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.

Thursday 29 August 2013

Test Match - with a little help from the Skip - steers Cincers to season's 2nd victory over Camel

Skittling Camel for just 121, surely this was a game Cincers were never going to lose.
Or was it?
At a nervous 20-odd for 3, with Dee, Saqi and Harry all back in the hutch, it suddenly didn't look that easy.
So it was time to return to a partnership from yesteryear.
Tim R - 'Test Match' - resolute at one end.
And at the other, the Skip - promoting himself (at Harry's suggestion beforehand) - to number five.
Given how feeble the Captain's scoring now is, it remain a bizarre fact of Cincers' history that the club's first-ever opening standing of 100 was....Tim R and him (Whitstable...many moons ago now).
'Don't believe it,' says everyone reading this.
Anyhow, there we were at Hampstead Heath Extension, still needing nearly 100 with all the main batsmen gone apart from opener Tim.
With gallons of overs to go, though, it was tailor-made for the Skip's range of shot (none apart from the judicious leave outside off).
Watchfully, the pair saw off Camel's main bowlng threat and gradually upped the scoring rate.
Well, Tim did.
Rocket-fuelled this partnership wasn't but it took us into the 90s when Dee triggered the Skip for being LB.
He'd scored a humungous 10.
Dee's a qualified umpire so there's no point arguing.
His place in the future batting order, however, is another matter!
Faisal came in and smashed 15 in about four balls before holing out but by then we were nearly there.
We crossed the line with over 10 overs in reserve.
Tim carried his bat to end on 65 not out - a quality innings with as at Charlton Park, barely a chance given.
Earlier, Dee went for a duck while Saqi couldn't reprise his heroics of Ham.
He was given LB for 2 while Harry, after playing one of the shots of the season (a lightning pull to leg) holed out at mid-on next ball.
Our bowling was steady.
Richard could have had three but had to settle for one.
The Skip dropped a straight-forward chance off his bowling and then rubbed salt in the wound by getting three wickets himself (two smart stumpings by Dee and a fine catch by Tim at silly mid-off).
New recruit Ali (who played for Actors the week before) was the star with 3 for 13 off 7.
Thanks to Camel for providing the hospitality and tea for the day.

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