Seden half-ton aids victory
 |
| They beat Chats Palace: (standing L-R) Richard Griffiths,
Simon Hemelryk, Nick Clarke, Will Tennant, Justin Roy, Peter Frisby;
(sitting L-R) Ian Mylam, AK Southey, Matt Seden, Ed Paleit (capt),
Chris Sweet. Photo: Tim Castle |
| More pictures on pix website
here... |
By Ed Paleit
Played at Parliament Hill
Old Fallopians continued their inspiring run of weekend form on
Sunday, comfortably beating Chats Palace. The day’s outstanding
performers were Matt Seden, who made his first fifty for the team,
and AK Southey, who compensated for a wild and ghastly golden duck
with a controlled bout of spin (seven overs, four wickets for four)
which demolished the opposition’s middle order. These were only the
highlights, however, in a highly efficient team performance. The
ground fielding and verbal encouragement for the bowlers, by all
players, was outstanding.
After being asked to bat Fallopians began with a struggle, managing
only twenty for three off the first ten overs. The opposition’s
rationale for insertion was the fragility of their own batting
order, but the decision began to look inspired as the familiar
characteristics of the Parliament Hill wicket – low, slow and
uneven, with a tricky slope - made for tough going.
Accurate opening spells by Alan (seven overs, one wicket for ten)
and Fred put paid to Clarke for one and Sweet and Frisby for ducks,
before Mylam joined Seden to record the highest partnership (68) of
the innings for the fourth wicket. Both found it difficult to
accelerate the scoring, although Seden punished anything over-loose
and Mylam taunted the fielders with his agility between the wickets.
By the twenty-second over Fallopians had reached the solid but far
from comfortable platform of eighty for three.
Seden’s dismissal the ball after a cultured, chanceless half-century
changed the character of the innings. With the exception of Roy, who
smote lustily for twenty-one before gifting a stumping, the lower
order showed a degree of frenzied panic in attempting to up the
run-rate off Chats’s slow but accurate dibbly-dobblers.
A final score of 159 all out seemed not quite intimidating enough,
especially given the ease with which a similar total (154) had been
chased down in only twenty-three overs by Fallopians themselves two
weekends before.
It was lucky, then, that Chats began their reply as if in mocking
imitation of Fallopians’ earlier efforts. Within three overs they
had lost three wickets. The loss of Geoff, their gifted opening
batsman, to a yorker from Griffiths was a crucial blow. But the
entry of Fred to partner the capable Ellery marked a period of
effective resistance, both opening bowlers leaking runs through
cover and midwicket to increasing cheers from the Chats supporters.
The introduction after ten overs of Fallopians’s change bowlers,
Southey and Tennant, brought an end to this promising recovery. An
unusual feature of this passage of play was Chats’s vexation with
their umpires. The first lbw – Southey against Fred – provoked mild
consternation amongst the visiting team. When the second swiftly
followed, accompanied by a broad grin from the deliverer of destiny,
the opposition camp began to resemble a hornet’s nest. Voices were
heard raised.
After several minutes of tense delay, the next batsman appeared at
the new wicket with a new umpire, who signalled to his predecessor
that his services were (in mid-over) no longer required. The new
official, however, had not reckoned with the persuasive power of
Southey’s ferocious spin-bowling or Fallopians’ ardent appealing.
Soon he too was raising the finger. And curiously his stint as an
umpire was also thereupon terminated.
Meanwhile the resolute Ellery batted on, eventually reaching
forty-four before Tennant – who had introduced doubt into his play –
succeeded in getting him to slap the ball straight at Sweet, at
point, who held a good low catch.
With Ellery’s dismissal, Fallopians were nearly home. The Chats
lower order offered only weak resistance. Griffiths managed a direct
hit from a supine position to run out Alan, the Chats captain.
Eventually Frisby castled their last man with a low full-toss – a
yorker, in bowlers’ language - that rebounded off his pads into the
base of the stumps.
An excellent win – can we make it four in a row? Players who want to
add to Fallopians’ unbeaten record should contact David Sultanti,
who will organize the next weekend game.
Back to
top of page
|
|
