Batting, bowling and fielding bring victory
Highgate Wood, 6/28/2014
Strongroom won by 91 runs
Strongroom: 208-6 [M.Nichsolon 76]
Pecos: 117
View the Scorecard
Pecos were a last-minute opposition, called up to replace Pacific who couldn’t get the numbers together for this fixture.
It drizzled lightly and annoyingly for much of day, but Pecos, refreshingly, were ‘up for it’! I lost the toss, and Pecos put us into bat first. Our opening pair of David Gower (25) and Mitch Nicholson (76) proceeded to put on 120 together, in a fluent partnership. Mitch, in very un-Australian conditions, looked really good, and managed to slot one tremendous straight six with minimum fuss. This veteran-newbie pair were just starting to accelerate when Mitch was deceived and stumped, and soon after Dave G popped one to mid-wicket off the same slow-bowler. I toiled somewhat for 25, in what were increasingly sticky conditions. From 120-0 off 18 overs, we suffered a mini-collapse, and managed just 93 off the final 2 overs. Naeem (27*) stuck at his task in scrabbling valuable runs in the latter stages, and considering the wet conditions, we were quite content with our final 208 off 40 overs. Pecos bowled quite well, but conceded too many extras.
Asif brought us another reasonable tea from Muswell Hill Bakery, and it was strange to eat tea in an otherwise completely empty Highgate Wood (still drizzling!).
Strongroom were blessed with a strong and varied bowling attack, and whilst 3-4 of their batsmen got in, none managed to assert themselves and ever threaten our total.
Asif bowled good lines in his spell, and John Rajeev maintained a full length (eventually) and looked dangerous when he got it right. James Vigar bowled a nice spell on his debut - and what was his first bowl for 16 years! His first wicket came via a great juggling caught and bowled. Joe bowled another great spell and was very hard to get away, with 1-2 deliveries popping up off a length each over. Vinay also bowled another characteristically miserly spell.
David Gower mopped up the Pecos innings with his best-ever Strongroom figures (3-5), aided by a stunning running catch by James Schneider. Mitch was very alert and tidy behind the stumps - giving away just 5 extras. Naeem also took two good catches.
Pecos were magnanimous in defeat, and we would happily play them again in the future.
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