Below-par BK blitzed by Cincers as Shebash and Tom spurn the singles for boundaries

BK's long run of victories over Cincers ended in dramatic fashion at Greenwich Park today.
New signing Shebash and Tom blew the old enemy's under-strength attack apart in a hail of fours and sixes - one of them which even Big Jim would have been proud of.
On an unseasonally (this being summer and all) hot and sunny Sunday, Cincinnati actually managed to field 11 players.
Well, 13 actually, if you count Cincers' Dan and his three-month-old son Jack who turned up to watch us.
But BK could only muster seven.
They were hampered by various regulars shunning the real cricket for something called the Test Match at Lord's.
We lent them one (James, 'volunteered' by the Skip) but that still left BK two down on us.
The toss was won by the Skip who invited BK to sample the delights of Mohammad Asif steaming in.
Mohammad was only playing for us after the thwarting of an outrageous bid to pinch him by Cincers' semi-regular Abid for his own league side. Disgraceful!
The dispute, though, seemed to have taken its toll.
The seamer's radar was wonky and he bowled a fair few wides until a sharpish one pitched up outside off bounced and took the edge of opener Hassan.
Keeper Kevin made no mistake behind the stumps.
Nine for one.
The bounce probably took the batsman by surprise on this pitch, another dreadfully low, slow Greenwich Park track.
At the other end, Test Match was finding swing but no luck in a tight opening spell.
The big breakthrough, when it came, was thanks to Shebash.
Cincers' James, batting tidily at three for BK, clipped one of Richard's off-spinners to mid-off for what looked like an easy single.
But after a fatal hesitation from talented non-striker Farhan, Shebash threw fast and hard to keeper Kevin who calmly collected and whipped the bails off.
Richard claimed a slice of the glory. 'There's always a wicket in my first over,' he chirped.
Anyhow, a key wicket. 49 for two.
Meanwhile, latest Cincers' debutant Charlie Barker, a mate of Test Match's, had entered the fray.
He had kicked off with the odd loosener.
But the over after the run out, James's promising innings was ended when Charlie shivered his off-stick. 49 for three.
James had notched up 14, quite an improvement on his two innings for Cincers so far (both ducks). May he should play against us more often!
At the other end, BK's Dan's sweep shot against Richard went wrong and he had his stumps re-arranged. 56 for 4.
With Charlie clattering another BK wicket, the oppo stood at a perilous 58 for 5.
But hell, the Skipper hadn't had a bowl recently so on he came with his loopy (read it as you will) leggies with Rockie doing his meerkat immitation at the other end with his in-duckers.
Cincers was sharp today, not just with Shebash but with Charlie whose arm is going to be an asset to the team (if Abid doesn't try to poach him, that is!)
BK had put on another 18 when batsman Imran tried one too many cross-bat shots.
He fell LBW to the Skip. 76 for 6.
Last wicket pair Seb and Adrian, though, stuck around.
Even though the odd ball from the Skip did something unusual (i.e. spun) and Rockie bowled a very tight spell, the duo racked up a useful 30.
Eight of them came from one incident-packed over from Tom - so incident-packed that the bowler claimed one of his turned clean off the pitch. It's shown as a wide in the scorebook.
On 106, though, Seb darted forward to one of the Skip's trademark flights of fancy outside off, missed and was smartly stumped by Kevin.
Tea was served up by Test Match - a veritable feast of pasta, pizza, home-made sponge cake and brownies of course. Delicious.
Needing 107 off the full 35 overs, Cincers opened up with Shebash and Ali.
Despite a couple of early fours, Ali couldn't repeat his rapid 40-odd of a fortnight ago.
May be he was feeling unwell. He actually left one delivery outside off.
Eventually, he played on to BK opener Hassan. 12 for one.
Test Match has been in a rich vein of form for weeks but BK's opener Andrew ended it today.
He trapped him LBW even though he had got well forward. 19 for two.
A distraught Test Match then locked himself in the pavilion for 15 minutes, ostensibly for 'security reasons' while he had a shower.
Depleted they might have been but with Test Match gone, BK started to hope that once again, they were going to put one over on Cincers.
We'd also lent them a fielder (Charlie and then Ali) so they had nine on the pitch.
But the Shebash/Tom partnership soon crushed any victory dreams BK had.
Tom hit one extraordinary forward defensive-style six to the long-off boundary off Hassan who until then, had bowled very tightly.
But it was Shebash who stole the show.
The strokesman hit 46 in boundaries, six fours and three sixes.
One mighty blow to long-on off spinner Imran cleared the scoreboard, the spectators and almost the tarmac path before disappearing on only the second bounce into the flower beds on the other side of the pavilion.
As the end approached, the two batsmen started spurning the singles in favour of smashing the boundaries.
In the 21st over, Shebash put BK out of their misery and finished the game with a four.
A fine innings, ably partnered by Tom.
But thanks also to BK for sportingly playing the match with men short.
* Picture shows Dan and son Jack (overcome with emotion at our victory) with (left to right) new recruit Charlie, Test Match, Rockie and Tom.
** Next match - next Sunday (July 31) v SLICC at Haydons Road, Wimbledon.

Soaked Cincers drown in Whitstable as Labour Club six-hitters storm to victory

We all need an excuse. Cincers' get-out yesterday v Whitstable Labour Club was the weather.
The Skip won the toss and chose to bat in bright sunshine...that lasted about 15 minutes.
Thereafter, rain. Fine drizzle, then heavy, then drizzle. Plus a howling gale.
Despite all that, the runs flowed.
Sadly, not for newcomer James who was skittled for a duck.
But he was an emergency opener. Test Match was calmly munching a sandwich in the changing room as the innings began.
Cincers' time-keeping was pretty hopeless as usual but happily for us, the Labour Club's was even worse.
They took the field with six players, with the others rolling up here and there.
The early gaps came in handy as Test Match finally joined the Skip at the crease with one wicket down.
The duo like batting at Radfall.
A few years back, they put on Cincers' first century partnership.
Yesterday, the Skip's luck was in again as his flicks off the pads and late cuts helped him keep pace with Tim.
Test Match is in a rich vein of fame, averaging about 70 in recent innings.
One upper cut for four off Labour Club's quickie left-armer stuck firm in the memory.
All the while, the rain kept falling.
With the score on 82 or thereabouts, the Skipper was bowled for 37 (six boundaries included. Nosebleeds all round).
The 82 was off about 18 overs, though as we always play time games in Radfall, none of us seemed to know how good that was.
Enter Moyners who thumped a trademark extra-cover drive for four and then walked straight off.
With all the others.
It was hammering it down.
An hour's interruption, including an early tea, followed.
It was about 4.25pm when Cincers retook the field.
The Skip, by now umpiring, was working on declaring about 5pm, giving Whitstable about the same number of overs as us.
Test Match duly passed his 50 to no applause or apparent interest from the watching Cincers
(Later, we were not great at keeping the scoreboard up to date. Didn't help the batsmen or the Skip trying to calculate when to declare).
In the end, rain ended the innings.
We came off on an impressive 172 for 3 off 30.3 overs, with Test Match on 76 not out and Moyners departing for a quick 38.
Labour Club started with intent, with one of the Wicks brothers carving us straight and wide.
Rockie, gamely opening up with Test Match, got him in the end.
But the opposition were keeping well up with a run rate not far shy of 6 an over.
One over cost us as one of Labour Club's left-handers plundered two towering sixes.
At the other end, Test Match steamed in for an uninterrupted spell of 14 overs.
He did not repeat his epic 7 for 57 off 15 (if memory serves me) which gave us a fantastic victory several years ago at Radfall.
But he snaffled three wickets with some fine swing-inners and outers.
One was a sky-high steepler caught by brother Jack behind the stumps after the Skip and Roger (playing his annual match for us) wisely didn't yell 'mine' from their respective fielding positions.
We Lancastrians know our place...and our catching ability.
Jack's keeping throughout was top-notch.
That'll be because he's playing regularly for us this year (hint, hint, Jack!)
Richard H, in his second game for Cincinnati, got a wicket first ball (sharply pouched by Moyners who clearly mistook the ball for a chocolate muffin).
Stephen Wright, gracing the side with a rare appearance, trundled in and kept the rate down.
Fielding was pretty good, with James and the Skip saving runs with sharp stops and return throws (James has a great arm).
Roger and Richard put their bodies on the line in boundary saving dives, oblivious to the subsidence implications for the pavilion.
Sadly, Mark, Cincers' founding captain and celebrating his 52nd birthday yesterday, got shunted out of first slip to mid-wicket shortly before two sharp chances flashed that way.
But Labour Club's Paddy and skipper Richard put together a fine partnership which took them over the line with an over or two before the closure.
A fine game, played in the usual competitive 'esprit' (getting ready for the French tour, lads) against hospitable hosts.
Could we have won it? Yes, with a bowler or two more and 11 men (we had 10 after a no-show from someone called Alex W).
But what the hell, let's blame the weather.

Selfish returns to steady the ship and give Cincers dramatic victory over Actors

Another week, another struggle to field a side with only three Cincers who played last year in this weekend's side v Actors at Greenwich Park.
But no matter. New signing Mohammad Asif followed up his July 10 debut at Hampstead Heath to help blow away Actors top order after we lost the toss.
Actors were reduced to 43 for 5, with Selfish Simon turning the screw with his whippy seamers (he took two wickets).
Actors new Kiwi strokesman Simon Wood restored their fortunes by biffing 52 (much of them courtesy of another buffet bowling performance by the Skip) to give the visitors a chance of something to defend.
But for a brilliant direct hit run-out by Sam Ladbury, Wood would have taken Actors to a lot more than the 125 they did get off 25.3 overs.
Along the way, another new recruit - Richard Hadlow - took a debut wicket with his offies.
Being Greenwich, the bounce was, er, variable. Actors skipper Jamie got a grubber that doubtless saved us quite a few runs.
For the record, Mohammad had us all cheering as he shattered one Actor's stumps to take his fifth wicket, with the celebrations broken only by the call of 'No Ball' from the umpire.
In reply to Actors, Cincers fielded a new opening partnership of Shebash and Ali (mates of Mohammad and all courtesy of Sean Moloney bumping into one of the cricket-hungry lads in a shop in Blackheath).
Shebash looked good but did not last while James, yet another new boy, also came and went quickly.
But Ali, using a borrowed bat, drove Actors to distraction...literally. Anything on his legs was whipped mercilessly to the boundary.
As he rattled up a score, Selfish (who had opted to drop down to four) settled in.
He looked a bit rusty but then the new father isn't playing that often this season.
But one punched off-drive that hit the tree on the boundarybefore the bowler had finished his follow-through showed us he hasn't lost it.
The Skip is always open to pleas so when Sam politely asked to bat up the order at five, he got his wish.
With Ali undone by low bounce (he scored 43), you'd have thought all Sam needed to do was keep Simon company, with plenty of overs to come and only 60-odd needed.
As if.
An almighty heave off what was only his fourth or fifth ball ended Sam's brief stay at the crease.
Thankfully, Dee - playing his third game for us - steadied the team's nerves.
He scored 21, helping to take Cincers to 107 before he was caught behind.
Just 19 to win and three wickets left (both sides only had 10 men) and plenty of overs to spare... so no problem.
Er, think again.
New man Richard was out first ball and the Skip, who at least can normally stodge for Britain at the death, decided to late cut to first slip. Oh dear.
Keeper Kevin Powley - who some old-time Cincers might remember used to keep for old opponents Blackheath Select - was the last man in.
As he watched Mohammad stride out to bat at 9, Kevin gulped and muttered: 'Are we really going to lose this?'
'Probably,' we all thought quietly.
We didn't. Mohammad held firm. Selfish and he got us over the line with 13 overs to spare (22 overs gone, not 27 as stated in my text message).
A great game played in the usual spirit against sporting and long-established opponents.
By the way, Simon finished on 46 - just shy of yet another Selfish half-century.
As Rockie might say, result all round then!

Six-hitting Cincers brought low by Bedford Row in injury time on Hampstead Heath

A classy 68 from Test Match, six-hitting heroics from Richard de Q, Jack and Behzad plus a fine bowling spell from new signing Mohammad left Cincers just three wickets from victory over Bedford Row.
So enter the Skip to bowl the penultimate over...and blow it!
Dot ball, wicket! and then two fours took Bedford over the finishing line with just eight balls to go.
Heads went down but not for long as this was a great game, especially as nearly half the Cincinnati line-up were newcomers.
The venue at 'The Extension' on Hampstead Heath was the scene of a memorable Cincers' triumph over Bedford a few years back (oh Jim, where have you gone!)
This time, with a depleted line-up (10 men v Bedford's 11) and only six men on the ground at the start of play, we were kindly given the option to bat first.
Test Match (aka Tim R) opened up with the Skip volunteering to join him ...only to remember the tall guy pacing his run-up was Bedford quickie Idnan. Gulp.
Sadly, the guy at the other end was arguably even harder to score off.
Result? A painfully slow opening stand off three for 0 off four overs (all runs wides).
It was only when the Skip actually tried to hit the ball that he got out...for six in about the eight over. Score: 30 for 1.
Enter Abid, armed with his trusty bat and usual bagfuls of advice for anyone who'd listen.
A stand of 62 was the result but with Cincers needing to get a move on post a competitive total against Bedford's strong batting line-up.
Behzad, who made his debut against London Saints in June, smashed one glorious six then lost his off stump.
Test Match strode on, passing 50 but then went for one boundary too many and was bowled.
That left Jack and Richard de Q to light the fireworks.
Playing his best at the crease for many an innings, Jack posted 24 - including a superb maximum over long on. Shot of the season so far.
Hockney expert Richard had Bedford's bowlers tearing their hair out as he smashed three sixes and an extraordinary four to square on the off-side off a near full-toss.
Even so, we needed 39 extras from Bedford to post 194 for six off 35 - a decent total but with unknown bowlers to come, may be not enough against Bedford.
We were also hampered in the field after Dee did his groin in going for a quick single (may have been the one that got Jack run out. Can't remember).
New recruit Jon Reed opened up the bowling, with 1 for 13 off three but hung his head in shame when his wicket came off a double-bouncer.
Fellow newboy Zeeshan looked good till he broke down in his second over, leaving Abid to take up the strain.
Bedford were always up with the rate, with skipper Richard Sharpe dealing in boundaries with close support from partners Dom and Sunil.
As they racked up the runs, it was more than just wounded pride for Cincers.
Keeper Jack took a fearful blow to the face standing up to brother Test Match's off-spinners.
He had to leave the field for a few overs.
While he was off, stand-in keeper Zeeshan took a blinding catch to dismiss Richard Sharpe for 42 - a vital break-through.
Richard de Quintal's quick skidders accounted for two Bedford men but no-one expected newcomer Mohammad to deliver the game almost into Cincers' hands.
Coming on a fourth change, the bowler (found by Cincers' man Sean Moloney, for the record) steamed in a very lively pace to finish with 2 for 10 off seven (both wickets clean-bowled).
So what went wrong?
Well, we needed just one or two more bowlers to keep it tight.
Instead, the Skip went for glory. The rest was history...
(Game played on Sunday, July 3)