Round 5 at Meadowbank and we faced West Epping, a team of young lads plus one old bloke (clearly someone’s dad).
Once again AB won the toss and we batted first, as we have every game so far. Sharpy and Big Show got us off to our best start of the season, putting on 40 for the first wicket before Big Show gave catching practice to the slips and was gone for 12. Riordo was next in, returning to the side after a slight niggle, and he watched from the other end as Sharpy, playing some lovely shots on a fast outfield, brought up his first 50 of the season in good time. The pair put on 80 for the second wicket and just as it looked like Riordo was also getting going, he was caught for 27. Unfortunately Sharpy followed soon after for excellent 86 (14 x 4s). Yogesh then hit a cameo 28 (4 x4s and a six) but holed out to a fielder on the boundary. And after 27 overs we were 150-4, target 200. Cagey, down the order after fulfilling earlier Presidential duties, and Dhruv fell quickly and with 5 overs to go we were 167-6. Romo (11) and AB (15no) took the score to 198-7 before Raj, deciding we already had enough runs whilst also protecting his average, let the last 2 balls of the innings from ‘dad’ pass through to the keeper.
A par score but we needed to bowl well. And with Romo’s first ball we had a bonus LBW. Young bloke umpire – obviously keen for a bat – put his finger very quickly despite some thinking it might have been a bit high. The batsman certainly thought so as he stormed off throwing the proverbial toys out of the pram for the next 20 minutes or so. In came ‘dad’ at number 3, looking like David Gower with his long sleeves, sun hat and left handed waft outside the off-stump. Romo and Dhruv bowled well and kept the scoring down and at drinks West Epping were 71-2, ‘dad’ out LBW to Shero. West Epping then started to bat well. The young opener and young number 4 beginning to score freely. Inevitably we dropped a couple of catches, and with 10 overs to go we were second favourites, 62 runs needed and only 2 wickets down. Surprisingly to some Sharpy, who’d earlier said that taking the pace off the ball was the answer, was thrown the ball and he bowled well picking up a wicket (a smart catch from Dhruv) and finished with 1-37 off 5 overs. The watching Stuart declared him a ‘wily old campaigner’ and Cagey on the WhatsApp group chat later asked ‘is Sharpy now considered an allrounder’? (no responses thus far). Shero bowled well again finishing with 2-36 off his 7 overs, although he is claiming a 5-fer, one plumb LBW not given plus 2 slip catches he would have had, had Cagey not left early to see Coldplay. Anyway, the asking rate was creeping up and after AB bowled the opener (though not before he’d hit a 100 – which naturally, was his first ever ton !), West Epping struggled there on in and with Yogesh bowling at the death, we got home by 3 runs.
Next up - Crows Nest Rebels at Wellington Oval – Saturday 16 Nov.