Bad light prevents looming victory
Walker Cricket Ground, Southgate, 9/19/2010
Match abandoned [bad light]
Strongroom: 179-8 [O.Moore 42]
London Nigerians: 127-8
View the Scorecard
It was a shame London Nigerians arrived late and that the game started at 2:30pm, not least because this is one of our favourite fixtures but it also meant with darkness descending at 7pm that we had to abort the match with Strongroom looking good to win by some margin.
I won the toss and batted first on a good looking surface on our first visit to the Walker ground in Southgate. The tall, willowy figure of Joshua was also a new sight for our openers, and he worked up a good pace and achieved some awkward bounce, eventually proving too sharp for Marty’s hook shot which popped up for an easy catch (in this his final Strongroom appearance). Oliver Moore [42] and Dave Gower [34] then steadied the innings, with both batsmen looking in good touch. Solomon and Mak didn’t quite bowl to their usual high standard, but newcomers Malik and Hassan both proved to be competitive performers, and Hassan eventually turned one enough to end Oliver’s fluent innings. Dave G then smacked one straight back to Solomon in an effort to raise the run rate, but Tom Henderson [26] was already purring along in his inimitable style, and whilst he and Ujjal were together it seemed that runs would result – especially from their quick running between they wickets. However, Tom was run out in a tight call, and the lower order failed to deliver much in the final overs, apart from Joe who again showed his ability [22*].
We legged it over to the pavilion for some sandwiches and hot chips, then legged it back to the pitch to get the second innings started, with the light already failing.
Marty and Ujjal again delivered their usual high standard fare, and clean bowled the top three batsmen, with Ujjal’s bendy inswinger accounting for danger-men Solomon and Sam. Big Mak [34] proved a harder nut to crack though, and as long as his bulky presence was felt there was always a chance that he could biff his team to victory. Paddy bowled well in his new position as 1st change, claiming two scalps, and Joe bowled another tight spell but was very unlucky not to take any wickets. Finally Mak departed trying to hammer one from Proctor through midwicket, but as we approached 7pm the ‘light’ soon gave way to a deep gloom, and we had no option but to call an end to what was a near certain victory.
This was Marty Newkirk’s final game for Strongroom – this after two seasons in which he has hugely impressed us all with his batting, bowling, fielding and generally being a top bloke. He will be much missed.
Written By: J.Gower
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