We are a London-based cricket club. Although we don't have our own pitch, we usually play our home fixtures in Greenwich Park. This blog records our regular triumphs and occasional failures.

Friday 11 September 2009

Cincers snare Weasels in time game as Big Jim hits the button marked 'Magic!'

Stand aside, Stuart Broad - we've got the new Flintoff and he's called Jim.
The big fellow rescued Cincers from the nightmare of defeat to Weasels last Sunday with a blistering 75 not out - his best so far for the team.
Then he topped it with his first-ever five-for to ensure we won a nerve-jangling time duel.
In another first, Test Match made his debut as keeper with none of our regular wickies available.
Weasels won the toss and put us into bat in a time game on a sandy, slow-looking wicket.
Selfish opened up with the Skip for company and proceeded to pick off the accurate but gentle stuff being served up.
We got to 40 before the Skip made a big mistake. He tried to hit one and was bowled for a dazzling two. The score was 40.
Weasels' opening bowler Ged (I think) later lamented: 'Didn't mean to do that. All I did was bring in a batsman.'
Enter Test Match but Tim didn't find the two-paced, bouncy wicket much to his liking.
Right after the Skip mused to the point fielder what a good player he was, he sliced one straight to the same fielder.
Dan came in but also didn't fancy the wicket. He was caught before fencing a slow lifter on the legside.
The order was specially rejigged for this game, partly to let Max have a go as it might, sob!, just might, be his last game for us.
The homesick Kiwi showed his gratitude. He got bowled for a duck.
To make matters worse, Selfish got caught down the legside after another 50 (they come round so often, it's hardly worth a mention).
Cincers were rocking at 92 for 5.
David Hughes, making his first appearance for us this season, then steadied the ship with debutant Simon Hall who looked a handy bat.
Right on cue, then, he whacked one to mid-wicket and departed. 100 for 6, which became 110 for 7 when David went for a valuable 16.
Weasels were licking their lips. Victory at last against Cincers looked on.
It looked even more on when Jim half-lofted one just out of reach to mid-on.
That left Dan from BK, who was helping Cincers out, with Jim.
Sadly for Weasels, Jim then turned it on.
Ably supported by Dan from BK - who was helping us out on the day - Jim went ballistic.
One poor guy came on to bowl and disappeared for 27 (4, 6, 6, 4, 6, 1). He didn't get another go.
But Jim followed it up by hitting the last over for 23, including a couple of head-high no-balls which he blasted for sixes.
Dan notched up a useful 15 - his highest score of the season.
Cincers finished on 206 all off 37.
That left us roughly 30 overs to nail Weasels and keep the season alive (so far, we'd won 6, lost 7).
Weasels started cautiously against Jim at one end and Max at the other. There was no chance of them getting the runs.
Had we left it too late? Should the Skip have declared earlier?
Then Andrew, a new signing playing his first game of cricket, pulled off an inspirational catch at first slip. With the ball dying on him, he somehow got his fingers underneath it.
17 for 1. That rapidly became 22 for 2 after Selfish, fielding under a lid close in on the leg side took a fine catch off Max.
Wickets continued to tumble until Weasels found themselves 27 for 6 with 20 overs to go.
Stout resistance then kicked in. The Skip came for three fruitless overs (we'll forget the dropped catch, David) and Max took a well earned break, replaced by Selfish who had been desperately windmilling his arms to attract the Skip's attention.
It worked. He came on and quickly took a wicket, a slightly contentious LBW which had the batsman storming off and chucking his bat down not once, but twice, in fury.
At the other end, Jim got his length and finally bowled the last remaining Weasel with five overs left of the day and with Weasels only just over the 50 mark. Victory!
Jim finished with 5 for 19 off 11, Max 3 for 23 off 9 (his best-ever figures) and Selfish refused to be left out with a ridiculously-measly 2 for 0 off 4. Yup, four maidens. The Skip's return was 0 for 6 off 3.
Many thanks for new boys Simon Hall and Andrew Goodson for turning out at short notice and to Dan from BK.
So that's 7 wins and 7 losses and one draw. Win our last match on September 20 and Cincers will have a winning season
Man of the Match: the Skip for arranging the fixture, letting Selfish introduce Jim to the club and for putting Andrew at 1st slip. (Only joking - it's Jim of course).

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice account, Skipper. Plenty of spin too: "7 wins and 7 draws"? Do we only officially lose a game when the Vice is in charge?

The Skipper said...

Sorry - meant seven wins, seven losses and one draw.