|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Against a backdrop of the grand experiment of the men's Hundred opening at the Oval,
the Hendricks XI (Ed - surely X today?)and Superstars provided their own new twist on cricket on a hot Thursday
evening at Chiswick. With both teams decimated by Covid pings and the usual last minute withdrawals, the rampant
trend for decimalisation in cricket saw them embark on a ten a side match. The Oval may have had the fireworks
and media buzz, but it was at Chiswick that we saw the sort of exciting finish which money cannot buy. |
|
|
|
Hendricks won the toss and elected to bat first. Konrad Chodzko-Zajko (4-0-14-1)
and James Allen-Perry (3-0-13-1) opened the bowling, and kept things tight early on, with a wicket apiece. After
4 overs (save the fives for Eton please), the score had crawled to 12-2. |
|
|
|
Hendricks third wicket partnership was their most fluent of the match, and pushed
the score onto 47 at halfway - Ollie Holland playing some fantastic lofted drives down the ground. However,
Chris Mountain (4-0-20-1) claimed the crucial wicket of Ross West to break the partnership. With Holland
retiring due to injury soon afterwards, some excellent bowling from Ravi Singh (4-1-3-1) and Vijay Anand (4-1-10-2)
tied down the Hendricks lower middle order, and only some late hustling from Jonny Gilbert and Henry Wickham
could see Hendricks to 78-7 - a total boosted by five penalty runs for the penultimate ball of the innings
hitting the wicketkeeper's cap. |
|
|
|
It was a total which felt sub-par at halfway with ten fielders, but a pitch
keeping low and long and large outfield meant chasing it wouldn't be easy. Jamie Swift-Drake opened the bowling
for Hendricks, and claimed the wickets of openers George Warren (5) and Nick Allen-Perry (0), with good support
from the tight Ben Dougan. First change bowlers Holland and Quest were no less mean, and after 10 overs
Superstars were marooned on only 16 runs and needing more than a run a ball. The pressure told, and Chris Briggs
(6), Ravi Singh (0), John Bishop (9), Chris Mountain (7) and Barry Gigg (4) all fell trying to up the scoring rate. |
|
|
|
With four overs to go, the 8th wicket pair of Vijay Anand (16*) and
James Allen-Perry (11*) had 37 to get for the win. However, they were able to find more joy against the
change bowlers, and a combination of some crisp drives, fierce pulls and extras kept them in the game.
Vijay survived a tight no-ball call after being caught off a full toss, and Superstars entered the final
over with 8 to win, with the dangerous Holland returning to bowl it. Vijay hit the second ball for four
to bring the scores into 'cap territory', but could then only score a couple of leg byes and a single.
This brought James on strike with 1 to get from the final ball......and he duly pierced the tight
offside field to seal a low-scoring thriller!
|
|
|
|
Despite several deserving candidates, it was Ravi who claimed the
man of the match Hendricks gin for his excellent bowling. Looking forward to another tight
finish next year! |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Barry Gigg (c), Paul Gaught, George Warren, Vijay Anand, Nick Allen-Perry, Chris Briggs, |
|
|
|
John Bishop, Ravi Singh, Chris Mountain, James Allen-Perry, Konrad Chodzko-Zajko. |
|
|
|
