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A cream-crackered Kumar after his heroic but ultimately fruitless 49 - below, Kumar in action; Pearcy and Speedtwin on LSSC Hill
Monday, June 12, 2006
Latest news: Kumar has broken finger and is out of action "for weeks" said forlorn LSSC skipper Dave Thomas
LSSC v Derby
11th June 2006
BelAir park, Dulwich
Match report by Paul Pearce
The Saints came within 2 balls of winning their first game of the season but in truth against a short-handed Derby team of just 7 regular players and 2 enthusiastic parents, we should really have secured a comprehensive victory after setting a very good total when batting first.
Normally the sight of Thompson out for a golden duck on the Derby score-sheet would signify a comprehensive victory for LSSC but on this occasion it was Thompson Senior who was bamboozled by Johnny Griffiths and this was only after Thompson Junior had whacked us about the park for 105.
This is the second game in a row where an opponent has made three figures against us. As the absent DT might have said, it was the man who got the 100 who made the difference again!
veteran Shadick lured the fielders in around the square before unleashing a series of excellent shots
On a hot sunny day, the LSSC eventually found the right pitch to play on and a swift inspection of the pitch showed it had clearly not been cut for over a week, seeing this stand-in Skipper Pete Berkeley won the toss and elected to bat. A good decision as opening bowler, Little John, had just called to find out which tube station he should aim for, given we were in Dulwich, he was being rather hopeful! With Derby shorthanded, they summoned the visiting Thompson parents from their picnic blanket to field and we generously provided 2 fielders also. If we were English footballers, we might argue that this extra work in the hot sun left us drained for our own fielding efforts but clearly the Saints fitness regime means we thrive on 90 degree heat so it can be no excuse.
Kumar opened with Johnny, recognition of the latter's fine efforts the previous week. Sadly this was not repeated as the Towel chased a wide delivery a yard outside off stump and got an impossibly thick bottom-edge back on to his stumps for a bronze duck Kumar rapidly adjusted to just how slow the pitch and bowling was combined with an astonishingly uneven bounce and settled in for a big score. Trev struggled to get his timing until he was bowled at 34-2 in the 8th over. Hilda clearly spotting Damian's batting talent in his silver duck last week sent him in at number 4 and he responded with a splendid 21 putting on 39 runs with Kumar before being bowled. Damian reflected when out that he'd just improved his personal best for the Saints by about 17 runs!
Next in was veteran Shadick who lured the fielders in around the square before unleashing a series of excellent shots for 4 and took the total to 118 before Thompson Junior was brought on to stem the runs and clean bowled our experienced batsman for 23. Kumar was then bowled by one that kept low off Thompson Jnr on 49 which was a great pity as it was a great innings, chanceless until then.
On coming on to bowl, a rarely heard field placement was heard across the ground from Thompson Jnr "Can you go back 10 yards at Mid-on please, Mum?" At 130-5 in just the 24th over, on some days the LSSC might have crumbled after these losses but Pete marshaled the tail, sorry all-rounders, and first Dewi hit 16 big runs in just 3 scoring shots, Pearcie got off the mark with his new bat (finally) - a classic Chinese cut shaving leg stump - before hitting 14 including a satisfying straight drive for 4 straight past the bowler (Thompson) and Lord Lucan also making double figures with 12 not out.
His Lordship's innings commenced with his first runs coming from a 7 which is surely a first in Saints history (see Champagne moment). Where is DT and his stats book when needed!
At 194-7 after 34 overs, Little Jon at number 11 was sitting comfortably in the shade planning his bowling strategy but when first Pete fell and then Speedtwin went for a Golden Duck in the final over, a mass panic ensued as he nearly went out with just one pad on and no gloves. Close to being timed out, Little John avoided the hat-trick ball but was then promptly skittled for a Silver Duck. Clearly he hasn't played for us much as he will learn; we can collapse at any stage of the innings!
A score of 196 was an excellent effort on this pitch and with 7 players making double figures this week, this was a good team effort and of course we had 3 ducks to enjoy too.
LSSC perhaps fell in to the trap of thinking the game was now won
With no tea, we were eager to get back out and get the game over as soon as possible. Thompson Jnr opened but was tied down by an excellent spell from his Lordship with great support coming from Little Jon who settled down well as his first over. Lucan well merited his wicket to leave Derby 18-1. The next partnership proved hard to break with runs coming consistently when bowling to Thompson and in spite of some good steady bowling, it only came at 91-2 when Hilda came on to dismiss Hallam for 10, which shows how well his partner had been scoring.
Derby's batsman continued to support their star batter well and we again struggled to make the breakthrough but tight bowling, including a great 7-over spell from Kumar (7 overs for 12 runs) meant the required run rate remained at 7 an over. The skipper turned to Dewi as the required runs fell to just 50 and he produced a corker to finally bowl the Kiwi star for an impressive 105 (including at least 6 lost cricket balls to all areas of the park, road and adjoining cricket ground).
At 147-3 and 50 runs needed off the last 7 overs, the LSSC perhaps fell in to the trap of thinking the game was now won but Derby rallied again and started putting pressure on our fielding by chasing runs which really we should have stopped - the skipper turned to his ace closer, Johnny G and he looked to have turned the tide again when taking 2 wickets in consecutive deliveries but again, Derby's tail/middle-over (given there was only 7 of them) continued to keep the board ticking over.
A few dropped catch chances, Pearcie (again) and Little Jon didn't help the cause and with just 7 needed off the last over, 2 big hits off Johnny's surprise delivery, the full-toss meant we had to accept a defeat which left us scratching our heads as to how we'd managed it!
Champagne Moment
A few contenders again - His Lordship continues to attract the attention of the audiences at these games, last week it was football fans chanting for him to give them a wave, this week a young girl was so impressed with his fielding display that she ran out to give him a flower when he was in the outfield.
If we had won, the Champers moment would go to Dewi for his belting ball to dismiss Derby's centurion but as we lost, it doesn't!
Therefore it goes to his Lordship for scoring a rarely seen 7 in getting off the mark, hitting a shot to the outfield a comfortable 2 was on but spying a chance to get off strike, Steve called for a third and in so-doing tempted the fielder to shy at the unguarded bowlers stumps, on missing these, the throw then went to the boundary for 4 overthrows during which a 4th run was run. Eventually it was worked out that 7 was the correct score - one shot there beating Steve's lifetime average!
Man of the Match
Not too much controversy here. Kumar for his 49 and bowling 7 excellent overs which helped keep the pressure on Derby's batsmen. This spell was the more remarkable as Kumar was having all sorts of cramp attacks meaning he could barely move (although it was still nip and tuck whether Pearcie or he should field at slip).
LSSC
196 all out - 34.5 overs
(39 extras)
Kumar 49 bowled
Johnny G 0 bowled (Bronze duck)
Trev 7 bowled
Damian 21 stumped
Eric 23 bowled
Pete 15 caught
Dewi 16 caught
Pearcie 14 bowled
Keenan 12 not out
Speedtwin 0 bowled (Golden duck)
Loomes 0 bowled (Silver duck)
Derby
198-5 - 34.4 overs
(29 extras - 15 wides, 14 byes)
Thompson 105 b Dewi
Fisher 0 b Keenan
Hallam 10 b Berkeley
Rothwell 19 LBW Griffiths
Orchard 17 Not out
Thompson 0 b Griffiths
Rowe 18 Not out
Steve Keenan 7-0-30-1
Jon Loomes 5-1-27-0
Pearcie 3-0-23-0
Kumar 7-2-12-0
Pete Berkeley 5-0-33-1
Dewi 5-0-40-1
John Griffiths 2.4-0-20-2
No catches!
