Home | Fixtures & Results | Averages | Pictures | About | Links | Contact

Full scorecard | averages | back to fixtures  

Played at Willingale, Essex
Report by Steve Hamilton

Amazingly this was cancellation number seven this season as we had been due to face Southgate Compton. Luckily, I was able to find another fixture, a bit further out than usual, but well worth the journey.

We arrived at an idyllic ground in the village of Willingale. Church bells were chiming and the sun was beaming down. It was a dry wicket fit for a sizeable total.

When I introduced myself as captain in my yellow track top and matching bandana, the opposition for some reason thought I was an Ali G impersonator. I told them to "Big up Yaself".

After that we lost the toss, but surprisingly the opposition captain Dawson decided to put us into bat. BIG MISTAKE!

We raced to 101 for 1 off 13 overs. Jakaria Ahmed and Mo Junaid put on 75 runs for the 2nd wicket in 11 overs. Their partnership ended when Jakaria played across the line and was bowled by their awkward left-arm off spinner Silvestre for 28.

Umair Shahzad joined Junaid and they put on a further 85 runs for our 3rd wicket. Junaid looked on course for a hundred, using all 360 degrees of the wicket to pummel the ball until he was trapped lbw by Dawson with a slow loopy delivery. Junaid had delivered a blistering knock of 83 which included 13 fours and two sixes.

Dawson didn't take long to strike again. Two balls later he cleaned bowled Anas for a duck! Nonetheless, at 185 for 4 off 27 overs we were confident of reaching a substantial total.

Talal Ali and Umair put on 89 for our 5th wicket and once again that man Dawson and his annoyingly slow loopy action proved all too effective. He removed the in-form Umair for a flamboyant 76 which included twelve fours and two sixes.

The very next ball Jonathan Stebbins was dismissed first ball for a golden. Sadly, Jonathan had mistimed his stroke and hit the ball between point and gully where Baley took a simple catch.

Talal scored a lighting 38 which including four monster sixes and one four until he was caught by Mann off the bowling of Maz.

Goddalla Srinivasrao and Sam Butler put on a useful 28 for the 8th wicket and both remained unbeaten respectively on 21 and 11 to give us a more than satisfactory total of 310-7 from our 40 overs.

After the break, the Willingale batters struggled from the start. Umair clean bowled both openers, Mann for 4 on the fourth ball and Bacon for 1 on the first ball of Umair’s third over. At 17 for 2 off five overs we were in total control.

Wickets continued to fall. Goddalla cleaned bowled Goldridge for 12, then Talal knocked over the stumps of Jones for 8, leaving our hosts at 43 for 4 off 13 overs.

The game was ours for the taking. Talal was soon rewarded with another wicket, that of Maz for 5 after he hit the ball straight to Sri at short fine leg where he took an effortless catch.

Asad also took two wickets. First up was the dangerous Bailey for 26 who found Jakaria at mid-on for a regulation catch. Asad then bowled Wright for a duck.

Jonathan and Jakaria also took wickets. Jonathan removed their main batsman Silvestre for 32 with an unplayable delivery that that crept under his bat and hit the stumps after he misread the length. Jakaria took the wicket of Sharp, caught and bowled for a single.

One wicket remained but Captain Dawson and the injured Corder resisted stubbornly. They survived the remaining 13 overs to put on 37 runs for a last-wicket stand.

However, their resistance was all in vain. We won comfortably by 147 runs.

 Home | Fixtures & Results | Averages | Pictures | About  | Links | Contact