We are a London-based cricket club. Although we don't have our own pitch, we usually play our home fixtures in Greenwich Park. This blog records our regular triumphs and occasional failures.

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Max bows out with maiden 50 in tight run chase but Cincers fall short in Kiwi contest


He saved his best till last. Pity Cincers' tail end couldn't quite do the same.
On Max's last outing as a a Cincinnatian at Greenwich Park before he returns to his native NZ, the homesick Kiwi did us proud.
For all his time with Cincers, opener bowler 'Lord Rashbrooke' has been a humble 10 or 11. Like Rockie but with no moaning.
But for his final performance on home soil (he's touring in Croatia so not his last ever game) and with his bad back ruling out bowling, Max was promoted to number three.
My word, he rose to the challenge, A consummate 50, his first ever for Cincinnati, so nearly guided us to victory.
On a humid day in the park, he had only one failing - his sportsmanship and sense of fair play.
Getting a thin edge just after he reached his half-century, the Kiwi walked while umpire Test Match waited for confirmation it had carried. It had but Max was already on his way.
Ironically, the bowler Jack was one of his own countrymen.
The very game, our first against Grafton Lions, was set up to mark Max's departure as the Lions are a Kiwi side with a couple of rogue Aussies thrown in.
They're mates of Chris's...of whom, more later.
The day started nervously. Arriving at the ground, Cincers spotted the young, fit opponents - complete with girlfriend fans - and assumed the worst: humiliation.
The toss lost, we found ourselves in the field in a 35-over contest.
And guess what? The Lions were distinctly less frightening in the flesh, with Jim bowling as well as ever and Stuart steaming in as an Aussie does with the scent of Kiwi wickets in his nostrils.
No luck for him or for Jim to begin with as the Lions struggled for runs but didn't lose a wicket.
But then, it was Max's day.
He broke the deadlock by snaffling a lofted drive off Jim.
It wasn't long before he caught another, also off the big man. Nineteen for 2.
The Lions rallied a bit before the Skip made a fielding change (ok, it was Test Match's idea). He moved out of cover and put Sean there instead.
A lively Saturday night meant the County Clare man's eyes weren't fully open.
No matter. He took a smart catch to give Test Match his first wicket.
Rockie entered the fray, with his slow in-duckers driving opposing skipper Geoff round the bend.
It ended when the batsman played on. 57 for 4.
Sadly for us, the Kiwis panicked and sent two Aussies in. They made hay (the Skip retired after one over for 15!) and reached 172 (er, the scorebook is not clear but it was something like that).
It was not without controversy.
Jim appeared to be denied a nailed-on hattrick when Aussie tailender Miles nicked one behind.
Or so it sounded. He didn't walk. He wasn't given.
We ploughed on.
Earlier, Stuart had finally got one wicket when he deserved a couple more while Sean opened his eyes to take a blinder off Chris's, er, varied bowling. Apparently, it's all that hurling they do in Ireland. Makes them cats in the field.
It's rubbing off on the rest of us. The performance in the field was one of our best, with Keith and others saving plenty of runs out on the boundary.
Someone called Will was keeping wicket. Remember him?
He re-introduced himself which some fine glove work and a very smart stumping off Tom.
Test Match did the tea (enough pasta for a battalion and the delicious trademark Mrs Ross brownies).
Wickets - four for Jim, two for Test Match, one apiece for Stuart, Rockie, Tom and Chris.
Needing about five an over, Test Match and the Skip (no-one else would open) set off on the chase.
Three balls in, the Skipper decided to show off his fine judgement outside off and watched his off stump disappear behind him. Doh!
Enter the Max. Exit the Test Match - bowled by Lions' opener Jack whose quick arm was to prove Cincers' undoing.
Max arrived at the crease to a hastily-arranged guard of honour from his fellow Kiwis in the opposing side (thanks, lads).
He never really looked back.
Sound defence mingled with some punishing pull shots to set him on his way.
This was against possibly the finest spell of sustained, accurate bowling we've faced in many a day, by the way.
Only at one end were there any wides or no-balls.
But bit by bit, first with Tom partnering him and then with Keith, Cincers kept up with the pace.
Unwisely, though, Keith had earlier told the Skip he was in a rich vein of form. The 'Ballinasloe Basher', as he shall be called, duly perished for a hastily hit 14.
Will arrived. A year or so since his last game, he pretended that he'd forgotten how to bat.
But he was always one of the most powerful hitters in the side and he didn't take long to remember.
One drive back over the bowler's head was a straight as could be - right over middle for four.
It was all just going to plan.
But then, one of the few bad balls Lions sent down did for him - a half-track bouncer which umpire Test Match was about to signal as a wide until Will somehow got an edge trying to hit it into next week.
A setback. However, what's a setback when you have Jim in next?
For the next few overs, the big man combined with Max to send a shiver down the Lions' spines as with controlled hitting, the Cincers duo pressed on and kept up with the rate.
It was all going so well...until Lions' skipper Geoff pulled off a superb catch at short cover to send Jim on his way.
Still, we were in with more than a change. Max was still there. We were still up with the rate.
We also had Stuart, hero of a couple of rearguard actions already this season, to come.
But Lions' Jack was too good. Whipping them down, he did first for Max and then for Stuart.
Sean had earlier gone first ball (can't remember if the eyes were open or not).
Last two men at the crease - Rockie and Chris. Just under three overs left. 17 to win.
Tension. Oh, for a wide or a no-ball.
One over went by with hardly a run scored.
The penultimate started the same way.
But then off the last ball of the 34th, Chris struck gold. He hit an exquisite off-drive.
Hope revived. It went for four.
Last over. Nine needed.
Lions had run out of seamers. Back came their left-arm spinner who had gone for a few.
In a dastardly trick, he changed tack and came over the wicket. It was turning.
Rockie got a single off the first.
More tension. Chris took guard. He played and missed.
Then a stroke of luck. He still played and missed but the keeper did too. Four byes.
Two balls to go. Four to win.
Tragically, Chris did not manage another run and we ended four short.
Only later did Chris whisper that he thought we needed a six.
Ah. Perhaps that explains why he tried to hit the leather off it. Oh well.
A fine game against new, worthy opponents.
But above all, a magnificent send-off for Max.
He'll be with us on tour of course but that's him signing off as a UK-based Cincer as he heads back to Wellington.
Or is it?
Rockie, his traditional tour room-mate, has other ideas. 'He'll be back,' said the Sage of Southend sniffing the air.
If that 50 on Sunday is anything to go by, here's hoping!
:: Our picture shows the Hare and Billet post-match celebrations - left to right: Test Match, Chris, Max, the Skip, Tom and Rockie.

Monday 19 July 2010

Aux armes, citoyens!

Our picture shows our two gallant French (well, Anglo-French) imports preparing for their first-ever innings yesterday in Whitstable.
They are the new Wright brothers - sons of Mark's brother Paul and born-and-bred in Paris.
Charles (on the left) adopts a traditional upright stance. John favours the Father Times-style pioneered by Mark.
They both performed heroically.
Two Legion d'Honneur medals in the post!

Jim goes berserk by the sea..... to help brave under-strength Cincers cling on for a draw


Mambo Number 5 was playing on Jim's car stereo as he motored down to the seaside but it was Magic Number 5 he gave us yesterday at the wicket.
The big man blitzed Whitstable Labour Club's hitherto miserly bowling to all corners of the ground in one of - no, the finest - displays of controlled hitting by a Cincinnatian.
Eleven fours, four sixes he smote. Some of them went so high they came down with snow on them on a mid-July day with the Kent sun blazing.
Even Brisbane Joe in his pomp would have been left in the shade.
Jim took us single-handedly from the position of a fairly hopeless run chase to within touching distance of victory.
Not just for a few balls . He kept us there for over after over.
But when a wicket fell (Rockie's, if you must know) and with tail end exposed, the batting hero bowed to the Skip's pleadings.
Selfishly, he gave up the prospect of a thrilling century to bat out the remaining balls and stride off 86 not out.
Amazing.
The day dawned with Cincers fielding only six regulars - another week of last-minute phone calls to get anything approaching a full team.
Our generous opponents gave us one player, Peter, while Mark produced his Anglo-French nephews Charles and John plus local lad Jack. Finally, Test Match persuaded Andrew - slip-catching hero of last year's bout v. Weasels - to play.
Plus, the Captain was just out of three days in bed with food-poisoning and was living off dry toast.
Time game rules in Radfall, near Whitstable, with the Labour Club winning the toss and batting.
For the first time in recorded Cincers' history, the Skip opened with his (variable) leggies with Jim steaming in at the other end.
No joy for either initially on a decent, lowish but consistent bounce wicket untiil Whitstable's Peter (their man, not ours) pulled the Skip loftily to Jim's safe hands behind square.
Spirit of Portugal, banished!
Thereafter, we struggled a bit until Test Match's swingers started hooping. He had Whitstable skip Richard (38) snared off a lofted straight drive by, well, who else? Jim.
Two full swinging deliveries got two men for 0 and Rockie got rid of Whitstable's young opener A. Garvey for a finely-made 42.
Jim removed the swashbookling Joey for a swift 31 and it was looking good...until the Skip brought himself back on.
First over, fine. A nice leggie and some superb keeping from Tom produced a sharp stumping and a late wicket.
But the Skip's next over went for 20 - a mixture of bad balls, casual fielding and sharp dropped catch that skipped on for a 4. Rubbish all round.
That left Cincers needing 183 off an estimated 35 overs after tea.
The plan? We always have a plan these days.
Test Match opened with the Skip, with the aim of surviving the openers and laying a platform for Jim and Tom.
All went well to begin until Test Match was well caught at mid-off by Richard in the seventh over for 10.
Tom arrived and we didn't lose another wicket until the 17th over. Problem was, we weren't scoring enough runs either.
The Skip eventually perished (or was that, collapsed?) for a painful 4, proving once again that if you can't find a fielder, give him a call - he finds them with every shot.
Another wicket went down. Jack was bowled.
But enter Jim to begin his best knock yet for Cincers.
With at least seven an over needed, he started carefully then got off the mark with a four. The rest was history.
On the way, Tom perished for a valuable 34.
But others came to partner Jim, including Peter and Rockie. The runs piled up over by over.
Rockie particularly made sure the big man got the strike for the start of several overs in a lengthy stand.
Whitstable looked worried. One fielder even suspected we'd drafted him in from a county first XI.
'Is this guy one of your regulars?' he asked the Skip now umpiring.
The crunch. Five overs left - 42 needed. Five wickets left but with a fragile tail featuring Mark's Parisian nephews (cricket knowledge limited), Andrew and Mark himself.
We faltered. Ony four off the next over.
Then, crucially, Rockie was bowled.
We still hoped but with M. Charles Wright getting run out, there was a real danger of Whitstable's very accurate bowling brothers Ed and Joey (same surname, must be brothers!) skittling us to get a late victory.
The Skip intervened to ask Jim to put the brakes on with us needing 29 off the last three.
If he'd got out going for glory, it would have been curtains for Cincers.
So the game was drawn, another very fine match at Radfall but then for some reason, they always are.
Very game opposition, a friendly welcome and brilliant weather.
Thanks to Peter, Jack, Andrew, Charles and John for helping us out.
Thanks to Whitstable Labour Club CC for a great day.
But above, Magic Number 5, please take a bow!

Monday 5 July 2010

'Get up and run!' yells Selfish but late brownies arrival leaves Cincers on the deck



They're like cavalry coming over Cincers' hill. They were freshly baked on the day. They tasted as delicious as ever.
Just one problem. They came too late.
Cincers' traditional supply of brownies, baked by Test Match's better (and we do mean better) half Amy, has powered us to many a fine victory.
But on Sunday at Greenwich Park against the mighty Finchley, the moist, magic morsels arrived after we had started our innings.
Tea had been taken. Selfish and Test Match were already at the crease.
Only the Skipper managed to scoff one before he went out to umpire.
Result? We lost.
In reply to Finchley's 213 for 7 off 36, Cincers got as far as 162 before keeling over, all out off 30.1 overs.
Selfish got 48, Stuart struck a promising 23 but that was more or less it.
The wickets tumbled even while the brownie tin stayed (almost) unmolested next to the scoreboard.
Expecting the full force of a Finchley Second Eleven (due to a mix-up their end), the Skip had negotiated a face-saving, time game format.
As it happened, our opponents sent down a team largely made up of Colts. Young ones. The sort of players that can bend down quickly and stop the ball. In our terms, cheats!
Imagine the shock, then, when we start very strongly against their batting.
Two astonishing catches - one by Abid at mid-on and a remarkable slip catch by Test Match - had the 'kids' reeling.
Dan had already snaffled a fine chance at mid-off, the first of Stuart's three well-deserved wickets in a powerful opening spell of nine overs.
At the other end, the accurate, crafty medium-pacers of Frank (drafted in from FInchley to help us out as usual) had even Finchley's star player - Aussie youngster Nick - struggling to find his touch.
Sadly, he soon found it, first guiding, then hitting, his team to a big score.
Our ground fielding was nowhere near as sharp as our catching and there was a fair amount of disarray with Finchley stealing singles almost at will. Not good.
Frank, who had pulled off a smart caught and bowled, was reduced to sledging his own fielding side.
He did get some revenge on young Nick.
Brought back by the Skip towards the innings' end (after his own leggies went, well, the way they often do - over the boundary), he bowled Nick on 98.
In reply, Cincers did start well, with Selfish picking off the bad balls along with punishing the odd good one.
Problem was the bowling. They aim at the stumps, these lads.
Hence Test Match's departure early on for 10 after one swung in and messed up his wicket.
Alex B showed his usual languid, left-hand promise until he got one that didn't bounce.
Before that, he also got one from Selfish - a hammered straight drive that hit him on the hand and left him sprawling at the non-striker's end.
Dazed and confused, all he could hear was a yell of 'Get up and run!' as Selfish belted down the wicket, clearly outraged that Alex had stopped him getting a four.
Dan struck one mighty straight six before also perishing to a grubber and heads went down when Selfish was caught and bowled for 48.
The heads went back up again when Stuart arrived, even though JP and Jack (first game for him and it's July! Censured!) had just come and gone fairly cheaply.
He played some great shots, first with Alex W as a partner and then with the Skip.
Just when we started to hope, he holed out.
Abid and the Skip looked as though they would hold out with about eight overs left but the Skip played too early and popped one up for silly mid-off catch (one of his favourite dismissals, that. Complilation video to follow).
Frank, who had been fielding for the oppo (did I mention they only had nine players? Better not), was out first ball. No sledging at that point. All over.
We ended up 51 runs short.
Some stats: Stuart 3 for 28 off 9, Frank 2 for 38 off 10, Tim 1 for 40 off 7, Abid 0 for 38 off 5, Selfish 1 for 30 off 3 and the Skip 0 for 25 off 2.
Other batting: Alex B 15, Dan 12, JP 4, Jack 4, Alex W 14, the Skip 9, Frank 0 and Abid 0 not out.
:: Our picture shows a plate of delicious brownies pausing for breath on their way to Greenwich Park on Sunday.

Monday 21 June 2010

Selfish goes on strike at the crease but Cincers still thump Saints by 166 runs


Selfish turned militant union shop steward at the crease yesterday to down tools in a first-ever strike by a Cincinnati batsman.
The Welsh (batting) wizard was left fuming after his first century of the season (well, first for a couple of years, to be honest) apparently went unnoticed by scorer Rockie.
The one-over dispute mattered little on a day when Cincers racked up the runs - 252 for 2 off 35 - to humble opponents London Saints who could only muster 86 in reply.
Saints arrived with grim memories of previous encounters with our opening batting partnership of Selfish and Test Match.
They didn't disappoint.
The 100 partnership came up in the 19th over, with both looking impregnable but with Selfish especially plundering the accurate but gentle Saints attack.
But as Simon neared (reached? passed?) his century mark, controversy erupted.
Despite the Skip sharpening the scorebook pencil before start of play at Dulwich on Sunday, Graham was accused of missing a trio of Bevan boundaries.
Result? Selfish raised his bat to mark his 100 to be met by confused looks from Rockie who had him on only 85.
Outraged, Bevan balloted himself on strike action and then played out an entire over without scoring a run.
The industrial action was lifted only after ACAS, sorry, the Skipper politely asked Selfish to return to work.
But the strike upset Test Match's rythym and he was promptly bowled for an impressive 57.
Shortly after that, Selfish grudgingly celebrated his 'official' 100 but then cheered up and sportingly retired on 104 approx. not out.
However, he later discovered that Rockie had marked it down as 'retired out'. That won't help his average.
On a coolish day, Cincers, who'd won the toss, pressed on. Test Match was bowled for an impressive 57 to leave us on 167 for 1.
But Tom and Asim - borrowed from BK - provided the fireworks to add 73 off the last five overs.
Tom went berserk with a bat borrowed off Cincers' Naveed to whack 47, including a towering six that clobbered the portable scoreboard.
Saints got off to a slow but steady start but Abid, opening up, soon made inroads - to begin with, thanks to a blistering catch at gully by Tom.
From then on, the wickets came steadily with Abid finishing on three for 16 off 7 (including a sharp catch by Naveed to dismiss the Skip's mate John).
Rockie took 2 for 30 off 7 but were the Scorebook Gods punishing him when JP missed a skier which would have given him a third wicket? Probably.
The Skip risked a nosebleed by returning figures of 3 for 15 off 5, including two in two - including one 'hit wicket'. New keeper Afzal also took a smart stumping for the Skip's third when Hasan (technically on our books but playing for Saints) came down the wicket.
Just before the end, Test Match's Amy arrived with freshly-baked brownies to power Cincers over the finishing line.
It was all over after 24 overs.
Other bowling figures: Naveed 1 for 1 off 2, Asim 1 for 2 off 2 and Sean - making his Cincers bowling debut - a nervous but brave 0 for 18 off 1.
Thanks to Saints for a great day.
:: Pictured above - our batting trio of Tom, Test Match and Selfish with the (dented) scoreboard.

Monday 14 June 2010

Cincers come up short after no-show by three players and Vice-Skip gets toothache

Cincinnati fell 41 runs short yesterday in a thrilling encounter with the old enemy, BK.
In a high-scoring game at Greenwich Park, Selfish scored a blistering 66 - probably his quickest 50 yet for Cincers - while Adam showed again he's a class bat with a cultured 55.
But the match ended when Ed was run out to one of the Skip's trademark suicide singles - the 'I've hit it so it's a run' reflex which has cut short many a stay at the crease.
But the game only went ahead with the generosity of BK after three of our men simply failed to show.
We knew we'd be down to 10 as JP had toothache.
We didn't know that Adnan, Khan and a new player would not turn up.
Just before the toss, they were supposed to be on their way but it was never quite clear if they were on their way to Greenwich Park.
BK had very kindly loaned us fielders and eventually turned the game into a nine-a-side as the three musketeers never materialised.
The Skip lost the toss and BK's Max opted to bat in a 40-over contest.
Cincers actually took the field with six players as Sudeep had also been held up.
Big Jim, making his debut for the season (hello, mid-June!) was immediately on the spot but without luck.
Ed opened up at the other end and soon had BK opener Simon LB (for the second time, some thought!).
But BK were soon piling on the runs at an impressive rate - partly helped by our depleted bowling resources.
Fielder Ripal took a fine catch off Selfish to remove opener Asim.
Enter the Skip's flighted leggies for what proved a traditional spell of carnage and lost hopes.
He was of the opinion - i.e. threatened to go to judicial review - that he had Gaurav banged to rights for LB. It wasn't given. Boundaries then flowed.
Tom came on and stemmed the tide, and Selfish put paid to Gaurav (for 50) with a nice slower ball.
But BK's Ferhan (56) and Pete (42) still plundered the runs until Pete departed for his classic red mist dismissal against the Skip - stumped smartly by Adam.
BK finished on an impressive 253 for 7 off 40 with Selfish the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 20 off 8. Bit expensive for him.
Ed bowled very well - before his arm went - with 1 for 34 off 6 and Sudeep coming on towards the end for his first Cincers' spell had 1 for 14 off 2.
The rest of us went round the park a bit.
Even Jim - 0 for 49 off 8. Tom had 1 for 59 off 8 and the Skip's figures were 1 for 64 off 8. Miserly for him.
A fine tea - burgers from BK and rather nice spot of cake from Jim's wife Lucy - followed.
Selfish then tucked into BK's bowling with a vengeance. The pick of his shots was a glorious extra-cover drive and a straight drive that would have taken out the Skip umpiring had it not hit the non-striker's stumps.
Tom, opening up with Selfish, was left almost a spectator.
Cincers creamed past the 50 mark well on course until Simon was undone by a ball which lifted sharply.
The old adage - get one, get two - came true when Sudeep popped one up first ball to BK's Simon at short mid-wicket.
Tom perished for 12 before Adam and Jim settled in to give BK some serious stick.
That included a towering six from the big man before he was bowled leg stump.
JIm left confessing he had 'pre-meditated' the shot.
The batmen borrowed from BK were suitably Irish given the Skip's ancestry.
One - Keith - even comes from the same Ballinasloe neck of the woods as the Skip's forebears.
May be that's why he went for a duck but Sean - playing only his third innings ever - got 19, including a mighty six.
Adam eventually went to a sharp caught and bowled. When Sean went too, it left Cincers 51 runs short with only the last pair - Ed and the Skip - at the crease.
They put on 10 before the afore-mentioned daft single.
Cincers closed on 212 for 8 (all out) off 33.3 - not a bad effort, all considered.
Thanks again to BK for allowing the game to go ahead.
The moral of the day?
We're doing ourselves no favours by struggling to get players - even many so-called regulars - every week.
It's a cricket team, chaps, not just a social club.
Use it or lose it.

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Batting heroes Alex and Adam put Actors to the sword as the Ham sun shines on Cincers

Cincinnati notched up a fine win this weekend over Actors Anon in the first of our two encounters this year.
Not even Actors' demon opening bowler Sanjeev could prevent Cincers reaching 197 for 6 off 35 after we won the toss and batted first at Ham.
It didn't start well.
Test Match got a unplayable ball from Sanjeev which took the glove. He went for a duck.
The always unpredictable Ham wicket continued in a very nasty fashion with some of the best shots from Selfish and number three Alex B being their leaves.
Apart, that is, from an classic, lofted straight drive with which Alex deposited rival skipper Jamie over the ropes.
Selfish was just getting into his stride - two fours off consecutive balls - when, like Test March, he too copped a vicious lifter and was caught behind.
He walked. 'Thanks, Bat,' chorused Actors.
JP arrived and began the recovery with Alex, before drilling one to a fielder..atonishingly, in a backward point, gully-type position. Odd, that.
Enter Adam S, full of confident, 'got to be done' attitude.
What followed won us the match - a stand of 93 with Alex and Adam even seeing off the return of Sanjeev...to the relief of the Vice-Skip and new man James waiting to come in.
Adam had no idea he'd reached his maiden 50 for Cincers. Hence the sheepish flick of the bat by way of bemused acknowledgement of the cheers and applause from team mates.
Earlier, Alex had arrived at his first half-century for the club, achieved with first use of his new Salix bat.
Was it properly knocked in?
'It is now,' said Alex.
Right on cue, the Skip's aunt and uncle arrived - complete with opera glasses for Auntie, - to see him stride to the crease after Adam got out for 53.
Two overs, one ball left.
So what does he do with the first ball? Leaves it.
The opera glasses wobbled.
But in the next over, the Skip for once got runs in front of square, a cover drive for three through the ring of Actors who'd all come in expecting the traditional dribble round the corner for a streaky one. That'll learn 'em.
The shock of the shot took its toll on Alex. He was caught behind for 57, leaving James and the Skip to scramble a few and take us to 197.
After tea, Actors survived a few early chances and sadly, Max - returning after a long lay-off for injury - pulled up after just two overs.
Tim replaced him.
It was Sam who struck first, courtesy of a brilliant diving - or was it tripping? - catch by Alex W.
Then the Vice-Skip took a fine catch at gully, also off Sam.
Tim struck in a fine spell to remove the number 4 but the key wicket came when Sam bowled Sanjeev who had carved his way in fine style to 29.
Meanwhile, the Skip's first over ended in traditional fashion - a trio of boundaries and instant retreat.
Selfish replaced him, much to the frustration of Actors who couldn't get him away.
He finished on 2 for 8 off 7. Show off.
Alex W was given a spin at the other end. Among the wides and odd no ball, he shipped down a few of highly sharpish deliveries. Memo to coach Frank - one to work on for the winter.
In the meantime, Sam took a fine high catch at mid-on off Selfish.
The Skip brought himself back on after Alex and brought proceedings to a close - partly by combining with Test Match who caught the non-striker several miles out of his crease with a brilliant stop and calmly tossed the ball to the bowler who whipped the bails off.
There was also a couple of late wickets for the Skip's leggies, one caught at point by James and a juggling, almost-dropped caught-and-bowled.
No matter that one of the batsman was fresh out of knee surgery and could hardly walk. They all count.
Actors finished on 143 all out off 30.5 overs.
A fine game played in the usual Actors/Cincers'competitive spirit, including some sledging of umpire Andy by Alex W after a series of wides and no-balls were called.
Other bowling figures: Sam 3 for 39 off 7, Test Match 1 for 22 off 7, Alex W 0 for 29 off 5 and the Skip 2 for 16 off 2.5.

Caribbean smash 250-plus but storm clouds come to Cincinnati's aid at Greenwich Park

One day, we'll beat them.
But for now, thank god for that late downpour that meant Cincers' first game against Caribbean for two years was abandoned.
When the rains came, we were perilously perched on 66 for 6 off 17.1 overs, chasing Caribbean's 268 for 9 off 35 overs at Greenwich Park.
That was gentle for them. Longer-serving Cincers are still scarred by the 375 for 5 off 40 Caribbean hit a few years back at Sevenoaks Weald.
But even this time (May 16), Caribbean started as they meant to go. Our first ball, or may be the second, disappeared for four.
The barrage continued even as the wickets fell.
Sam finished with 3 for 41 off 7 while Tom stepped up to the plate after the Skip bowled one over of juicy full tosses, took pity on the passers-by and took himself off.
Tom got 3 for 33 off 6 - highly respectable given the opposition.
Ed chipped in with a wicket as did new boy Khan with 1 for 38 off 7.
The tea that followed was heavy on the pork pies (from Ocado, caterer to the Skip who was providing his first spread ever).
But sadly, not heavy enough as Caribbean looked nimble in the field and hungry for wickets.
Selfish and Tom started like the proverbial train. Then both were derailed.
JP was run out for a duck, new boy Adnan was bowled for nought and Adam S holed out for 13......hooking.
'Got to be done,' he chirped to batting partner the Skip as he departed.
Er, why?
All that remained was for the Skip himself, a fine judge of his off stump, to leave one.
The off stump survived. Pity about the middle one, though.
Then it rained. Chucked it down. Deluge.
Thank you, Lord.

Craig nets record-breaking wicket haul but Cincers still crash on wicket from hell

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days.
It was certainly the worst of pitches, a threadbare, sandy outfield and a diabolical track served up by the rather pricey Regent's Park.
But Craig bowled himself into the club record books with an astonishing spell that completely bamboozled our old rivals BK and restricted them to just 128 all out.
On a freezing, cloud-covered day (May 9), the Yorkshireman took every single wioket to fall to a bowler, the other one being a run-out (BK had only 10 men).
But somehow, somehow, we contrived to lose.
BK's Max won the toss and opted to bat. Stuart, back from his long exile, and Test Match bowled tight, hostile spells without success. One chance went down when new man Alex W spilled a sharp one.
(Alex with his trademark quick fag before, after and sometimes during the action is picking up the mantle of the much-missed John Burgess).
BK were well over the 50 mark for no loss when Craig took his first wicket.
What followed will probably never be repeated in Cincers' history.
Apart from a run-out, he took the lot, five clean-bowled's, two caught's and one fine stumping from keeper (and fellow Tyke) JP.
But it wasn't over for the shell-shocked BK-ers.
Craig marched off and promptly told the bemused scorers to remove three runs from his figures, insisting they were leg byes.
The result: 8 for 20 off 7 overs, eclipsing even Test Match's stunning 7 for 56 off 15.2 overs at Whitstable in 2008.
One difference, though - in the Kent match, Test Match won us the game in a thrilling one-run victory.
In Regent's Park, Cincers miserably failed to do Craig's performance justice and were all out for 102 off 28 overs, with only a very late rally holding up BK.
Stuart batted superbly for his 30 not out, Alex W got 10 and last man Craig stubbornly held out for several overs to give Cincers faint hope of victory.
But earlier, not one of the top order reached double figures.
The Vice-Skip got a brute of a first ball while the Skip, normally capable of sticking around, was triggered LB by the Vice-Skip.
Cue a bad-tempered departure by the Skip whose mood as an umpire later one was not enhanced by JP shouting to Stuart and Alex 'Come on, lads, we can still do this!'
We ended 26 runs short.
Sorry, Craig.

Six-hitting Sinclair and BK's Pete get Cincers off to a winning start over West XI

Cincers began the 2010 season in winnning style last weekend (OK - this report is a month late so use your imagination) with a triumph over our traditional opening opponents, West XI.
A chilly day at a new ground for both of us in Walthamstow began with the Skipper losing the toss and Cincers being put into bat in a 35-over match.
A decent batting line-up, with Selfish and Test Match opening up, looked poised to begin in classic Cincinnati style.....an early innings collapse that left us teetering on 59 for 5 off 17 overs.
Selfish, Test Match, new man Tarang and Tom all departed cheaply, leaving Pete - borrowed for the day - the only hope of a competitive total.
Enter the Skip with his full array of shots (forward defence and leave, anyone? Plenty to spare).
The unlikely combination of Pete's biffing and the Skip's nurdling brought up the first 50 stand of the year until Pete went for 34.
When the Skip went soon after for a monumental 11 and new man Sudeep holed out at mid-wicket, it was left to Ed Sinclair (back after a couple of seasons off with injury) and Sam to take us on.
Selfish, whose scoring had been largely confined to pencil and scorebook, then 'advised' the Skip to tell the lads to take it easy as there were several overs left.
'OK,' said Ed respectfully before hitting one of the non-Jim biggest sixes in the club's history - right over mid-wicket, sending a snoozing Test Match scampering for cover among the kitbags.
Ed finished up on 29, Sam on 16 and Cincers had somehow got to 170 all out off 32 overs.
West XI looked confident but they have a history of early season batting traumas. Why else do we play them in mid-April?!
Early breakthroughs by Sam and Ed were followed by a swing master-class from Test Match who took 4 for 12 off 3 before the Skip took him off to give someone else a go.
So no five for then...
Rick Bullock, another loaning from BK for the day, took two wickets for 11 and West XI were all done and dusted at 97 all out off 22.4 overs.
They want to play us later in the season next year wjem they've warmed up. Spoilsports.
* Other bowling figures: Sam 2 for 23 off 6, Ed 1 for 13 off 4, Craig 1 for 22 off 4, the Skip 0 for 11 off 3.