A warm though windy day at Winchmore Hill. Graces,
having won the toss, chose to bat against a Horizontals team that
was reduced to ten men owing to a late withdrawal. Following the
previous week's new, new-ball clowns debacle, the old firm of
Webster & Scally was restored to open the bowling. Matt was
immediately into the action, having the dangerous Horrocks LBW
and then bowling Patel to leave the vistors 17-2. At the other
end, Scally was less fortunate when the fielders contrived to
drop Desai twice in a single over. The second wicket had brought
Mendis to the crease; his average against the Horizontals must
be about a hundred and he duly scored his average, flaying the
bowling to all parts of the ground. He took a particular liking
to Glenn, twice coming down the wicket to deposit him into the
astroturf pitches (a bothersome business, since they were
locked - must have been some valuables in there, eh readers?).
The total had reached 99 before Scally, recalled at the road end,
finally dismissed Desai. Mendis sailed on untroubled, tucking
into Warren like a starving man at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Simon's seven overs disappeared for 64 as the Horizontals' fielders
continued to chase leather. Searching for solutions, Chris gambled
on Herlihy to break the partnership. Mike cunningly arranged all
his fielders around the boundary edge and then watched aghast
as his two overs went for 32! Eventually Mendis got bored and
attempted to hole out to Chris - who dropped it. Sportingly, he
was immediately offered another go and this time clung on to a
far more difficult chance. With the dangerman gone for 111 ( a
massive seventy runs short of his best against us - result!) and
Graces at 188-5, the home side had hopes of wrapping up the innings
for around two hundred and enjoying an early tea. God laughed
long and hard at their plans as the lower order continued to make
merry, Coldwell and Shofiq striking several boundaries off the
tiring 'attack'. After the allotted forty overs, Graces closed
on 248-7 with Matt returning a hugely creditable 3-28.
Skipper Willcock was to spring another surprise
with his batting order, partnering the redoubtable Herlihy with
the mercurial Jimmy Carter. A steady start was made in pursuit
of the daunting target but the pair had put on only 16 when disaster
struck in the seventh over and Jimmy was run out following a suicidal
call from Mike who must have been traumatised after seeing his
bowling figures. Simon 'Bomber' Bowett marched out at number three
with the intention of putting bat to ball and the scoring rate
began to rise. After a crowd pleasing knock of 23 (4x4) he missed
a straight one and was replaced by Matt Webster, relishing a rare
top four spot. This third wicket partnership turned the match
on its head as Mike & Matt took the score from 66-2 (after
16 overs) to 199-2 (after 34), adding 133 in 18 overs to bring
the Horizontals right back into the game. Matt's share of the
partnership was a crisply hit 64 (10x4) and when he was finally
bowled by Mendis, the home side needed 50 from 6.5 overs with
six wickets remaining. One ball later the Horizontals needed fifty
from 6.4 overs with five wickets remaining as Simon Warren added
a golden duck to his dropped catch and nine-an-over bowling spell:
what an all-rounder! So with the match in the balance, Captain
Chris joined the heroic Herlihy. The target was still formidable,
with the opening bowlers returning but the pressure was beginning
to tell on the fielding side as errors crept in. Mike continued
to score heavily, all possible singles were scampered and Chris
weighed in with a couple of significant sixes to keep the run
rate achievable, the second coming in timely fashion off the last
ball of the penultimate over.
So Shofiq prepared to bowl the last over: Herlihy
100 n.o. to face, five needed to win.
Dot, single, single, two (scores level), RUN OUT!
Attempting the match-winning single, Mike was run out at the bowler's
end, just one ball short of having been on the pitch for the entire
game. Glenn was promoted to number seven as Chris faced the final
ball of the innings, which struck him on the pad as he raced to
the bowler's end. Glenn scurried home and the leg bye secured
a superb victory by five wickets.
Mike's monumental 103 included eight boundaries,
which meant he had to run the other 71 as well as his partners'
runs, and all this after chasing leather in the sun for forty
overs - no wonder he looked knackered! Chris finished on 25 n.o.(2x6).
Matt contributed well and a word for Mendis who struck a superb
111 and returned 2-49, yet still finished on the losing side.
A superb match, played in fine spirit as always
by these most sporting opponents.
