One wicket remaining, one run to win...
Highgate Wood, 5/4/2013
Strongroom won by 1 run
Strongroom: 151 [Shashi 4-17]
Crouch End: 150 [Faris 93]
View the Scorecard
The build-up to this game had witnessed a couple of weeks of dry weather conditions, and so before the game I was aware that our North London clay-based pitch at Highgate Wood might have hardened and become uneven. And so it was! The surface was rock-hard clay in places, and patches of grass in others. This would unfortunately dominate the game, as very uneven bounce unfortunately provided the theme throughout. Otherwise, it was a gloriously sunny and bright spring day at the Wood, in perfect conditions for cricket, and Dave P was happy to both win the toss and decide to bat first.
Zak (23) and Jimmy (33) opened our innings, and both batsmen played very watchfully and sensibly for the first 15 overs or so, compiling 61 for the 1st wicket. Jimmy was patient at first, but then started to open up and hit on the up over the covers, as he continued his expansive form which he rediscovered in Delhi just a few weeks ago. Zak was very patient, and did a fine job in anchoring us for much of our innings.
Shashi (4-17) was the pick of the Crouch End bowlers, exacting uneven bounce off a persistent and nagging full length. One delivery I went forwards to defend rose near vertically off a length and clanked off my helmet - such was the ridiculous inconsistency in bounce. Upon Jimmy getting out, a cluster of middle-order wickets fell, and at one stage we were struggling to approach 100. However, Proctor and Rahman (both 17) worked the ball around nicely, and helped us towards a more respectable total of 151 - which we felt was pretty decent on this fickle surface. Joe also produced the shot of the day, as he peeled off a sweetly-struck, back-foot forced boundary to the square cover boundary, off what appeared a length ball.
A good tea was once again provided from Muswell Hill Bakery, but alas we forgot to provide any drinks.
Strongroom were quite confident at the start of the Crouch End innings - based on the pitch, but also the relative youth of the opposition. Talented as they clearly were, we felt their inexperience might just give us the advantage when chasing a modest total.
Messrs Gabbay and Rahman opened the bowling, and well as both bowled, the opening bats survived the first 6 overs intact. Alex, however, always seemed less solid in his strokeplay, and eventually he holed out off a miscued cover-drive, neatly pouched by debutant Kiwi Tim Rennie. By this stage, the other opener Faris had already stamped his class upon the proceedings. A young batsman of diminutive stature, he was somewhat reminiscent of a young Tendulkar in his overall poise, balance and strokeplay. He was also (other than Zak for periods of time) the only batsman in the game to truly look comfortable on this surface - which was some testimony to his ability.
Skipper Proctor rotated the bowlers in 3-4 over spells, with a somewhat limited Strongroom bowling attack. Myself and Fahim took some tap at times, whereas Gabbay, Rahman and Proctor settled into a much better length, and asked questions frequently of the batsmen. Infact, this was Proctor’s best spell for a long time, as he fired in sharp, low darts at the base of the stumps. As the innings progressed, wickets fell at fairly regular intervals, but Faris (93) was immovable, and as long as he was there the result seemed to tilt towards their favour. Entering the last 10 overs, the match swung both ways - an expensive over here, a wicket there, and the game converged to a close finish. Finally though, as a result of some canny tactics by DP and myself, we managed to share in the dismissal of Faris - excellently caught by DP at a very straight long-on (specifically placed!) as he attempted to hoist me for a straight 6. This was the game-changer - and suddenly we felt the momentum shift, especially as their lower order was populated by technically correct yet young batsmen.
As the runs required came down to 1 required, and amidst some drama, Fahim was brought onto bowl. A high full-toss was smeared straight to midwicket, but the celebrations were short-lived as the umpire correctly called a no-ball. Was this the turning point against us? Fahim’s next delivery was a full and perfectly directed away-swinger, the batsmen swiped down and the stumps rocked backwards. Game over!
Dave P did a very good job in field placings, and overall I felt we deserved this one for hanging in there and fighting to the end. This had been a great finish to a game, and a young Crouch End team should be commended on their generous team spirit, even after losing so closely at the end.
Written By: J.Gower
|