Strongroom hold their nerve to eke out inaugural victory
Raynes Park, 9/23/2007
Strongroom won by 2 wickets
London Nigerians: 132
Strongroom: 133-6
View the Scorecard
Although both teams only managed to field nine players, this resulted in another classic encounter between these adversaries – and one which finally broke LNCC stranglehold of Strongroom’s of season’s past.
Strongroom skipper Jon Gower won the toss and asked the Nigerians to bat first on a dry, grassy surface, and Simon Ray and Mike Gabbay both bowled good quality opening spells which tested the technique and character of the LNCC openers. Ray secured the initial breakthrough when he trapped Sota in-front of the stumps. Ilube then joined Kasiri [26], and these two batsmen set about steadying the innings, but Ilube square-cut Jamie Whelligan straight to David Gower at point, and the game was very much even. Whelligan [2-39] kept the ball in the right areas and created several chances which sadly were put down, but he accounted for Kasiri, and Strongroom were now faced with LNCC’s two big-hitters – Mak Akinyemi [33] and Solomon Legbe [12]. Legbe had developed a taste for the Strongroom bowling in previous clashes, and on this occasion he was playing himself in with ominous concentration when he played around and over a stunning inswinging yorker delivered by Oliver Moore. This was a key wicket, as LNCC now had to look to Mak for the bulk of their runs. However, Strongroom slowed down the pace and looked to Boote [2-17] and D.Gower [2-12] to tempt the batsmen into injudicious strokplay. And it worked! David Gower again increased his lead at the top of the Strongroom strike rate table, and Boote bowled with guile in a late-season return to form. Crucially, he tempted Big Mak into a huge, swirling strike towards the mid-wicket boundary – which was beautifully judged and pocketed by a calm Jamie Whelligan. Strongroom had put in a tight team performance in difficult conditions, and David Proctor completed another tidy job behind the timbers. LNCC finished on 132 off 26.4 overs. Game on!
Tea Report: 9/10. The best Jollofi rice and chicken I can remember being served at this fixture; not forgetting the fried plantain.
Opening batsmen Oliver Moore [36] and Bill Mommersteeg [0] set about building a platform for this run-chase, but had to contend with some excellent, probing bowling from Tade and Legbe. This was Bill’s first game of the season, and he tried to apply himself as best he could with the testing attack, but eventually fell to Legbe. Simon Ray looked in sumptuous form, but he too fell to a curious stumping off Tade. Jon Gower [26] joined Moore, and this pair patiently compiled 61 runs for the 3rd wicket. Moore has looked more like an opener in each of his recent opportunities in this position, and he made good use of a big forward stride to caress several cover drives to the boundary. LNCC rotated their bowlers in an effort to make a breakthrough, and it was the wily Mak who secured just that with a classic sequence of short deliveries and a Yorker which proved too sharp for Moore. Mak proved to be an awkward proposition on this capricious surface, his short, casual run-up belying some sharp pace and steepling bounce. On this occasion one wicket did indeed bring two, and Jon Gower fell lbw to leave Strongroom 84-4 in faltering light. David Gower [17] and David Proctor [6] took the attack to LNCC, with both batsmen hooking and driving with gusto, but Mak and Legbe again pegged Strongroom back with their dismissals, and 110-6 the result was in the balance. Thereupon followed much tinkering of the field, shouting out of runs-required from the boundary, and general cranking up of anxiety on both sides. 19 were needed from 4 overs, 15 from 3, 6 from 2, and finally, 2 from the final over. Jamie Whelligan [14*] and Mike Gabbay [6*] kept their composure, and though there was much swishing and missing in the poor light, it was Mike Gabbay who smacked the winning runs off the first ball of the final over – bizarrely he did the same thing off me back in May, but on that occasion to win for LNCC!
This was simply a great game of cricket. It was played in a good spirit in what has become one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the season, and we look forward to more such clashes in 2008.
Read the London Nigerians match report.
Written By: Jon Gower
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