Mitch and Mellor in the same team = victory!
Turney Rd., Dulwich, 8/20/2017
Strongroom won by 60 runs
Strongroom: 272-6 [M.Nicholson 71, G.Dixon 46*]
Gardeners: 212
View the Scorecard
Won toss and batted first. Lovely day. We had a strong batting team - and for the only time ever some planets were aligned, and Mitch and Mellor featured in the same team! Mitch and Tim were both in supreme touch, and got the innings off to a fine start. Eventually were out edging full pitched balls to gully. From thereon, everyone chipped in, particularly Grant who played an absolute blinder - his best Strongroom innings yet, complete with high energy stroke-making and typically frenetic batting! One shot stood out - a flat pull for 6 off Cunningham. Grant needed 6 off the last ball to get 50, but was stopped only by an amazing catch over the boundary - the shot was heading for 6, only for a Gardeners fielder to skilfully leap and slap it back inside the boundary to make it only one run. Riaz predicted we would get to 270 with about 8 overs to go - it turned out to be a good prediction. No one was clean bowled, there only one lbw shout, and all our batsmen were caught trying to accelerate proceedings. Gardeners produced a mixed bowling effort, but with Mitch and Tim in top form they had a tough task. Struthers was the pick, and stuck to a naggingly intelligent length. Gardeners also dropped some easy catches, and Grant rode his luck...but as often is the way, he also made it. Mellor played sensibly on his return and actually played second fiddle to Grant in his merry romp.
Boring tea.
I decided to open our bowling with 16 overs of spin - Riaz and Tim. Riaz snared Woodhouse, but at 75-1 off 16, Cunningham was still a danger. Riaz beating him regularly, and really.deserved his wicket. Tim bowled tidily and offered some nice flight. We fielded badly, including some weird mistakes - myself, Grant and Riaz all dropped sitters. With the pace bowlers, Mellor (as always!) and Grant were impressive and kept attacking the stumps. Then Hem and Julian (Comedy Store doorman on Strongroom debut), picked up two each with their wobbly medium pace. For a while rain threatened to rob us of our victory, and so we rushed through our final overs. In the end a run out in the final over secured the victory. This was a decent game, played on a good surface and outfield, with something in it for both batters and bowlers. Finally, I’d like to mention Tim Schneider’s great fielding - the only one!
Written By: J.Gower
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