Well done to all those who played on Saturday securing a 9 run win in our opening game of the season against Morden.
The game started with a minute’s silence for a Morden player who’d sadly died a couple of weeks before. A sobering reminder of how lucky we are to be enjoying playing the game.
After I’d lost my ninth successive toss, we were fortunately put into bat with A Williams stepping up the order to open with Bhupesh, who signalled his intent in the first over, taking their enthusiastic opener for 11 from the first over which included a towering six. After safely navigating the opening spells, the two safely passed fifty unscathed before Bhups uncharacteristically nicked behind.
Enter N Williams to the fold. The off season can be enough to build up a little rust but surely that could be swatted away as Morden’s bowler lobbed up a buffet full toss. Clearly in a charitable mood, Nick duffed in straight to mid-on who gratefully clung on. Globe. Oh dear. A Williams departed soon after as aforementioned little fella clung on to a fine return catch.
At 71-3 and not an abundance of recognised batting to come, Mackay and Waffle were left with the task of steadying the ship. They did so with aplomb, with Mackay combining some superb striking with supreme patience to reach 46 before his patience ran out and he was stumped for 46, his first jug avoidance of the weekend. New, improved, streamlined Worrell provided able support, weighing in with 24.
Lawn came and went for a fluent 1, leaving the Ransom brothers at the crease with around 10 overs to go. Both played excellently and with freedom to keep the run rate ticking along. One particular sweep from Dan brought the biggest cheer of the afternoon, although this was immediately drowned out by Elliot’s puffing as he was forced to run a three.
After a selfless run out at the end, Dan ended on 22 with El securing 20 not out and Hill ending their innings 198-7.
Credit to the Worrell’s on a fine tea, which inspired Bhupesh as he took a wicket in the first over; their opener top edging a catch to stand-in wickie Williams who got some value for money for his £10 tea and removed the ‘symbols’ tag in one fell swoop. 0-1 Hill.
Mackay struggled a little with his line at the other end as Morden dug in. What they hadn’t accounted for was a brilliant spell from Master Miserly himself, Ian Jeavons. Creaking his way down the hill for ten straight overs Ian removed batsmans 3 and 4, the first pinned lbw with the second plucked adeptly by Mackay at gully. A return of 2-21 off 10 was well deserved.
Worrell made an effort to repeat the trick at the other end, taking 2-39 with his best Del Ballard impression with another fine spell. Meanwhile Morden’s clearly very capable opener remained, carrying with him a glimmer of victory for the oppo. However, Nick was in inspired mood behind the stumps, already having nabbed a stumping off the evidently sluggish Worrell. Showing gazelle-like speed he pounced on a quick single to obliterate the stumps with the opener short of his ground.
From here, although the required rate was 7 an over, we always looked in control and there was still time for a wicket for E Ransom (again swiftly stumped by N Williams to claim Fielder of the Day off the vice skip). By the last over in the freezing cold we’d secured a deserved win at only the loss of Chris Atkins’ nipples, which are still somewhere in the outfield on the Deando show pitch.
From Fortress Ruxley we now move to a MUST WIN GAME against Woking XI on Saturday. Woking were level on average points with us last season and will be up there challenging.
Well done to all players and thanks to those who came down to lend their support over the day. I hope this continues over the season.
Park Hill Cricket Club 