RTCC v Judd St Tigers at North Middlesex CC
Sunday 18th September 2016
(Time Game)
Judd St 183-9
RTCC 184-4
Won by 6 wickets
Once upon a time we found an opposition called Walthamstow Horizontals. They played at Low Hall Farm which was also known as goose shit park. The saving grace was the wafting smell from the bread factory over the way. Our website only goes back to 2000 but that sounds about right for being the inaugral fixture. We were a decent side but just couldn't come to terms with them for some reason. One day in 2002 we were bowled out for 34. Yet a year later we equalled a club record 7 wins on the trot with a 7 run win - Mark Bench to the fore. Then in 2012 the Horizontals merged with a pub team (Stoke Newington Tup?) and became the Judd St Tigers. As far as I can discover we haven't beaten them...until today.
Perhaps mindful of the thrashing 2 weeks ago (280ish-2 v 107) the Tigers suggested a time game and elected to bat after winning the toss. Greg took the new ball. I'm not sure they've had to face him before. Our suprise package suprisingly elected to bowl from the far end slightly up the hill. His opening partner Andy P - in his farewell game before moving to Nottingham - couldn't believe his luck at getting the downhill end, so much so he took the first wicket - having switched to over the wicket he knocked Webster's middle stump back. Andy then took himself off and I took over and struck second ball. A horrible short ball didn't get up and yorked Rich second bounce. Then Greg got the wicket he deserved. In the corresponding fixture last year Judd Street's skipper Taylor made 95 in a crisis. Today he never looked comfortable against Greg's pace and was comprehensively bowled neither forward nor back. I then took a second when Delanian spooned one to guest Bignall then Chris briliantly snaffled a tiny nick behind off Aymon.
Chris then brought guest Bignall on. He played for us in the away thrashing whilst taking 2 wickets and this week doubled up. The affable Tiger struck in his first over, hitting the stumps. Then Eirran took a catch in the covers. Then Chris took over. There was a certain alarm when Boden the centurion 2 weeks previously top edged and the skipper couldn't hang on but the very next ball Boden chased a wide one, nicked, and Chris pouched the catch. He then added a stumping as Steve Bignall ended with 4-37. By the way we still bowled 40 overs in 2.5 hours.
Simon and AndyP opened, facing Dane and their debutant Ali. Runs were at a premium for the first half a dozen overs, but we had time. In fact we had an hour and a half plus 20 overs. Bags of time. We just needed to avoid losing early wickets. And we did. Despite some boundary jocularity regarding tempo Simon and Andy put on 52 before the latter was bowled by Wright. I had 4 balls to survive his over. The final ball was short and wide. I wafted the bat. The cordon went up. Not sure if the bowler did too. If I thought I'd hit it I would've walked - and there was no chuntering from the cordon. However in his next over Wright got one to lift at me. I ducked but left the bat out to dry and the ball brushed the surface of the bat. Out for 9 and the game afoot. Skipper Taylor was by now operating from the far end. He was getting some inswing - mainly from middle to leg - but the ball before 20 over drinks he clipped Simon's bail.
Aymon joined Eiran and the latter milked the strike until Wright produced an amazing inswinging yorker to bowl Aymon. Enter Greg. It was about 111-4. 73 to win at roughly 5 an over. Greg dug in - not that he had many balls to face. Eirran knew he was the man to win the game and he mixed solid defence with brutal shots - one drive stuck in the sightscreen and a couple of pulls bulleted to the midwicket fence. At one point they had added 56, of which Greg's contribution was 1, an amusing stat on 'paper' but the perfect job under the circumstances.
Then came the big moment. Wright had been replaced afted 11 overs and 3 wickets. Opener Dane returned. His first ball was a beamer that Eirran hooked for four. Next ball Dane dropped short. Eirran pulled. Straight to the man at deep midwicket. He dropped it and it went for 4. We still needed 40 to win at that point but Eirran didn't make another mistake. Indeed it's fair to say that they swapped roles - with the field back Eirran tapped singles and with the field up Greg played a gorgeous back foot drive through the covers for four and added two further boundaries behind square. We got there by 5 wickets with 7 overs to spare. OK - Judd St mixed their order around but you know what? We played rather well. Eirran ended up 80 odd not out but Steve Bignell was awarded the Captain'sTankard for his 4-37.
Dave T
