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Newham A bounce feeble Fallopians out of cup

By the Skipper (Andy Wardle)

More than once Richie Benaud has stated that catches win matches. Sadly the result of this game must bring into doubt the wisdom of the doyen of cricket commentators. 

Richie may want to note that runs win matches, just as much as catches. Missing from this Old Fallopians line up were Clarke, Idle, Taylor, Barrow and Marinko, as well as the long term injured club captain and co-founder Philip Barrass. 

At least some of these can be relied on for runs, the others for entertainment at the crease.

The cup is the undoubted highlight of every Old Fallopian season. 

The very thought of a long and vigorous cup run is enough to dampen the hands of the most seasoned Fallopian veteran - more than a few of whom were displaying their talents on this most glorious of summer evenings.

After crushing fellow second division mid-table battlers Grasshoppers in last week’s first round a confident Old Fallopians outfit moved into a quarter final stoush with undefeated first division high fliers, Newham A.

Newham’s captain Sabi won the toss and invited the opposition to bat. For the first time in Old Fallopian history both openers, Rooney and Wardle, wore helmets. 

They needed them immediately as Mavid opened with an electrifying spell of quick bowling, getting the ball to rise alarmingly from a good length. 

Rooney took several blows on the body, but stood his ground until undone by an outrageously slower straight ball. 

This, having survived an equally challenging spell from the other opening bowler, Asif. Rooney’s departure for ten, was followed by that of Wardle in Mavid’s next over, bowled by one that kept low.

After the openers stout resistance a procession of wickets fell, forming a collapse that will be all too familiar to followers of England cricket. 

Frisby, promoted to the dizzy heights of number three, thumped his way to nine, before he mishit a full toss from Maz and was brilliantly caught at mid-wicket by Asif. Nagle, another promoted tailender, missed a straight ball from Asif. 

Castle’s trademark swat let him down and he dollied a caught and bowled to Wahid. Last to go was Sultanti, another batsman whose defence was insufficient to deal with a deadly straight, slow delivery. 

Fred Barrass remained not out showing superb defensive technique to survive a tricky over of spin from Maz. Unfortunately Barrass could not add to his season’s average of one.

Old Fallopians strength in this game was always going to be the bowling. With forty eight to defend the seven man Fallopians outfit were quietly confident. 

Nagle opened with a light sou-wester at his back and soon had the opposition openers struggling to survive let alone score runs. 

Sadly, this state of affairs barely lasted to the end of his first over. Castle bowling into the wind battled to control his inswing as Sohail played some marvelously inventive shots, most of which were collected by Sultanti from far beyond the cover boundary. 

Captain Sabi was as usual controlled and measured. Sohail’s straight driven six into the wind from Sultanti was the shot of the day, and left Newham with just one to win with 12 overs remaining, a run rate of .833.

Frisby turned the screws with two maiden deliveries, before Sohail, three paces down the track, dispatched him to the mid-wicket boundary.

Moments later a drizzly rain drifted over the ground, leaving the losers to lament what might have been had they batted for just a few overs longer.

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