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 26 June 2014

Centurion Shehbaz too hot to handle for Old Fallopians as Cincers (finally) pile on the runs

On a peach of a summer's day came a peach of an innings.
A superb 134 not out from Shehbaz proved just too much for Old Fallopians last Sunday.
The number three helped Cincers to a formidable total of 246 for 7 off 40 overs.
In reply, Old F's - who thumped us last year - crashed to 95 all out off just over 27 overs.
The game, at Greenwich Park, began in highly unusual circumstances.
The Skipper (that's me) won the toss and put us in to bat.
A brave move (courageous? characterful? far-sighted?), given that we only had nine men after two late pull-outs.
But behind the scenes, there'd been lobbying from some Cincers for a chance to bat first, to show that, despite regular batting collapses, we could post a total.
Not that it started that well.
Tim got a brute of a ball and departed early.
That brought Shehbaz out to join Saqib.
The opposition attack was good but we were still going a fair lick.
Then Saqib chanced his arm just once too often and went for 28. The score was 54 for two.
Shehbaz and Ali then put on 59 until Ali was given LB (by umpire Saqib. They spent much of the rest of the afternoon in a free and frank exchange of views on that decision).
We had a new recruit on Sunday, a very pleasant Lancastrian (is there any other sort?) by the name of Phil whose only character flaw seems to be that he once supported Leeds.
Phil, that's on the other side of the Pennines, don't you know?
He didn't score that many but he helped Shehbaz put on an invaluable 44.
When Phil finally departed, Tsawar, Faisal's brother, whacked a breezy 16 in a 42-run partnership with Shehbaz.
There were hiccups.
James W, making a pre-tour appearance, was determined to show he could hit the ball.
And he did. Straight to mid-wicket.
Meanwhile, so determined was the Skip to stop Old F's returning opening bowler from skittling him that he decided to kick the stumps himself. Hit wicket for 1.
It took a Yorkshireman (gritted teeth) to restore sanity, with Craig keeping company with Shehbaz while the latter ran amok, basically.
The star batter added about 20 off the last couple of overs, closing on 134 not out.
Marvellous!
Even so, as already said, Old F's battered us last year with some fine hitting.
So as we tucked into Richard H's tasty vegetarian curry, there was no guarantee we'd got enough on the board.
We needn't have worried.
Ali produced a snorter of an opening spell, snaffling four wickets (including two in two) for just six runs off six overs.
Saqib and Craig (two wickets a piece for not many runs) kept the pressure up superbly while the Skipper chipped in with two at the end.
Behind the stumps, Shehbaz - that man again - kept superbly, taking two stumpings and a fine catch.
All in all, a fine day and a fine win.
Thanks to Old F's for the game and see you next year.
Cincers Man of the Man: Only one contender - Shehbaz.
Game played at Greenwich Park on Sunday, June 22.

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