Printer-friendly pageMonday, September 4, 2006
Ex-Blues 200-3
LSSC 168 all out
(40 overs)
As is often the case at Ex-Blues, the annual final fixture for London Saints, the quest to avoid the Duck Trophy overshadowed the actual result.
There were four contenders going into the Friday game at West Wickham - Garry Burrell (3), John Griffiths, Paul Pearce and Damian Chalmers (all 2). So skipper DT fairly put them into bat in that reverse order.
Pearcey ruined the plot by scoring a lifetime best - 33 - while JG (Griffiths) avoided ridicule with two fine 2s. But Damian kept the plot alive with a cracking shot to mid-off which duly went straight down the fielder's throat.
And so it was that G Burrell made the trophy his, stranded LBW on the back foot with the skipper Dave Thomas umpiring. "Nice to decide the Duck Trophy," said DT on his return to the boundary.
It was a glorious late summer's day in Kent and, as ever, the result did not get in the way of a good day's out. Not that the result was in that much doubt when their openers put on 138 for the first wicket, including 94 from 15-year-old Master Tom Hickey and a stalwart 56 from Ex-Blues skipper Stuart Dilley.
Master Hickey is also on Fulham's books, had just returned from a month's tour of Brazil with the international hockey squad and now plays golf off 14 (having taken up the game this summer). But, happily, he is not a little shit - just a very talented and self-effacing young man who us old gits may one day say "I played against him once...."
Talking of which, the talk in the bar afterwards - over several jugs of beer - was of an under 44 v over 44 London Saints cricket match, the watershed having been decided by the mean average of the players on show. Contract talks are in place with young Mr Hickey. All new LSSC members should also apply (particulary if over 44: Ed).
Having said all that, LSSC managed to apply the brakes on the Blues scoring several times to restrict them to a neat and round five an over. And when LSSC stalwarts Trevor Mayhew and Paul Pearce got cracking for the third wicket, we were up on the Blues run rate after 20 overs (having lost Messers Griffiths - see above - and specialist batsman Neil Hotston.)
But from 89-2, the sadly familiar LSSC collapse took place, the scoreboard recording 118-9 within 15 minutes
But from 89-2, the sadly familiar LSSC collapse took place, the scoreboard recording 118-9 within 15 minutes. A late flurry of batting (largely against Master Hickey's Dad, playing for the first time - ever) took the score towards respectability, but victory never looked on. LSSC's 13-man team closed on 168, 33 runs short of the target.
Sadly for Gary Burrell (but elation for three others), he picked up the Duck Trophy despite having scored more runs in a season that any other in his 25 years of playing. Happily for five LSSC Ex-Blues virgins (Dewi, Tony, Gavin, Jon and Damien), it was a great day out.
Ex-Blues provided great fish and chips takeaways, a pool table for Killer and enough plastic jugs to commemorate the seaons's achievements. Trev Mayhew scored more than 200 runs for a season, Pearcey more than 100 - while Pete Berkeley took player of the season for his 16 wickets and 174 runs. The next best wicket taker was season debutant Jon Loomes with seven.
Champagne moment: There was DT's run out off Keenan's straight drive, fumbled by the bowler onto the stumps with DT out of the crease; Neil, specialist batsman (13 players, 10 bowlers excluding Neil, out for a golden duck); DT's rapid finger to give Gary out for a duck and hand him the Duck Trophy).
But then there was Tony "Youth Policy" Grimes, given four no-balls for wagging a back foot out of the tramlines, sticking to his task and eventually bowling Blues teenage top scorer. "That," exhulted 65-year-old Tony, "was a top ball!" wagging a finger in the air.
Man of the match: Nine lives Paul Pearce, who let out a loud "phew" having not been run out for 3, then went on regardless of his woeful bowlng to record a PB batting - and then drove home with match kit leaving us to get on with the serious business of drinking. Top man.
Ex-Blues
S Dilley ct T Mayhew b Dewhirst 56
T McKey b Grimes 94
A Mckintyre b Griffiths 4
J Travers NOT OUT 15
P Kennedy NOT OUT 10
Extras 21 (nb 8, w 7, lb 4, b 2)
TOTAL 200-3
Bowling
Loomes 5 2 23 0
Keenan 5 0 15 0
Van Marle 4 0 20 0
Berkeley 4 0 17 0
Thomas 4 0 21 0
Pearce 3 0 24 0
Dewhirst 5 0 19 1
Griffiths 4 0 26 1
Burrell 3 0 7 0
Grimes 3 0 24 1
London Saints
T Mayhew b Ryder 41
Griffiths b Bates 4
Hotson GOLDEN DUCK b Bates 0
Pearce ct b Brothey 33
Chalmers ct b Ryder 0
Burrell lbw Ryder 0
Van Marle b McEntyre 8
Berkeley lbw McEntyre 3
Dewhirst ct b Travers 6
Grimes lbw McEntyre 0
Keenan ct b Travers 24
Thomas run out 1
Loomes NOT OUT 8
Extras 40 (nb 3. w 13, lb 11, b 13)
TOTAL 168 ALL OUT
Bowling
Bates 7 1 15 2
Kennedy 5 1 18 0
Ryder 7 1 20 3
Brothey 5 0 35 1
McEntyre 3 0 9 3
Mudge 5 0 34 0
Travers 4 0 16 1
Travers J 0.4 0 2 1
