Back in the day we used to play oppositions once. Nowadays hardly a week seems to go by without one side or the other seeking to weap their wevenge. And today was our day for 'weaping' after a T20 defeat a few weeks ago. Alas we were struck an early blow when Tom Mansbridge pulled out sick. Never mind, we have experience at playing one short. Except we looked like being 2 short as there was no sign of Will Spring - a workmate of Hugh's - and he wasn't answering his phone. However it transpired that Will had arrived first and was bowling in the net behind the pavilion. Marvellous. Chris - back in the RTCC fold after Friday night's Priory treachery - went out to toss. He returned and called a huddle to explain that HE HAD WON THE TOSS! Christ on a bike.
We batted. Simon and AndyP opened, dealing with a worn pitch with variable bounce. There was also the clamour from the Red Bull soap box derby to deal with. At various points in the afternoon we were treated to Video Killed The Radio Star, Captain Pugwash and The Marseillaise. Inspiring. Although at several points Pacific CC - on the neighbouring pitch - drowned out everything with overly loud encouragement. Back to the game. Nelson got some away swing but the pace of Wahab proved problematic. At his pace there wasn't the time to adjust. But they put on 25 before Andy - neither forward nor back - lost his off stump. There was 1 ball left in the over. Wahab cut me in half but thankfully the ball cleared middle stump.
Simon and I dug in. I like batting with Simon. We've batted together for over 20 years. Except we aren't as young as we were. As our partnership passed 100 we started to get a bit knackered, whilst being mindful of the overs ticking down. In an attempt to force the pace, hit boundaries and avoid tiring singles we lost our timing and ended up running more singles. We agreed to go back to waiting for the ball and placing shots. After all, the variable bounce made pre-meditating pretty impossible. We got to 153 in the 27th before Simon chipped Wahab (back for a 1 over spell) to mid on. Simon departed for 58. He is such a man in form right now. Alas one brings two as the cliché goes and I went next over, cutting to point.
T and Hugh together now, but forcing the pace proved tricky. They added 25 before T got too much underneath one and was caught behind. Debutant number 1 Jamie Wheeler made a quick 8 before falling stumped. Debutant number 2 Will Spring made 11 not out featuring a huge six over extra cover. Hugh made 26 not out but there was a slight feeling that only 56 from the last 10 had left us vulnerable.
Then came the rain. After about 30 minutes we went out, but came straight back. Then we went out again, Frankly the rain did us no favours. Instead of a variable bounce pitch it was now a pudding. But a predictable one. But that's not to say it became run friendly. T and AJ kept them to 27 off 8, at which point I remarked that we had only conceded 2 boundaries. Naturally the next ball went for 4. But then the rain returned. Bah.
After 15 minutes we went back out, but by now we were bowling with something resembling a bar of soap. Well, that's my excuse as my second ball (I had replaced T) was a full toss. Laddie spliced it towards Will at extra cover. Diving forwards he dropped it. Bugger. But by now the batsman was halfway down the wicket and being sent back by his partner. From a prone position Will threw the ball back towards Hugh. To be blunt it wasn't the greatest of throws but Hugh had plenty of time to effect the run out. One should've brought two, but Chris tipped one over the bar at mid off before massive confusion saw AJ underarm one back to me from point with Parry stranded. Unfortunately I contrived to let the ball bounce off my knee to safety. Oops. Thankfully it didn't cost many runs as AJ pinned him lbw in his last over. Enter Patel. He was one half of the destructive opening stand of the T20 game a few weeks back and somehow we knew he was potentially 'the man who'. He slowly started to play some shots but drinks were taken at 74-2. 146 needed.
The score advanced to 99 when Osborn chanced a second to me on the short point boundary. He didn't beat the throw. Suddenly we had a foot in the door, but whom to kick it down? Andy Pacey, that's who. He replaced me from the pavilion end and his extra pace (not something I ever envisaged typing) reaped dividends. It was a match defining spell. Pretty soon he had bowled Goodman. 123-4 became 138-5 as Andy gave Baig a 4 ball working over. I was at deep mid-wicket so I couldn't tell what movement Andy was getting but I could see the batsman have no idea whether to go forward or back and it was no surprise to see him chop on. Next in was the 11 year old Nathan. He held up an end whilst Patel pulled and cut to keep them up with the rate.
We needed him out. I informed Andy of the fact in no uncertain terms. Next ball rapped the pads. Andy didn't so much appeal as have an epilectic fit. It was plumb. Patel gone for 72. 172-6 and now it was ours to lose. But that wasn't going to happen. The 11 year old Nathan - who had kept Patel company and played some nice shots - sliced to Chris at fly slip. 181-7. 1 run later Andy completed the '5 for' by bowling Owen. We huddled and invited Andy to 'hold it aloft'. Andy isn't a man for such frippery. And we hadn't won yet. But pretty soon we had. Archway Ladder only had 10 as well so the 9th wicket signalled the end and it was a lovely moment as both debutants got in on the act as Nelson screwed one out to the cover boundary to be caught Will bowled Jamie.
So we won by 16 runs. It could've gone wrong very easily as Patel was making merry, but we stuck at it and took wickets - thanks to AndyP - who received a deserved Captain's tankard for bowling us to victory.
DT
