It's Majid the Magnifico under the hot Clapton sun but 'five-man' Cincers just can't tether the Camels

A blistering innings from Majid kept Cincers in the game yesterday.
Under the burning Clapton sun, the pace bowler turned middle-order maestro to smash 71 in rapid time.
Backed up by a late flurry from Dee and with even the Skip hitting a four off the innings's penultimate ball, Cincers posted a formidable 158 for 9 off the allotted 30.
But it was not enough.
Down to just three team regulars and with the game only proceeding thanks to opponents Camel pooling their players with ours, Cincers were short of front-line bowlers.
The Camels crossed the line with an over to spare, with their skipper Guy hitting a fine undefeated half-century.
Millfields at Clapton offered no changing facilties, no toilets and even a problem with parking.
What it did provide was a cracking wicket and close-cropped, lightening outfield.
We had only three regulars - Dee, Majid and the Skip - with Abdullah playing only his second.
Newcomer Neil was playing his first....er, game of cricket, that is!
Camel generously shared some of their players with ours to make it a match, a sort of seven v eight, with dismissed batsmen allowed to come back in until 10 wickets were down.
Under the baking sun of what was one of the hottest days in London this summer, the Skip won the toss and put us in.
We started slowly but then lost two wickets.
The Skip was going well until he smashed a full toss back over the bowler's head - and watched in astonishment as it stopped going over the bowler's head and into his out-stretched arm.
The bowler - Camel's Jason (he of the right/left batting style of an earlier game) - was mobbed by his team-mates.
To make matters worse for the Captain, he couldn't even walk off.
Because of the shortage of players, he had to start umpiring immediately.
But Camel's Matt - batting for us - kept his head down and began to build the crucial partnership of the innings with Majid.
The paceman whacked 11 fours and one five after a run-out attempt went for over-throws.
Matt may only have scored 15 but he stayed with Majid while the other man cut loose.
Dee - on his second go at the crease - made a quick 12 while the Skip (also second-time round) took 9 off the last three balls.
A score of 158 off 30 would take some getting.
But with a great pitch and fast outfield, Camels were always in with a chance.
They showed their intent with a series of snatched one's and two's (er..Cincers still doesn't do this enough) even though Majid and Abdullah started well as Cincers' opening duo.
But the Camel batsmen were up with the rate and no wicket down....until a mix-up mid-wicket by the batsmen.
A sharp throw by the Skip came in to the non-striker's end and Majid at the stumps took the bails off.
Camels' dangerman Jason clubbed a four off the Skip but then he holed out off Matt to Neil at mid-on.
The astonished fielder couldn't believe he'd taken the chance. Great effort.
At the other end, Majid took a fine catch at cow corner off the Skip but the leggie let himself down with were one or two too many boundaries.
That said, Camel's Skelly, fielding for Cincers, almost pulled off a stunning catch off the Skip at short cover before pouching a second, easier chance in the same position.
A quite extraordinary over-his-head catch at mid-wicket by Jason (fielding for us) gave Skelly a wicket.
But the Skip shelled a fiercely-driven shot that would have been a superb caught and bowled...had he taken it.
bdullah chipped in with a clean bowled but all the while, Camels' skipper Guy was pressing on.
At one point as pressure mounted, he eased it by powerfully hitting Majid back over his head to the long-on boundary.
We were running out of bowlers.
So off came Dee's keeping pads (given to Skelly) and he bowled two tight overs as good as any of the regulars.
It was Neil - the newcomer - who had the honour of bowling the last over with just a few needed to win.
Not great organising by the Skip but then under 26 degrees of sun, Lancastrians do get sunstroke.
Victory came off the final ball of Neil's maiden over - and I mean maiden - in cricket.
Well done to Neil on his first match.
Many thanks to Camels' Matt and Skelly for playing for us.
And thanks to Guy, James and all at Camels for allowing the game to go ahead.