Match reports 2014....

Next week, V OCCC and V Ealing

V GSK. A famous 176 run tie! We needed 119 off the last 10 and then 7 off the last, Ash run out going for the 2nd off the last ball. HL had a strong team this evening, and wanted to bat first, but lost the toss. Apart from 3 overs that went for 60, we bowled well, but 176 was a good score to chase. 2 wickets for Paul (one a Knobby request) and 2 for Wendel. Good bowling pegged us back in the first 10. Then enter our man with 6 6's including one into the gardens the Brentford end ( a long, long way). Richard and Wendel had to both retire with their 50's, leaving us needing 19 off the last 4. 2 needed off the last ball to win, we only managed the 1. A great game; high scoring, competitive, tense...and pizza in the bar..

V Wandsworth. A tale of two partnerships. Wandsworth had a 170 and HL a 142 in a high scoring thriller on Wandsworth Park. Wands were 3 down for 4 runs in 2 overs but skipper Landsberg scored a handy 99no. and Ano Ther a 50 in their partnership to reach 176. The 20 overs felt a long time in the heat but helped by keeping an eye on the various activities taking place on the park this evening. In response, we were 39 for 2 when Wendel joined Richard in the 6th over. 12 overs and 142 runs later we had won with 9 balls remaining, those 2 sharing a bat to smash it all over, hitting 22 boundaries between them. Ian bowled 2 wickets in the first over of the game and Wendel and Richard hit 90no and 48no. Wands were very sporting with regard to the sun, but a great win v very long friends and rivals (22 years..)

V Ealing. Although EE only lost 2 wickets (a bowled for Ian and a great c+b for Richard), 157 on a hot, dry, fast outfield seemed possibly a little light. In response, we were 91 from 10 and cruising, but 42 off the next eight overs from tight bowling left us going into the last 2 overs needing 25. With 13 needed off the last, a 6 and 2 fours from Paul sealed the deal with 1 ball to spare for a nailbiter win. Steve 43, Richard 37, a golden for Ash and 26 and 18 from Alex and Paul. Ealing 157/2, HL 159/3 19.5ov.

V Harrow. A strong looking Harrow arrived at Sunbury on a weather forecast defying evening. HL won the toss and chose to bat. Despite a 56no from Steve and a quick fire 31 from Paul opening up, tight bowling on a lively wicket restricted us to just 122, and as it turned out to be, at least 50 too short. Swain went for a golden and Wendels magnificent form ended with just a 10, playing a slow bouncer too early and getting bowled. A very, very late drop out (fine!) meant we hit the field a fielder and bowler down. First 8 overs from Ian and Swain were good, but once the Harrow Goose had warmed up, it didn't take long to put us out of our pain, Harrow reaching the target off 14.3 overs. A catch and stumping for Mike. Quite a beating, by the better team on the evening, but honors even for the season.

V CWofA. Fantastically hot July evening in Sunbury. 50 from Richard and 30 from Alex, got us up to 138/6 from the 20. We took a few key wickets and despite a resilient 48 from Vallis, HL were mostly on top, the oppo finishing up on 113/8 for a HL win by 25 runs. 4 wickets for 9 from Richard, and a tight spell from Ian, the pick of the bowling. 2nil to HL in 2014 with still one to play.

Flight WS226, arriving 345...

Magdalen CC went to Cranford to play British Airways last Sunday. Wendel top scored with a mere 226 out of a total of 345 from 40 overs. Something like 19 6's and 18 4's. His was the highest individual score in 70 years of Magdalen and the team score the highest. Wendel and Wasim had an opening partnership of 222 (not quite the best). When Wendel was out in the 30th, the score was 277, he having scored 226 of them. Quite good...oh, and we won (and this following from last year when we chased down 280 with Wendel scoring 130odd..). Can we come back next year?

Eds note: A week later and Wendel has just scored 168 at West Wycombe, so 3 tons in his last 3 Sunday games...