V Hatfield Heath Cricket Club. The annual trip to Essex for our traditional 2 innings Saturday game, a highlight of the season for most HL players. The weather forecast all week for the Saturday was not good, and the game seemed potentially very much in doubt. Come Friday afternoon, the outlook dramatically changed for the better and it was game on. Arriving Saturday morning to the Heath, it was sunny, but a little damp and chilly. HL have been going through a mini injury crisis of late with knee, back, and broken finger scenarios, and it was only a few minutes before the due start that the final 11 were decided upon, despite 2 of our players still being an hour away. HH batted first and we felt we had done well to keep the home team to just 109 from the 20 over first innings. That was quickly put into perspective somewhat, as we lost 2 wickets in the first 2 balls of our reply, and regular wickets fell thereon, as we limped to just 81/9, a first innings deficit of 28. HH knocked it around 2nd innings, they have some good batters and know their pitch well (they celebrate 150 years next year). A couple of rain stops, including 45 minutes for the second, meant that the 30 overs for the 2nd innings had to be reduced to 25. Back on, and HH finished up on 166/7, with Leisure requiring a run rate busting 195 from our 25 overs for victory. Was going to be tough and within 3 overs we were 3 down. We had high hopes for Wendel and Waseem, but once they had both departed, it was effectively all over. A couple of big shots form Umair at the end took us up to 136, before he became the last man out, in the 25th and final over, with HL falling a very disappointing 58 runs short. On paper, we looked as strong as it gets with plenty of bowling options and reliable run getters, and we believed that this could be our year, but it was not to be. HH are an established team, having just finished 3rd in Div2 of the Herts and Essex Cricket League and play good cricket. As usual, the game provided plenty of champagne moments; Pauls pair, (Catching practice, including a first ball of the innings golden duck), Ricks direct throw run out from mid off at one stump, and Wendels high and fast slip catch off Swainy. So, for the day; 3 wickets for Wendel, 2 for Ian, Swainy and Leo, 2 catches each for Umair and Leo, 58 runs in total for Wendel, 36 for Umair, 22 for Waseem, and between the rest of us, not much else ...Final scores: HH 109/5 and 166/7. Leisure 81/9 and 136/10, a sound 58 run defeat.
V Navigators. The excitement of the local derby was building just as lunchtime downpours threatened to spoil the game. On arrival at the ground, the sun was shinning, yet the wicket still damp and soft. Navigators in to bat, and 20 overs later had posted a respectable 146/7, despite several dropped catches from the Leisure. In response, Knobby fell early, caught fast and low at point. The Tallent bros made 25's. With 60 needed from the last 10 overs, Alex let loose the Goose and hit a quick fire 35no, including a couple of 6's, but Ian scoring the winning runs with 14 balls remaining. 2nil bragging rights to the Leisure this season, with pizza and beer on the patio, as the sun set on 2017 midweek cricket.
V Richmond Yorkers. The return match. 140/3 from HL, Yorkers were 57 from 10. With 45 needed from the last 4, and then 26 from the last 2, it seemed we were just in control. 11 required from the last over had us woried, then suddenly four needed off the last ball. Not hit hard enough and only 2 scored for a HL 1 run win. Richmond 139/5. Very tight game played in the right spirit. Josh 42retrd, Kieron 39retrd, Jim 20no. 2 wickets for Josh, 2 run outs, one a Kieron direct throw from the boundary.
V Phoenix. 2nd game in 2 evenings, Pheo having been soundly beaten by Magdalen CC last Sunday at Kempton were obviously keen for revenge against more or less the same team. Pheo batted first and at 10 overs were 120/1, smashing it all around the park. The next 10 overs were slightly better for HL, Pheo finishing up on 202/8, their opener run out on 99 in the last over. Paul with 2 wickets, a great overhead catch from Wendel, and a catch from keeper Knobby. Ian took his 100th wicket for Leisure, a moment that we had been waiting a few weeks for, so well done Ian. Our response wasnt so great, all out for 80 in 12.3 overs, topscorers extras22 and Wendel21. A rather chaotic start to the match, with some travellers only having been moved off the pitch an hour before the start of play.
V Chelmbridge. Great to be back at West End Rec after a three year gap, playing against a strong mix of CWoA, Elmbridge and Esher players. We sensed it would be a good game and indeed it was. HL raced to 81 from 8 overs before losing our first wicket. The home team bowled well and HL managed just another 62 from the last 12 overs to post 143/7, Rashid scoring 55, and 17's for Bicky, Wendel and Ibby. Chelm were 72 from 10, exactly half way there, and apart from a spell where we peggged them back for a short while, Chelm managed to maintain the run rate, going into the last over with just 8 needed, duly knocked off with 1 ball to spare, also with 7 men down. 2 wickets apiece for Paul and Wendel, and 3 catches for Wendel. Knobby kept wicket, exceeding most peoples, but not his own, expectations. The light went the last 4 overs, signalling the need for earlier starts from now on.
V Waseem XI (Cancelled).
V Old Cals. Don't recall ever playing 30 and retire for batters at Ruxley Lane, but it seemed to work in our favour this evening. Their top three all retired, and it looked like we might struggle to take a single wicket until Parky took 2 in 2, including their skipper Dan, bowled for a golden. After the openers left, the run rate slowed with OC's finishing up on 134/2. Knobby was in fine form in response, despite running out Bicky early on, as was Mr Burton, with both having to retire. 50 runs were scored off 4 overs mid innings to get ahead of the run rate. Not sure if OCer Beeks knew which side he was playing on this eve as he helped Knobbty to his 32no with misfields and dropped catches. Jim fell on to his stumps for a duck, but Parky and Swainy continued to knock it around to secure victory with 13 balls to spare. Will we still be doing this in another 25 years time? Probably....
Next game V Old Californians, 25 Years of playing OCCC. They had the better of Leisure in the early days, i.e. they won the first 10 encounters, and did drop us for a few years, but results have been much more even in recent times. Early games were played home and away at Boston Manor Park and Kingston Fairfields.
V GSK. The forecast wasn't great for the evening, but we squeezed in the 36.5 overs needed just before a mega downpour, as the clouds lifted for our second meet of the season. GSK, all out for a casual 146 with 4 wickets for Shafiq and 2 for SteveP. Waseem (35 retired) and Shafiq (10) got HL off to a great start and the momentum was maintained with Swainy (38 retired), Adam (24) and Steve and ChrisB at the end with plenty of big hit boundaries, as HL won with 19 balls and 8 wickets to spare. Some rather average fielding from the GSKers this evening with Swainy dropped at least 4 times, and several balls going through the legs for boundaries. 1 each for the season.
Between Leisure games, the Magdalen CC Rain, beer and cricket Tour to Bournemouth, July 2017...
V Superstars. The oppo restricted to just 140/5 from the 20, thanks to a good bowling and fielding performance from the Leisure (3 wickets for Adrian, a fine slip catch from Wendel, and 2 catches and a stumping from Skipper Steve). HL made hard work of chasing the score down in the fading light despite a solid 47no from Adrian and 20's from Hitesh, Waseem and Swainy, Alex finally hitting the winning runs with 3 balls to spare, 6 wickets down, in a tense finish. Only Don prevented the oppo from outlasting us in the bar.
News from Magdalen CC. The season is well up and running, having now played 11 Sundays, skipper Waseem on a 6 game winning streak. Imran currently leads on boths runs and wickets, despite a double ton from Wendel at Northfields. Later this month the annual tour, this year to Bournemouth, with games in Poole and the New Forest.
V Harrow. Leisure (172/4) beat Harrow (112/5) by 60 runs. Scorching evening in Sunbury, won toss and batted first. 65no from Adrian and 33no from Jim. 2 Wickets for Chris B and catches for Swainy, Waseem and Wendel. Knobby took a wicket with his first ball. Old foes Harrow, we have now played 42 times in 25 years and, appropriately, we tie at 20/20. (with 2 no results). (The Navigators were also playing this evening, a mile or two down the road at Staines and Laleham CC and chased down 126 with 8 balls to spare v Staefa)
V Thames Water. Losing by 10 wickets with 10 overs remaining in a T20 is not what one would call being particularly competitive. Alas, such was the case against local rivals and friends TW. Batting first and losing 3 of our middle order in one over didnt help, as we limped to 111 all out, 29 from Rick, including a partnership of 35 with Hardeep, gave us some respectability, when at one point we were 46/6. 10 overs later it was all over, thanks to some major twatting from the Twater openers...
V Westminster. A joint Leisure/ Navigators game, it got cancelled anyway due to the appalling weather.
V GSK.A cooler evening after the recent heatwave. GSK batted first and finished up on a below par 167/5 from the 20. A couple of run outs including a great piece of work from Ian. At 95 from 10, HL were cruising, Wendel and Karthik having scored 30's, but tight bowling, good catching and regular wickets slowed up the run rate, HL finishing up a disappointing 18 short, 8 down. A missed opportunity.
V Pheonix CC. At last, our first home game of the season! Hounslow chased down 175 to win with 10 balls to spare, thanks to a steady 38 from Kathik and a smashing 78 no from Wendel. HL did well to restrict Pheonix to just 17/55 after a they made a flying start, Rick taking 3 wickets, Mike 2 stumpings and Wendel a blinding catch on the boundary.
V Old Californians: Cancelled (rain)
V Kingston Taxes: Cancelled (opposition)
V Harrow. Harrow 87/10 16.4 overs, Leisure 61/10 17.3 overs. Do not underestimate any low score! A very harrowing result. Imran 4 wickets. Chris B, Swainy 2 each, extras 12....
V CWoA: Cancelled (opposition)
V Richmond Yorkers: 112/7 from HL not the best. Richmond easily reaching the score with 3.5 overs to spare.
V Navigators. Won.
