5 in a row

Travelling away to play Wickham Park is always a challenge, but this year, optimism filled the changing room with young guns Bushy and Rikin in the side plus 1st team debutants Ajay and Bhupi. Irv’s appalling tossing record continued and we were duly asked to field first on what looked like a belter of a pitch. The opening spells from Bushy and Ajay caused problems for Wickham Park’s openers and they were subdued effectively. Change bowlers, Vitty and Jon came on to bowl in tandem, a suffocating spell, which saw the cream of Wickham Park’s batting struggle to go faster than 3 an over, plus claimed three wickets. 1 for 27 from Jon and 2 for 31 from Vitty were just what we needed and Wickham Park found themselves on 79 for 3 after 22 overs. Sadly, numbers 4 and 5 put together just shy of a 100 run partnership, enjoying the chance to take on Nicholls and the returning Bush. Vitty was unlucky to just step on the boundary as he took a towering catch at long on and only Bhupi seemed capable of containing the onslaught. Indeed, he broke the partnership thanks to a juggling catch in the deep from Keeran and then Jonny’s champagne moment run out sent another batsman back. Bhupi claimed two more victims, ending with 3 for 25 off 5, very useful overs bowled when Wickham Park were really looking to push on. They ended on 209 for 7 – runs on the board, but it felt little more than par.
Irv strode to the crease with a new opening partner – Bushy, to see what they could do with Wickham Park’s strong attack. Some majestic early work from both saw us reach 40 before Bushy went, unfortunately dragging on to his stumps, but at around four and over, the start had been strong. Jonny came to join Irv, who had lost a little of his early fluency and, had he been keeping to himself, would have been subject to a barrage of abuse about failing to get it off the square. These two dragged to score on to 69, but Irv’s dismissal in the 22nd over almost seemed a relief to him and gave Rikin the chance to get out there and build on his Player of the Season form of last year. Vitty did for him, claiming this week’s Mappy Magic Finger award to send Rikin back, not quite caught behind, and Keeran strode to the crease, looking for his first run for about a month. Sadly, he simply saw Jonny ‘nick off’, and 80 for 4 in the 26th was looking dubious. Hammer joined to watch Keeran strike a couple of beautiful boundaries, and joined in with a couple of more agricultural blows of his own. These two moved us to 112, leaving us needing less than 100 at less than 10 an over but quickfire losses of Hammond wafting one to point, and Keeran charging, swishing, collapsing and being bowled left us less confident. Sameer and Ajay put on another 40, but the run rate kept creeping up, and Ajay went, bringing Vitty to the crease. 4 off his first ball was just what we needed, and his second would have gone as well, if only mid off hadn’t taken a smart catch above his head. Bhupi and Jon tried, but couldn’t provide the support that Sameer needed, leaving him stranded on 26 and us, 49 short.
We’re not as far as it looks from a winning team, let’s say we just need a little luck to go our way. An enjoyable afternoon against a friendly and competitive opponent, and at least we had to good news of another victory for the 2s to cheer us as we contemplated a return to College Meadow next week.
Full scorecard available here: https://oldelthamians.play-cricket.com/website/results/5099331
MoM and Mappy Magic Finger awards went to Vitty
DoD AND Champagne moment to Jonny Nicholls