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Paul Pearce, Speedtwin, Gavin, Pete Berkeley and Jo reflect on what might have been as the match winds to a close, while below, DT with the Haberdashers' clattering scoreboard and scorer Andy Burman of The Gents (thanks for doing both scorecards - and the board, Andy) plus The Gents walk off bloody but victorious (the Gents' Richard Gilkes sporting a hand injury)
Sunday, June 4, 2006
LONDON Saints started the season in a strangely familiar way, with a flock of ducks and sensational collapse - having at one point threatened to make a game of it against our traditional fixture regulars, the Gents of West London.
Skipper and chief statistician Dave Thomas pointed out that the Gents are our second most popular foes, having played them 27 times over the years, including two wins last season. However, the overall stats show that we have only beaten the GoWL nine times in that period, with one draw and 17 defeats. This was one of the heaviest.
The day dawned bright and clear, hitting the mid 20s, so inevitably we fielded first. And it was a 40-over game. But at 123-5, we looked to be in a good position. Dave Thomas had bowled Snarler Snelling with a cracking yorker -but then Saudi Arabian Naby Husain and his £15 bat from Pakistan clubbed us all over the park, hitting a four on 99 and being out next ball for 103 - one behind his record score for the Gents. "That'll be the difference in the result," murmured DT. He wasn't far off.
To be honest, while none of our eight bowlers managed a maiden between them, catching was our downfall. Debutant Gavin van Marle had impressed, initially, with a great diving catch in the eighth over, giving rise to high hopes of a new fielding sensation, an impression reinforced with a juggling shirt/elbow/hands second catch. We were quickly disabused.
In total, we put down 12 catches, with Paul Pearce admitting to two (the panel said three) and Gavin acknowledging three (the panel said two, with credits given for a strange attempt to dance while sticking out his arms sideways tin the vague direction of the ball). Garry Burrell, Steve Keenan, Pete Berkeley and Speedtwin also put down chances of varying difficulty.
But one chance was claimed by two fielders. Speedtwin, clearly distracted by forthcoming nuptials and arriving two hours late, a new record) was in a rare outfield position when a Berkeley delivery was smote in his - and Gary Burrell's - general direction. The call for a catch went up: Gary's! To which both Gary's in the vicinity responded. It was like watching a train crash.
The call for a catch went up: Gary's! To which both Gary's in the vicinity responded. It was like watching a train crash
Little Jon Loomes's four overs deserve mention, with no fours conceded on very short boundaries, while Speedtwin-stand-in Damien Chalmers did a fantastic job behind the stumps, conceding just one bye and taking a smart catch off the last ball of the innings.
As ever at our new home ground, Haberdashers, a fortifying tea of scones, tarts and sarnies put us in good heart for a massive run chase of 244 to win, or just over six an over. So it was a surprise when late call-up Jo Ramdial was out off his second ball with the score at 17 (including eight extras).
Then came our stand of the match (the only stand) with opener John "Ex-Councillor" Griffiths and Pete Berkeley putting on 65 for the second wicket, before JG called for a second run when hopelessly placed and was run out. "I don't know what I was thinking about," he lamented later.
The inevitable ensued. There were only 12 scoring shots among the last eight batsmen (a new record), with four ducks (potentially a new record, beating three in a match against Viscount last season, when we were all out for 25) and a final scorecard with only two batsmen in double figures in a tally of 133 (including 32 by Mr Extras). "He's a good batsman," said JG of Damien, shortly before he was bowled second ball.
The only batsmen to emerge with credit were JG, with 28, and Pete Berkeley, who again failed to make a 50 when well placed. His 47 equalled his record highest score, and marked a return to form after Sri Lanka (three matches, one run). Curiously, the batting heroics in SL of Gary Burrell and Steve Keenan were not replicated in home conditions (out for 0 and 1 respectively).
DT talked us through his cover drive and Speedtwin and Little Jon could feel pleased with their boundaries, but it was a poor batting performance against what was, for Gents, a battable bowling attack. Even Snarler failed to get a wicket in five overs (although Sanjay had admirable returns of 3.3-1-8-3 and the Saudi Arabian rubbed salt into the wounds with two wickets).
To be fair, we were woefully short of batting, with our only "recognised" batsman, Neil "Do you recognise this man?" Hotston, pulling out late. So a team of eight bowlers, 10 fielders for 90 minutes and complete butter fingers didn't disgrace themselves. But thanks as ever to Gents for being amiable and competitve opponents. And we had the comical two Garrys' collision to laugh about afterwards.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Pete Berkeley, carrying on from last season with two wickets, almost three (see two Garrys), and a record equalling 47.
CHAMPAGNE MOMENT
See two Garrys.
Nb: two other nominations: from JG, for my wave to the crowd* who were chanting "Lucan, lucan give us a wave." *=four yoofs
And from me, to Pearcy, who arriving at the stumps having just seen JG run out, took his mark and asked how many balls left. "Six," I replied. "The usual."
SCORECARD
GENTS OF WEST LONDON
J Norcott c Van Marle b Loomes 3
H Patel b Van Marle 20
S Snelling b Thomas 17
N Husain b Burrell 103
S Patel c Van Marle b Berkeley 8
T Buck c Keenan b Berkeley 5
R Gilkes c Berkeley b Keenan 41
L Wattril c Chalmeers b Burrell 25
K Tok not out 1
TOTAL: 243-8 off 40 overs
20 extras (16w, 2nb, 1b, 1lb)
Pete Berkeley 8 0 32 2
Gary Burrell 4 0 40 2
Jon Loomes 4 0 10 1
Gavin van Marle 4 0 27 1
Dave Thomas 4 0 31 1
Steve Keenan 8 0 35 1
Paul Pearce 5 0 33 0
John Griffiths 3 0 33 0
Catches:
2 Gavin van Marle
1 Pete Berkeley, Steve Keenan, Damien Chalmers
LONDON SAINTS
133 all out (33.3 overs)
32 extras
John Griffiths run out 28
Jo Ramdial caught 0 (second ball)
Peter Berkeley bowled 47
Paul Pearce bowled 0
Gary Burrell caught 0
Gary Speedtwin bowled 7
Gavin van Marle caught 9
Steve Keenan caught 1
Jon Loomes bowled 5
Dave Thomas NOT OUT 4
Damien Chalmers bowled 0 (second ball)
