Played at Fairlop
Report by Steve Hamilton
This was our second visit to Oakfield Parkonians’ pavilion this
season. It was more of a warm-up game for our next match, which will
be a much tougher challenge, against Hobgoblin Nomads.
We
lost the toss and the opposition chose to bat. I opened the bowling
for the first time since May 2018. (On
that occasion against Theydon Bios I finished with figures of
8-0-38-4. Also we scored our highest ever total on that same day:
369-6 in 40 overs!)
In this match it was more a mixture of
"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" from myself. First I removed their
opening batsman Ayaan for four with the first ball of my second
over. I somehow managed to get some serious bounce and it definitely
took him by surprise. He edged the ball onto his helmet and it
ricocheted towards slips where Mozzam comfortably took the catch.
But I also dropped a catch offered by the talented Rohit off my
bowling. He could have been out for 24, but he went on score an
extra 74 runs!!
The home side began to settle and reached 69
for 1, until I got my second wicket. This time it was their captain
Holland for 27. He mistimed his shot and sent it straight to Umair
at mid-on. Luckily Umair always seems to remain cool, calm and
collected in such situations, unlike another regular player who
seems to have flap whenever the ball comes in his direction!
We mixed up the bowling, using eight players and giving some of our
main bowlers a rest.
Syed Shah showed strength and character
in the face of recent adversity recently to return and bowl with
pure control, pace and accuracy. He definitely deserved the wicket
of Rohit who was beaten by his pace numerous times outside off
stump, but survived a few more overs. Syed kept the run rate down,
going for only four an over and he finished with exceptional figures
of 6-0-24-0
Asad Saleemi also bowled a tight line with
figures of 4-0-15-0. Debutant Viren Rajput bowled nicely and took a
wicket lbw and finished with figures of 4-0-18-1. Dhammika Perera
took the wicket of Desai for 10, who miss-hit the ball straight to
Jakaria’s hands at mid-off.
Another debutant Ashraf Molvi
took two wickets. His first victim was Vanam for 9 who hit the ball
to mid-off where Syed took the catch effortlessly. The next was the
big wicket of Rohit for 98. Rohit attempted an off drive, only to
get an outside edge which travelled low and quick to our keeper
Mozzam. He took a magnificent catch, diving forward grasping the
ball just above the ground.
At the halfway point Oakfield
Parkonians reached 170-6 off 35 overs. Now this is becoming a habit
and also a superstition or ritual. I participated in some beverages
at the midway stage, making the most of a clubhouse bar yet again!
Chasing 171 at 4.8 an over did not seem too difficult as Jakaria
struck five fours and two sixes to score his third fifty of the
season. Mozzam and Umair put on 73 for the third wicket and laid the
foundations for our victory.
Umair scored 33, batting solidly
and with intelligence, continuing his recent good form. Mozzam
delivered a masterclass in batting, going through the gears and
accelerating towards the end. Mozzam remained unbeaten on 72 with 11
fours and one six. He took us over the finishing line with a
straight six and an on-drive for four. We won comfortably by six
wickets with 5.4 overs to spare.
Now it was time to rush home
and enjoy the football. Or was it??
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Batting lesson: Mozzam Sultan teaches the team
their 12-times table |
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