Apparently Danny Evans was playing yesterday at the Green, I know this because I lost count of the number of texts, emails and calls informing me of the same. In fact it got so irritating that I fired my own email off telling our lot to concentrate on what we were doing rather than what they were planning.
Losing the toss, the T’s were put in. Sure enough greeting the opening pair of Meredith and McCabe was the figure of Danny Evans ready to bowl from the Staines Road End. Over pitching his first ball and seeing it smashed to the extra cover boundary by Tom Meredith. Evans and Vermaak, reputedly one of the stronger Premiership attacks were kept on for 14 overs, during which time our opening pair plundered 66 runs.
Brodesbury’s plan of demolishing the Prem newcomers, knocking off the runs before tea and getting back for Britain’s Got Talent looked even more unachievable at tea when we had reached 146 for 1 (Meredith, unluckily playing on after hitting 48 from 48).
Of course we have our own MCCC contracted player in Dan Housego, who, last week at Finchley (53) and during the week for Middlesex 2’s (150), was beginning to show the form that must be pleasing for the on-looking Middlesex Director of Cricket, Gus Fraser. Going on to make a very comfortable 112. Erring on the side of caution, the T’s skipper, Carlos Nunes, batted to the end of the 63rd over before declaring the innings closed on a very impressive 323 / 5, featuring another lovely cameo from Rashid Mullahzadah, hitting 37 off 40.
After an equally impressive lunch, hosted by Angelo’s from Twickenham High St, without doubt an A+ on the Hendometer catering scale, our guys took to the field, with the now seemingly compulsory huddle, high fiving, whooping and hollering. As my father has been known to say, “you didn’t see Cyril Washbrook doing that!” Neither, though, did he turn out for the T’s !
Brondesbury’s opening pair put on 71, but it was surprisingly slow (116 balls) considering they needed over 5.5 per over. They were capably and comfortably contained by Mullahzadah (F) and Haffeji (getting over a niggling groin injury). But none the less the lack of even attempting to chase the total was more than a little surprising. The first wicket fell in the 18th over when Ball was caught by Mullahzadah (R) off the bowling of McCabe. The wait to the next wicket seemed longer by the pedestrian pace of the batters, but 17 overs later JP Cronje trapped the visitors number 3, Leg Before. The fielding side could sense a revival and over the following dozen or so overs, the precision and turn of Twickenham’s rising star, spin bowler Clint McCabe, assisted by JP Cronje, captured a steady procession of wickets. JP being the pick of the attack with figures of 22-2-95-5 at the close of play.
The 9th wicket fell with just under 3 overs left, and by then it was slightly disappointing that we couldn’t finish the game with a well deserved win. Nonetheless, a winning draw means points on the board, 4 of them to be precise. In a game that on balance we deserved to win, it really is an affirmation that we can compete in the top flight. An affirmation, to be honest, that a number of us didn’t really need. Even a lacklustre performance by one or two in the field (and you know how much I hate that) could do little to detract from a very strong, all round Twickenham performance. The T’s train has started up, let’s make sure the express keeps on rolling boys.
Martyn Fryer