Strongroom’s effort to get back to business dies soggy death
Highgate Woods, 5/26/2007
Match Abandoned due to rain
LBS: 177
Strongroom: 62-4
View the Scorecard
Strongroom rolled up at home eager to move on from the annihilation of the previous week. Dave P won the toss elected to insert LBS to see how they would fare on a mottled track.
Mike Gabbay seemed rejuvenated after beating Strongroom the week before – he bowled an excellent probing opening spell and even seemed to be paying attention most of the time while in the field. He did miss one possible chance over his head off Jolyon and failed to cut off a run or two at fine leg, but generally gave one of his liveliest Strongroom performances in the field, including plenty of curious chatter. His second spell wasn’t quite as polished but he eventually wrapped up the innings and finished with excellent figures.
Jon Gower bowled a mixed opening spell, but he bounded in with his Ryan Sidebottom mop and managed to pick up a couple of wickets. Rich Woolhouse, sporting this season’s reborn, fit, streamlined physique also bowled a good first spell, picking up the valuable wicket of Reddi with a characteristically barking appeal for a leg before. Strongroom were playing good cricket, the fielders uniting to support the bowlers.
Jon was replaced by Strongroom debutant and man of leisure Martin Bowden, who was unlucky to go wicketless as he plied some canny wobble from the top end. Jolyon looked good, picking up two useful middle order wickets. By now, skipper DP was into his swing of rapid bowler rotation – going as far as removing bowlers from the attack when they took a wicket. Fortunately, he didn’t apply this universally, otherwise he might have bowled more than 3 overs himself – he was inexplicably and uncharacteristically wayward and duly punished.
Hem held his nerve well in the face of some exuberant hitting by Vipul and classy strokeplay from Deepak who by some distance played the best innings of the day. DP’s decision to bring Dave G on late as the innings was gaining momentum proved to be inspired as he picked up two consecutive wickets thanks to the wicket-shattering stumping of Pete (who kept pretty tidily throughout). Dave threw away his hat trick opportunity by spilling a return catch after leaping to intercept the trajectory leading to Mike at mid-off.
Mike returned to finish the innings. LBS had batted pretty well and set a tricky target. Strongroom were good in patches, but this was the first time this season that they had to work for 40 overs in the field and they perhaps didn’t quite sustain what they started, or manage to kill LBS off when they had them down.
Tea Report 8/10 Hem’s maiden tea was appreciated by most – healthy portions of chicken biryani served in individual troughs and some good samosas. Very tasty. In the spirit of constructive criticism, the vegetarians weren’t quite so well catered for and it was a little light on sweetmeats, but a highly promising debut!
The drizzle started in the tea break and Rich and Dave G opened up on a startingly transformed track – the ball seaming alarmingly and the LBS openers getting much more bounce. Additionally, the slow outfield became several notches slower. The fielding side didn’t have it all their own way – the ball became very wet and fielders began to slip up. Rich’s eyes lit up at a full toss, which he smacked typically hard, but extra cover was brave enough to get a hand in the way, and alert enough to take the catch after it was knocked up. Jon joined Dave and they knuckled down in very testing conditions and eventually saw off the openers. Jon struggled to curb his natural attacking instincts and eventually fell playing a flashing square cut to one that bounced more than expected. Dave urged himself too far forward and fell to an excellent return catch, but remained on the field to run for Chats (pulled hamstring in the field). This was a surprisingly calm period of batting as the run rate began to rise against the back-up bowling until Chats departed. Meanwhile, in-form James Claro was playing himself in with characteristic patience. Dave (wearing his raincoat) biffed a couple of pulls to square leg, but he recognised that they weren’t going to reach the boundary on this outfield, that the rain was still coming down, and that he had the opportunity for another not out, and so the game was called off.
The rain really ruined this one – if it had held off it would have been a good battle. It was kind of spiriting to see so many cricket lovers determined to continue in the rain, but it became particularly cold and miserable and we all headed indoors.
Written By: David Gower
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