Strollers finish season in winning style!

The Strollers ended the domestic season in winning style with another fine victory on Sunday at Ferme Park, this time over the Salmagundi Gardeners. After a solid month of miserable weather it was something of a shock to the system to finally see blue skies overhead on a match day so all assembled were champing at the bit to get going.

Unfortunately those assembled did not seem to include any sign of the opposition for, despite the advertised early start to accommodate the shortening September evenings, the Gardeners arrived in lackadaisical fashion and, by 2.30pm only half their side had shown up! Having won the toss Gav was loathe to give the opposition first dibs in the perfect batting conditions but, having discussed the situation with his team mates, it seemed only fair to put the Gardeners in and allow them time for the rest of their number to arrive. The delayed start meant overs had to be reduced to just 25 per side in order to complete the match before darkness and, if anything, that gave rise to a more attacking game.

Mark Sewards, recruited on loan at short notice from the ranks of the Highgate Taveners, opened the bowling and literally added a new slant to the Strollers’ attack with his left arm medium pace shaping the ball away from the batsman, so much so that he saw a half chance nicked to second slip off his first ball. Sadly it wasn’t taken and when Gav got only his fingertips to a chip to short cover in Graeme’s first over there was a worry that these early chances may cost the Strollers dearly.

However, both bowlers persisted with probing deliveries and the Gardeners could make only stilted progress until, in the fifth over and with the score on 29, the Strollers eventually struck when Mark once again found the edge of Packham’s bat and this time the catch was neatly caught behind by Paul Wallace, returning to the side a year since his début. Next in came danger-man Toby, the Gardeners’ strapping six and a half foot number three who had made runs against the Strollers in previous clashes - but not today as he only lasted three deliveries before mistiming a swivel-pull and holed out directly to K***** at midwicket.

Graeme was unlucky not to get amongst the wickets too as the Gardeners forlornly attempted to go aerial off his accurate bowling but, although they frustratingly found the gaps in the field, good returns from Jez and Dickie in the deep meant boundaries were saved an the pressure was maintained.

It was in fact Jez who amped up the pressure yet further when he was brought on first change to replace Mark (who had completed his spell with a valuable 2-24). Immediately finding an attacking line, the flight of Jez’s second delivery completely flummoxed Hollingsworth and bowled him through the gate as he attempted to play forward. Two balls later the Gardeners’ dangerous looking Saffa, Justin, also met an inauspicious end as he attempted to drive only to mistime, hit the splice and sky the ball directly overhead so that Paul was again able to claim the simplest of catches. Jez completed a double-wicket maiden and the Strollers felt their grip on the game tighten as the Gardeners slumped to 38-4.

With Graeme completing his allotted overs, K***** was brought on for his much-belated first spell of the season. Gostick made the most of a an early loosener, carrying his side over the 50 mark with a flick for four to the short Ferme Park boundary, but S****’s guile ultimately proved too much for him. With Andy, Graeme and Gav all prowling in front of the bat Gostick’s further attempts to score were frequently thwarted and, having made 24, he lunged out of frustration forward to a skidded top-spinner from K***** only to see the ball slide under the bat and onto his stumps.

K*****’s accuracy and variation continued to beat the bat with regularity whilst the Gardeners’ skipper Jim did well to dig in and survive the looping flight of Jez’s deliveries until he completed his five overs with excellent figures of 2-15. Round, at the other end, seemed not so alert to the dangers of the Strollers attack and failed to spot the off spinner from K***** – who had practically telegraphed his intentions as he tossed the ball up before sending down a ball that turned sharply and clipped off stump.

Nimish, in at eight, must have thought the pressure was off when Harry stepped up to bowl in place of Jez, but all around leapt for joy when he tried to cart Brown Jnr’s first ball over long on only to see Harry’s old man George collect a superb forward diving catch in the deep in now trademark fashion. On the other hand, the celebrating Strollers mused that Brown Snr would never have lived it down if he had dropped it…

It was George himself who was next in on the act when he was brought on for the final overs and immediately bowled the Gardeners’ hapless number nine. Still short of a full side, Jim appealed to Gav that his side be allowed to recycle their lowest scoring batsmen. The Strollers sportlingly agreed but once again the incoming Justin was beaten by flight when George also had him clean bowled.

The Gardeners must have been fearful they would not reach three figures but, with three overs to go, last man Toby, back for an encore, started demonstrating just exactly why he remains held in the highest regard as he opened his shoulders and started to hit out. Thankfully George was able to keep the less powerful Jim on strike for the penultimate over, but when Mickey was brought on for the last of the Gardeners’ 25, he saw 15 carted around the ground by Toby including a huge six over long off. As he marched off Gav pondered whether he had been a tad too generous by allowing the Gardeners’ most potent batsman a second life and hoped that the decision wouldn’t return to haunt him later on (…it did - Ed), however the combined efforts of the exemplary Strollers attack and sharp fielding all round had managed to restrict the Gardeners to a meager 109-9.

The Strollers took tea confident that victory was well within their capabilities but on their return progress hit an immediate dent when, with his fourth ball, Toby sent down a wicked leg break at pace to Gav who played inside the line and was well beaten without troubling the scorers. Mickey, next in, made it his business to dig in and survive the recharged Gardeners’ onslaught whilst, at the other end, Andy fancied his chances and took a swing or two, luckily surviving a lobbed chip to cover before finding the boundary with a well timed heave through mid on.

However Andy’s luck was not to last as, having made 9, Toby also got the better of him with a mean yorker. Already two down with the score not yet touching 20 Mickey battened down the hatches, scoring only when opportunities permitted it, and Dickie - in at 4 - did well to survive a few more testy deliveries until he too was beaten through the gate, this time by Justin.

At just 27-3 off the first ten overs concern mounted on the boundary as the target now looked decidedly less straightforward than it had at the outset. But, if ever the circumstances called for wily determination, now was the time and who better than K***** too get to grips with the task at hand? Knowing that the solution was not to simply blast their way out of the danger zone, S**** and Leighton successfully restarted the Strollers innings, at first by nurdling singles behind the wicket and then, having seen off Toby and Justin, by chancing their arm at a few looser deliveries.

Of course it didn’t always work and K***** was on more than one occasion fortunate to survive holing out to the edge of the square, and some desperate running between the wickets caused his near run out as Mickey called an uncharacteristic quick single. But some abject fielding from the Gardeners saw these chances go begging and, undeterred, S**** made the most of his extra lives by pulling and driving well to the boundary. The fifty was passed without further incident and the Strollers marched into the sixties and then the seventies, comfortably at pace with the required run rate of 5 per over.

Nevertheless the Gardeners laudably hung in there and, with the reintroduction of Justin to the attack, felt a wave of resurgence as he sent down a series of dot balls. The pressure was offset though by some less accurate bowling from Jim at the other end which K***** duly punished. However, having mounted a 60 odd partnership with K*****, it was Mickey who came unstuck when he attempted to do likewise and lofted a mistimed pull to gully having made an invaluable 32, taking his side close to the winning line.

With 5 overs to go and 24 needed for victory it looked on paper as though the win remained very much on for the Strollers but, as often happens, the wicket caused a blip in the run rate as George, batting at six, was fortunate to survive two close shouts for LBW from Jim. Justin’s last over yielded only two runs and with 14 needed off the last 18 deliveries, tension mounted around the ground.

But a powerful straight drive from George brought the hundred up and from there he and K***** decided to simply tip and run the rest. Without taking risks at further big shots it meant the game entered it’s final over, testing the nerves of those assembled, but with two needed off the last three deliveries a mistimed return from the field off a leg flick from K***** allowed the batsmen to run the second and claim the victory …simple as that, never in doubt! K***** undoubtedly deserved man of the match for his unbeaten 44 not out combined with 2 wickets earlier in the day but, once again, the win had been thanks to a fine all round performance.

The delighted Strollers returned to the pavilion for well earned drinks knowing that by winning again, they had not only extended their unbeaten run to 6 games in a row (undefeated since June!) but perhaps more significantly they had brought parity to their results for the season, having now won as many games as they had lost earlier in the year, and with two hard fought draws on top of that, the side can rightfully march onto the upcoming tour in celebratory – and confident – mood. Ibiza here we come!! Stroll on…

Gavin Richardson
15.09.08

<< scorecard