Detail: 25-09-2022 - Malden Wanderers
Result: W by 7 wkts
The most depressing day of the year, 'Blue Monday', is according to psychologists the third Monday in January.
They are obviously not cricketers.
The most depressing day of the year is the day after the cricket season ends, which in Blues case was Monday, September 26. In fact, it was so depressing it has taken me nearly a week to summon the energy to write the match report for Blues' last match of the season.
Good job we won, you might have been waiting until November.
Blues v Malden Wanderers, Sept 2022
Blues went into the long dark winter buoyed by a comprehensive victory in the 'burbs of SW London. At the toss Match Manager Glenn told the oppo skipper we had a strong bowling side. So, when their skipper won the toss he decided to bat.
Bad idea, I mean, we had Brando as third change.
For the second match in succession Blues took a wicket with their opening ball. Tom moving one away to induce an edge, neatly taken at first slip by Brando, from a young woman who had looked very impressive in the nets. Tom continued to bowl superbly, without luck, regularly beating the bat. Then he bowled a half-tracker, the batsman eagerly slashed at it, and Owen took an astonishing catch leaping to his right and plucking the boundary-bound ball out of the air.
Tom and James were replaced by Owen and Glenn. Owen was rapid, but somehow the batters survived while Glenn found an edge that flew through slip. A lot of playing and missing, another missed chance, and an edge not given, meant Wanderers crept up to 72-2.
Into the attack came Zubair, and their obdurate opener, solid against pace, proved less adept against spin and was bowled for 44. Zubee quickly took two more wickets and with Brando hitting the stumps with an unplayable delivery Wanderers slumped to 76-6.
Naga and Prem joined the attack, Naga hitting the stumps, Prem keeping it tight. Glenn came back to try and garb some cheap wickets from the tail, and did snag one as Malden finished on 134-8 from 35 overs.
'Very gettable', thought Blues, but we had thought that before and been wrong (don't mention Cl*yg*te).
So we needed a good start, and Nick E and Jack provided it, soon ahead of the rate. Jack was unfortunately bowled after a trio of fours but Nick and Harry J began to plunder runs on a ground with a small outfield. Nick cracked five fours and a six before perishing for 38, Harry made 30.
Both went at 88, leaving nearly 50 runs to get and several Blues chomping at the bit to bat, hoping to catch the skipper's eye. James got the nod as his father was there to watch (prompting Brandon to muse if this was to be a way to get up the order he was hardly in a position to compete).
With no scoreboard pressure James and Prem settled in and several quiet overs passed. Then James decided it was time to show Dad what he could do. Two sixes and five fours later Blues had a seven-wicket win and James was beaming fit to bust, unlike all the would-be batters.
A few beers in the club house followed and Naga was awarded his cap (Sumit, there's one with your name on it for when we next see you).
And that is the season done. The kitbag heads back to the loft, and Pikey, we hope, starts updating the averages ahead of the AGM in November. There's still a few places available for that, and we'll be having a few other social events to keep us ticking over until April.
Winter well Blues.
Bowling: Tom H 2-25 (7 overs), Glenn 1-27 (7), Brandon 1-4 (4), Zubair 3-11 (4), Naga 1-20 (3).
Batting: James H 40 not out, Ellerby 38, Jenkins 30, Ward 12, Prem, 8 not out.
[updated 18 11 2022]