Detail: 01-05-2022 - Roehampton
Result: L by 5 wkts
[Blues 168 40 overs (Cef 79*), Roehampton 169/5 - Lost by 5 wkts)
Youcef didn't win the batting trophy three years in a row by spending lovely weekends away with his girlfriend. He won it by booking himself into the doghouse and rotating the strike. Last week Alex Pike had a delightful weekend away in Barcelona with his girlfriend, Youcef scored runs and the Blues lost. This week, Alex Pike was also enjoying himself with the lovely Laura while Youcef scored runs and the Blues lost. With a 130 not out head-start, one suspects Pikey may be able to play the next few games.
And on to the game itself. Where to begin. Ah yes, with the weather. As the rain came spitting down and the grey clouds gathered and deepened a young looking Blues side assembled. Conscious that we may not get a full game in Jenks decided we should bat first and in the interest of inclusivity constructed a line up that ensured everyone would get a bat.
Although the urge to send out a statement with the crowd favourite Tawney opening partnership was strong, the rest of the Blues campaigned that this batting treat was best saved for when the lads had at least had a net. With no one wanting to open and no eye contact all round, Jenks turned to the ever faithful Youcef Hassaine to see off the new cherry pour les garcons. Jack Close in a bid to reinvent himself as a batting all rounder 'carpe'd some diem' put his hand up and elected to be Youcef's comrade in arms for the opening stand.
Roehampton after taking one look at the 9 under 30s decided that some left arm spin was the best method of attack and proceeded to cause havoc with our top order. Closey hit a lovely 3 but was never quite able to keep a lid on his bombastic flair. Soon a hoik across the line resulted in a top edge that was grabbed by their 6 foot 4 1st slip. Closey was not happy, cursing himself for putting his head above the parapet and damning his new bat - now working out at #5 a run. Closey stormed off to the pub for a fish and chips and a few cold ones. Keats, ever the team player, sidled off to join Jack for some consolation refreshments.
Over to Simon Richards, slightly disgruntled to be batting at 3, but due to recent peck surgery his lack of bowling had bumped him up the order. Looking composed for his short stay Simon's eyes lit up to a straight one and he threw the kitchen sink at it. Alas, the death rattle and Simon had to depart for the first duck of the Blues season. A great one for the end of season trivia. Keen to stay in the action Simon grabbed a few layers and headed out to Umpire.
17 minutes into play and 3 down. Jenks joined Cef at the crease who had been watching the carnage unfold from the other end. The 2 settled somewhat with Cef smacking a few 4s down to deep point to keep the score ticking over. Jenks chipped in with a straight slap for 4. After feeling settled and not playing anything silly, Jenks pulled a shortish ball only for it to pick out the square leg fielder and be taken. Off he trudged for 6.
The Tawney brothers, batting 5 and 6, were next in. Harry was elected to go first. From the non-spinning end Roehampton had on a bowler that was taking it away from the left hander and really troubling Cef and HT. A superb opening over from HT with some text book swing and misses proved entertaining for all. Luckily the away swing meant that the furniture was not in any danger and Harry was able to live for another day. Warming to the task HT quickly found his rhythm of big swing, block, big swing, block. In this fashion he raced away to 10* with a trademark massive 6 to announce his return to Blues cricket. Like his spiritual role model Icarus, Harry's feathers melted and with a tame snick that was well taken he came crashing back down to terra firma.
Archie, Blues cap on, marched into the breach. At last the opening bowlers were finished, having bowled all 8 each. Archie and Youcef faced a few balls of the 2 new lads and both frantically called for lids. On a pitch that is a public park, the bounce was treacherous and their tall bowler was causing all sorts of issues. Both now strapped in, Cef took to the task with relish and started tucking the quick lad off his legs for easy runs. Archie, the Kane Williamson of the Blues, showed us all his favourite shot, opening the face, playing with soft hands and tickling the ball between the slips down to vacant third man. Textbook. Eager to post a second Tawney 6, Arch lined up the bowler and gave it the big heave ho. Alas, the ball didn't play its part and sent the castle flying.
In came Wardy, whose mere presence at the crease seemed to intimidate the bowler who started inexplicably bowling wides, many of which beat the keeper and went for 4. Quickly, while only scoring 1 run Jack Ward managed to combine with extras and Youcef to put on a partnership of 40 odd. The Blues boys were sitting firm, all settling a little easier into our seats with Wardy and Cef at the crease. However, we had all forgotten that English batting collapses are contagious and soon Wardy was bowled.
James Howe, having not got a bat last week was given a go this week. A quick 4 and he was off the mark. After that he upped the tempo and smote a huge one bounce 4 back over the bowler's head. Alex Keating (back from the pub by this time) wise beyond his years, demonstrated true prescience by calling exactly what would happen next. Their spin bowler, an absolute doppelganger of Jack Leach, bespectacled and follically challenged, had been causing chaos with his left arm loopy stuff. Cue Keats: 'Right, next ball Leachy will slow it down and toss it above the eye line, James won't be able to control himself and he'll have his man'. Bingo. Extra flight, James comes charging, an edge is taken and up it's popped to Leachy to take a tame catch. Brain over brawn.
Over to the bowlers. Glenn looked good for his 8, rotating the strike nicely. Nick Goodwin sparkled briefly with a 4 before top edging a full bunger for the bowler to gobble up. Keats came in played a controlled extra cover 2 then unleashed those lubricated arms for a big sweep. Sadly the man was well placed and he was caught in the deep. Youcef remained not out on 79, carried his bat and had the misfortune to bat with all 10 of the other Blues. Apart from playing and missing a few times to the away swingers early doors, a chanceless innings from our Herne-Hill Hero, showing true grit and determination to keep the Blues on course for a 150+ score. There was even a 6, 2 in 2 games now, all the talk of nurdling has obviously gotten through to him.
A quick look at the scorecard showed that there were 37 combined runs for the under 30s & 87 for the over 40s. We may have to get the senior Blues illuminati off the golf course and parachuted into the top order. Helped out by 44 extras for Roehampton cc it was over to the bowlers to see if 168 was enough.
Shout out to Nick Goodwin, whose travelling fan club had arrived at this point, spurred on by the whispers of #12 jugs. Henry Bernard also joined the spectators ( polishing off a jog solo) as did the ever faithful Ronnie, as the Blues proceeded to entertain.
Some fire and brimstone from Alex Keating with an incredibly spicy opening over. With Jack Ward at keeper standing nearer to the boundary than the stumps and at least 4 balls of short stuff, the extra bounce and carry on show in this deck had Keats licking his lips and the batters looking jumpy. As the fielders changed ends for the second over, one of the Roehampton lads was heard to say "Bit hostile this isn't it". Music to our ears.
A few overs later and a Keats-seeking missile sent all 3 stumps flying and the batsmen had to go. Keats was going through the gears now and his follow through was getting nearer and nearer the facing batsmen. With a stare and smile after each ball of fury Keats made his presence felt. The batsmen, not able to keep a lid on things started looking fidgety. Keats charged in, threw down a ball on 4th stump. It jagged back in and clipped the top of off. Eye contact with the bat and finger to his lips Thiery Henry style, Keats was jubilant and Roehampton were 2 down.
Glenn, seemingly the crowd's favourite, had also been causing issues down at his end. With a miserly 5th,6th stump line the batsmen were unable to rotate the strike. Chucking down a swinging straight one the batter couldn't resist and had a swipe at it only for it to miss and hit all 3. The Blues blitzkrieg was in full swing: 8-3.
Sadly the next lads were very decent bats and played sensibly to get in and see the lacquer off the orange ball. The ball stopped swinging and the excitement dipped slightly. Soon it was 73-3 after 22 overs and the win looked in jeopardy. Although they were still behind the run rate, the ball was getting older and the batsmen looked like they had a few extra gears to click into.
The beauty of being an all rounder is you have 2 chances to make an impact on a game. Enter The Chinese Dragon, stage right. A superb inswinger from Jack Close, well taken by Wardy behind the stumps and the Blues had an end to attack, finally. 1 brings 2 Archie Tawney shouts and soon the prophecy is fulfilled as Nick Goodwin got in on the action and picked up his first wicket of the year. 82-5 off 26 overs. 14 overs to defend 80 off. Certainly do-able.
Sadly Roehampton bat all the way down (as well as all the way up) and the 2 lads at the crease knew how to plot their way through a run chase. A couple of chances came our way, but to no avail. Jenkins shuffled the bowling pack and brought himself on for a bit of a 'pace off'. The batsmen, relieved not to be facing express speed, got excited and played and missed a few times. On one such occasion the faintest of nicks was heard echoing across the pleasant pastures of Putney. The Blues went up, bowler on one knee pleading with the umpire, keeper and slips howling like hyenas on the plains of the Serengeti, willing the umpire to twitch his finger skyward. Alas, the Umps was unmoved and his hands stayed firmly stuffed in his pockets and the game had to go on. A few choices words from Cef and the game notched up in spice a touch. After a second over that troubled the keeper more than the batsmen, Jenks brought his experiment to an end and brought back Keats hoping for a quick death.
James Howe and Keats bowled well but the Blues race was run. There was a slight chance towards the end for a consolation wicket for Nick, but the ball picked out the right fielder and the chance went abegging. Archie who had up to that point fielded superbly, prowling the outfield with youthful vigour and displaying a more than worthy bullet arm, was the unlucky fielder in question. At mid off daydreaming about whether to play golf or cricket next week, the ball rocketed skyward in his general direction. Alerted by shouts Archie frantically looked for the ball and then quickly if there were any other Bluesman nearby. Sadly not, arms were waved, legs were moved by the ball evaded capture and the batsmen carried on untroubled.
A valiant effort from the Blues, and tight bowling at the death by James Howe to take it to the 39th over, but the win was out of reach. Hand shakes all round and into the bar for the aforementioned jugs. The remaining tea was polished off and then we moved to the Telegraph Pub where Nick's traveling cast had settled in nicely. Youcef was heard asking Glenn for Rob Key's number, and Simon was busy sampling the impressive selection of ales on offer.
We play Roehampton again Sunday 12th June & they have agreed to host us for a 20/20 Thursday 11th August. So we will have our chance for vengeance.
Over to Glenn for battle at Sheen Park, a new fixture, fairly local and odds-on favourites for the first W of the season, if someone apart from Cef can hold a bat.
Over and out
Jenks
Batting
Youcef 79*
Extras 44
Harry Tawney 10
Bowling
Keats: 8 overs: 22-2
Glenn: 8 overs 21-1
Nick Goodwin 8 overs: 37-1
Jack Close 25-1 (7 overs)
James Howe 30-0 (7)
Jenks 4-0 (2)
[updated 29 05 2022]