TCC 3’s v. Barnet B’s 3’s – Saturday 11th August. 

T’s first game against BBs had proved to be their only league defeat of the season and whilst we knew that we had improved in the interim period injuries and lack of availability had decimated our team so much that we only had eight men on the Saturday morning of this fixture. The last minute introduction of club stalwarts, BT and Chidders saw us arrive at Barnet’s ground with only 10 men. Twickenham skipper Phil Parker won another  toss and on a steamingly hot day immediately decided to bat – the reasoning being that 3 hours chasing leather of the variety of what we saw in the first match was not conducive to being our best chance of an upset. However, if we could post a biggish total and then bowl accurately well anything might happen. Openers Blunden and Parker started comfortably enough, despite some accurate seam bowling from the BB opening quickies. Parker(15) succumbed in the 11^th over, bowled after an inside edge onto pad and then onto stumps. But Colin at the other end was in no mood to give his wicket up so lightly, and steadily accumulated his runs. Steve Van Niekerk(27) had joined him after Parker’s dismissal and he continued his belligerent recent form with shots all round the wicket until holing out with a mis-hit  to the boundary being caught at deep extra cover  (63 for 2 off 18). Travis then followed Steve with a misguided cover dive straight to a fielder for nought. James Richards, enjoying a promotion in the batting order steadied the ship somewhat, displaying experience and no small amount of guile in the way he worked the ball around the field for his 15 runs (98 for 4 off 30). The accurate bowling of the BB’s attack slowly subdued the TCC’s batting line up  to the point where Ajay Bala, coming in at eight took seventeen overs to get off the mark but then finshed with a creditable 13 not out at the end of the innings. Because of the slow scoring rate and the lack of runs on the board T’s were forced to bat out the full 60 overs finishing on 191 for 8. Colin Blunden deserves a special mention for his outstanding knock of 79. Almost “carrying his bat”, Colin played on the first ball of the 60^th over and it was a great shame as he completely deserved another not out for his battling effort.

After tea, a new opening bowling partnership of Peter Burke and Steve Van Niekerk started impressively with the new ball. The first two overs were maidens and Steve managed a wicket, having the opener Avtar caught in the gulley for nought (0 for 1 after 2!! – should we start to dream??). The answer was a firm no as Ladi Ghodra and N Kamal proceeded to each score 92 Not Out. The BB’s passed our total in 24.4 overs for the loss of  just the one wicket. Unfortunately our bowling did not live up to it’s early promise and too much “loose stuff” was continually flailed away to the boundary by two batsmen who were in no mood to take their time. In the end the T’s used six bowlers and, on the whole, the actual result and performance were better than in the first game, when we supposedly fielded a stronger team but singularly did not perform on the day. There were some encouraging performances and special thanks should be given to BT and Chidders who helped us out in our moment of crisis. Real “club men” both of them, Chidders bowled accurately without any success and BT belied his years in the field with some great stops. T’s – lost by nine wickets – Nil Points.

Phil Parker.