the shock news that the Pakistani team had been accused of ball tampering in the third and final Test at the oval. Rumours spread around the Winchmore Hill ground and provided an interesting backdrop for the action at hand.
And so, with a large total to chase and not that much time to make it, Kumar and Wath took to the crease. Disaster struck early with the removal of Saints’ best batsman Kumar for 0, and with it chances of a victory immediately faded. No one seemed to tell that to Wath though who took the ball on and scored some decent runs to a long boundary. However, the strain of running a long three must have set off something as he pulled up in considerable pain when on 16 and looking like posting a good score and cut a sad sight as he used his bat for support (with one of his team mates eventually offering a shoulder) which really should have been chasing the oppo’s total. The bowling of Jamsten and Justin proving too good much for the Saints batting.
Van Marle took to the crease and managed 12, which was 12 more than Pete Berkeley managed after being given LBW to a full toss that he didn’t attempt to play. Umpire of that ball Grimes took the steely stare and predictable sulk well enough to get padded up himself (no connection implied of course) and take the pitch for what would eventually turn out to be a battling innings of maturity and experience.
By this time it was clear that Saints were not going to face 43 overs or anything near it – time dictated that the visitors would face just 32 overs – and so the chances of victory had disappeared, but could Saints hang on for a draw? It didn’t seem like it when the skipper was sent back to the pavilion for 4 runs, before being joined soon after by Gary Speedtwin for 2.
Frood managed an uncharacteristic 16 (not often in double figures) before attempting to play a ball that appeared to be going down leg and was bowled. Poor play at a time when the Saints needed to dig in, but this was made up for by the experience of ‘Youth Policy’ Grimes who at double the age of Frood showed quadruple the experience. Grimes dig in and looked comfortable as the opposing field closed in. Paul Wath heroically took to the field again with a runner, but injury prevented any more than 3 runs being added to the total – but a fine effort nonetheless.
Next up was Garry Burrell who was a perfect partner for Grimes and took runs when they came and worked well with Grimes to give Saints the chance of an unlikely draw. The overs came and went, the bench got excited and the possibility of a draw was looking in until Burrell was dismissed for 19 – a disappointed man he was for not managing the breach the magic 20.
And so John Looomes took to the pitch with strict instructions to see out the last ball and let Grimes manage the last over. The final ball fizzed just over the stumps and the watching Saints breathed again. Refusing to be intimidated by the close-quarter fielders, Grimes did the business and saw out the last over and Saints snatched an unlikely but perhaps deserved draw. Either way, Walthamstow will probably rue not declaring on 37 or so overs, as with only 10 men, and one injured, it’s unlikely that Saints may have been able to hold on much longer.
A good fixture, result and day was had by all. Except Wath of course, and we wish him a speedy recovery.
Man of the Match: Tony Grimes - tight bowling and stubborn resistance with the bat.
Champagne Moment: Wath wobbling off the pitch with nothing but his bat for support.
Walthamstow
Burgess b. Frood 14
Peritides c&b. Berkeley 17
Joe c.Wathan b. Berkeley 26
Bordin b. Berkeley 2
Winteringham b. Wathan 64
Justin b. Grimes 21
Murray b. Van Marle 8
Jamsaid c.Frood b. Van Marle 22
Bloor Not out 1
Fairbairn Not out 4
Extras 10
Total 192 for 8
Loomes 9-0-27-0
Frood 5-0-20-1
Thomas 6-0-20-0
Berkeley 7-0-23-3
Kumar 6-0-27-0
Grimes 4-1-21-1
Van Marle 4-0-31-2
Wathan 2-0-15-1
London Saints
Kumar caught b.Jamsaid 0
Wathan caught b.Skipper 23
Van Marle caught b.Justin 12
Berkeley lbw b.Jamsaid 0
Thomas b.Justin 4
Speedtwin b.Jamsaid 2
Frood b.Murray 16
Grimes Not out 23
Burrell caught Jamsaid 18
Loomes Not out 0
Extras 5
Total 103 for 9
