Fielder of the day: Damon Hopkins
Another game and another inevitable toss loss meant Hill were tasked with fielding with a grand total of 8 players, as Sutton Challengers relished the prospect of piling on the runs in the baking sun. As Jones Snr and Jnr criss-crossed through the Saturday afternoon Croydon traffic and with no sign of the AWOL Jeavons, Ahmed and Smith were entrusted with the unenviable job of opening up. Both did admirably under the circumstances and should have had a wicket apiece for their toils. Firstly, the former grew into his spell and lured the batsman into hooking the ball to deep backward square leg. Goldsborough was stationed and at the ready, but the ball squirmed through his grasp and rolled over the boundary – to rub salt into the wound. Soon after, another skied shot presented Hill with an opportunity that Srivastava passed up. At the other end, the Stupples was left shaking his head in disgust as a stumping was not given, in spite of the batsman not even bothering to return to his crease long after the bails had been dislodged.
Kind sponsors of Hill’s fielding in the first 10 overs
The Challengers game plan had paid dividends early on as they reached 40 inside 8 overs and so Jeavons – who had leisurely donned his whites upon his arrival and gone through his dubious repertoire of floor-based stretches – was thrust into the action. He soon struck and removed one of the openers as Stupples snaffled the catch. At the other end, Chipperton replaced Smith and it was a case of third time was not the charm for the opener who’d lived a charmed life so far, who departed after being stumped (again). This brought their skipper to the crease with a remit of rebuilding after Hill had started to staunch the early flow of runs. By the time the cavalry arrived (and took 4 painstaking attempts at parking in the same empty bay), a re-energised Hill returned to the field of play after the first drinks break with the luxury of 11 players.
The visitors’ skipper departed shortly after after picking out Jeavons at point off Chipperton’s bowling. The ‘Metronome’ then claimed his second victim as Sutton Challengers lost 2 wickets in quick succession, falling from 41-0 to 60-4 in a Hillesque collapse. It was soon the battle of the colts as the visitors sent in their U13 player, who credit where it is due, looked resolute in defence without troubling the score. Ransom was given the brief of carrying on the charge and he struck twice in quick succession following catches from Jones Snr and Hopkins after expansive shots backfired. His third came in a more conventional manner, comprehensively clean bowling his victim. The final scalps were claimed as Jones Snr picked up two wickets (ask him about the first!) and Smith bowled the youngster, who had just been heckled to get a move on by his dad after scoring 3 in 37 deliveries. Losing 10 wickets for 60 runs constituted an excellent fight back from Hill, and such a modest score certainly didn’t look on the cards after the opening stages.
Ransom and Stupples strode out to bat with 102 runs required for victory. The Sutton Challengers openers made life difficult and the ubiquitous cries of “no clue, no clue” were ringing out; ironic given their hapless first innings capitulation and propensity for giving away their wickets. Hill’s chase saw Ransom and Stupples reversing roles from the partnership struck up during the previous game. As Hill reached the quarter mark in their pursuit of victory, Stupples had contributed the lion’s share of the runs and Ransom had been subjected to a thorough examination from the top end. The latter rode his luck after smashing the ball back at the bowler, only to be handed a reprieve from a dropped catch. However, lightning struck twice and the same bowler inexplicably held on to a one handed grab, having left the field to strap up the other injured hand!
The visitors’ slogan
This gave Srivastava, promoted to three after a series of useful knocks, an opportunity for a more extended innings. After a tentative start and more cries of “no clue”, he found his rhythm and ably supported Stupples. As expected, the change bowling enabled Hill to score runs with ease and the generous addition of extras meant that the run chase was achieved with relative ease and with 13 overs to spare and 9 wickets left in the hutch.
The margin of victory was obviously comprehensive in the end, but credit must go to the tidy bowling in the first innings which yielded only 10 extras in 37 overs, in comparison to 22 in 27. This has largely been the pattern of the season thus far, so long may it continue. Plaudits are also due to the top order, with Stupples 56* and Srivastara 20* expertly guiding Hill home and leaving 4 downward with pad-rash – a feat that surely cannot continue… Tour provides a welcome respite from league action, but 3 wins and 2 losses constitutes a reasonable start to life back in Division Two.
Park Hill Cricket Club 