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A strong start to the season for skipper DT, erasing memories of last season's howler in the field at ex-Blues (that's the ball heading for the boundary having shot through Dave's legs....)
Monday, June 4, 2007
Sunday 3rd June 40 over match
Gents of West London 325 for 5
London Saints 184 for 9
DT handed new caps to debutants fresh from the academy, Mark Barber and Rob Young before a game blessed with fantastic weather, a superb pitch and pleasant surroundings at a private ground in Motspur Park.
Loomes and Berkeley opened the bowling but were soon taken to task as Denton and Patel got the Gents off to a fine start with some aggressive batting with the opening 4 overs resulting in 40 runs.
We slowly pulled back the run rate with 1st change bowlers DT and Van Marle claiming an opener each. However this is where our problems started as bats 3 and 4, Kain and Hussain were in fine form. Kain played some superb shots for his 87 and Hussain (who scored a ton against us in last year's thrashing) retired after notching a fine century – memories of Sri Lanka came flooding back!
The batting was brutal with Garry Burrell and John Griffiths in particular coming in for harsh treatment - the 6 overs between them went for 97. At one point Psycho saw a succession of sixes sail over his head, over a 25 foot protective fence into various back gardens of bordering Tennyson Avenue. This resulted in complaints from an angry parent who has since threatened to contact his MP and close down Old Tenisonians’ Cricket Club. We tried to explain that it was Garry’s fault as he was dropping it in too short but he obviously didn’t understand the finer points of the game!
Ed’s note: The annoying part of this episode was that there was an attractive blonde South African lady sunbathing in one of the gardens – the ball never went near her!
Anyway we battled on, took a few wickets but headed for tea knowing that the contest was as good as over.
Kumar and Wheelybin opened our reply in solid fashion and both posted good scores which on any other day would have been a perfect start. But a required response of over 8 an over was never on so it became apparent that our task was respectability (batting-wise anyway). However, even that looked a forlorn hope as the next 5 batsmen scored just 6 between them in the customary London Saints’ collapse.
At least the 2007 Duck Trophy looks as though it will once again be a hotly contested as Burrell (just not his day), Young and Berkeley all made their intentions clear in going for this most prestigious of awards.
But my how the tail wagged. Martin Dewhirst swung the bat and made 26 until he ran out of puff having run too many twos. John Loomes was promoted up the order to number 9 but nerves had obviously got the better of him and had gone missing when due to pad up (see champagne moment)!
DT joined Gavin Van Marle at the crease and a flurry of boundaries followed in making a 59 partnership – the second highest 9th wicket in LSSC history!
With 2 balls to go, the returned John made his way to the crease and despatched a quick delivery to the cover boundary. He then fended off the last ball leaving us at 184 for 9; at least we weren’t bowled out.
Well done to Gents – excellent hosts and not bad cricketers!
LSSC Man of the match: Close contest between the Skipper, Kumar and Dewy with DT getting the nod. His was the best of the bowling followed up by an entertaining 24.
Champagne moment: So where were we? Despite having just had tea, (Where’s) John Loomes decided that he was still hungry (well he’s still a growing lad and his Mummy’s away) so he decided to walk to the shops for a top-up as we only had the 1 wicket down. An hour passed and so had a number of our batsmen, so a panicking DT contacted him on his mobile and summoned him back.
John was quizzed over a post match pint come disciplinary as to his whereabouts when needed by the Skipper.
John’s response: ‘Well there was this pub with a sign outside advertising Sunday Roast Dinners’!.......
Gents
Denton Bowled Van Marle 45
D.Patel Bowled Thomas 45
Kain Bowled Griffiths 87
Hussain Retired 100
Toft C&B Berkeley 11
Waheed Not out 21
H.Patel Bowled Berkeley 0
Buber Not out 0
Extras 16
Total 325 for 5
London Saints
Kumar Bowled S.Patel 42
Griffiths Bowled H.Patel 31
Grimes Bowled S.Patel 1
Burrell Caught S.Patel 0
Barber Caught H.Patel 5
Young Bowled S.Patel 0
Berkeley LBW S.Patel 0
Dewhirst Caught D.Patel 26
Van Marle Not out 15
Thomas Bowled Waheed 24
Loomes Not out 4
Extras 36
Total 184 for 9
