Report by Dafydd Jones
The fiscal scene has not looked good for a long time now, and then suddenly the sun came out and we were bathed in glorious golden rays of vitamin D.
The team had been selected full of Park Hill die-hards, the type that would have preferred tea and creamy scones to tuna and cheese sandwich crushed in a plastic bag, at the bottom of a mouldy cricket bag with last week’s brown streaked underwear…
But these are the times we live in said Bob. (Dylan I think, not Mugsie).
We found the club ground easily enough and they have a nice setting with a majestic club-house, with ample changing facilities and a lovely large high-ceilinged bar-come-dining area, with even a grand piano. Just our luck we weren’t allowed to use any of those facilities. The whole setting with benches around the ground, a bright sun in the sky, green grass around a flat hard batting track and the sky scrapers off in the distance, we could have been in a rural village somewhere, oh yes we were, rural Wimbledon.
Anyway, as luck (some would say) would have it, our virtuous captain had lost the toss and we were sent out to bowl. Apparently he said he would have bowled anyway….
So Smiffy started with the new ball, and for the first few overs we were pleasantly surprised at how they didn’t smash the lovely dibbly dobblers from Smiffy and Schneider. Then KP introduced Lawny, and we were subjected to a wonderful display of wides and no balls and the young opener duly notched up a 50. Then Blakey got in on the act and got a smooth LBW on the opener who had scored a substantial 5 for the opening stand of 85. Nick carried on with some great line and length and duly picked up a couple more wickets with 2 wicket maidens in a row. The last few overs were shared out between KP and Smiffy and Schneider and luckily for them their opener notched up a 100 and they had a semi-decent partnership at the end to leave them on 184 for 5, Nick had taken a respectable 4-35 off 10 and KP got a good return of 1-24 off 6. Fielding all round hadn’t been too bad and considering the heat we had done well to allow them to declare after 39 overs.
A short break for some sustenance, and Lush and I opened. Fireworks were pretty much ignited from the go as I got a couple of loose deliveries. Lush looked good both in defence, attack and in front of the mirror… I of course had one go too many too quickly and was caught on the boundary. Al came and went but had looked good for his first runs. Then Prem the old dog joined the young buck and the 2 seemed to relish their playful time together mixing scoring shots with stoic defence. It was still cat and mouse whether we were going for the win or the draw. Then poor Lush flashed once too often and was caught, and it now came down to the die-hards to save us. Could Goldsborough re-enact the days of old when he used to be compared to Gower, short answer – no. (I could then fill the rest of this report with was he/wasn’t he – but I’ll leave it for the bar) But Stu stuck around for a few, Lawny mowed a couple and as Prem nurdled the ball here and there and nursed it to the end, Smiffy was able to hold out and we had a memorable draw.
Great game all around and well captained Skips KP.
Park Hill Cricket Club 