Pacific pacified
Highgate Wood, 6/30/2012
Strongroom won by 42 runs
Strongroom: 193-6 [D.Proctor 51, Fahim 51*]
Pacific: 151-6
View the Scorecard
Finally we got the chance to play cricket on a beautiful summer's day that turned into a lovely summer evening. And we won, which helped to make this an enjoyable afternoon.
James Schneider remained on his sick bed to leave us with only 10 men, although Guy was able to play for the first 30 mins or so to temporarily boost us to 11. Dave G won the toss and decided to bat. Taking advantage of Guy's presence for a short time we opened with Guy and debutant Tom Simpson. Unfortunately, Tom fell to something of a Highgate grubber (one of the few of the day - the pitch generally played better than it has for yonks) and then Guy bagged a golden by slapping what would have been called a wide to mid-off. Sumer momentarily looked like this was the day he was going to storm past his Highgate best of 19 (one of Strongroom's more shocking statistics that) before holing out injudiciously to mid on. Zak looked good again but chipped to square leg and suddenly Strongroom were in disappointingly familiar 2012 water at 27-4 in the 7th over. The two Daves dropped anchor against some probing Pacific swing and seam, and with the excellent Pacific keeper standing up it was difficult to do more than see us to the 20 overs drinks break at 67-4. Pacific's Bridgett bowled particularly impressively and we were happy that he had bowled out by drinks without causing us even further damage.
The second 20 overs kind of flipped on its head. Dave G got going and moved from 11 off 49 balls to 28 off 57 before being trapped lbw. Fahim, in his first season of competitive hard-ball cricket and Strongroom debut, came out and pushed the rate on further in a second good partnership with Dave P. Dave played yet another superb and crucial middle order innings - steadying the ship and then pushing on. He reached a well-deserved 50 before slashing a full toss to point. One shot was particularly tasty - a straight-batted back foot punch for 4 through extra cover. Fahim also reached 50, but slowed down with his landmark in sight. Joe hit a crisp 21 off 10 balls to ensure that the hard work in the middle order didn't go to waste. Amazing - strongroom batted out their 40 overs at Highgate. At tea we felt pretty happy with 193, though also felt that a few more runs were there for the taking than the 36 accrued in the last 7 overs.
We opened the bowling with our pair of Asifs. Both bowled good opening spells without ever really tying down Pacific's opening pair or looking like a breakthrough was about to come. The decisive phase of the innings came as Joe and Sumer bowled in tandem to keep a lid on the run rate but also pose a greater wicket-taking threat. Bastin fell trying the risky ploy of pulling Joe into tempting gaps in the leg side, and Sumer bowled the other opener by beating the bat repeatedly and eventually getting one to clip the off stump. Pacific's 3 and 4 then put on a decent partnership so that at drinks they were probably at a similar score that we had been at that stage (though with two more wickets in tact).
After drinks Fahim bowled a good spell of full, straight medium pacers that allowed us to keep a few Joe overs back, break up the all-spin attack for a while, and maintain pressure. Dave P took a great tumbling catch at backward square leg as the dangerous Adiyta pull-swept Sumer. It felt like a key wicket at the time and further pressure piled on Pacific as Fahim bowled the number 5 and then Naib was run out. Boorman tried to atone for his involvement in the run out and hit some good blows, but Sumer finished his very tidy spell, and a combination of Asif B (very economical throughout) and Chris West did a good job in threatening to take further wickets. Chris in particular was unfortunate not to pick up a wicket or two.
The game then somewhat drifted to a slightly ragged close as the run rate climbed toward the unrealistic. Strongroom were guilty of losing intensity and focus as we messed up several run out opportunities and indulged in some disappointing misfields. Still, overall it had been a good bowling display. Tom took over wicket keeping duties to save Zak's finger (damaged in the second over) and put in a very good display, including an exuberant stumping off the ever-dependable Joe.
Dave P suggested that Fahim was man of the match, and he certainly played a vital part in the win and bowled well, but this correspondent would give it to Dave P for a superb 50 under real pressure, followed by a lively display in the field, including a smart catch to see the back of one of Pacific's danger men.
This was our first win at home this year. Our new players (Zak, Fahim, Asif B, Asif Z, Tom) have been upbeat, skilled and welcome additions, and we hope they'll play many more games for us. Their team efforts this time around were exemplified by Zak and Asif Z fielding for long periods with bad injuries.
Written By: D.Gower
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