TCC Club X1 v Leatherhead & Cobham II

Despite a very tricky week of selection, both the Sunday ones and Club X1 managed a full side for their games on The Green and away at the redeveloping Fairmile Lane ground in Cobham respectively. With the Ts having fielded a mixed team in this fixture last year, it was to be expected that Leatherhead would bolster their ranks somewhat, and with a bowling attack lacking a certain degree of depth, it was obivous someone would need to play a blinder if a repeat of that good Ts win were to be seen.

Winning his second toss in as many days, skipper Henderson had little hesitation in electing to bat and sent out G 'Singaporean Giant' Sanchez and D 'DJ' Campbell to start things off. Tight bowling, and a slow outfield saw runs hard to come by, with the openers seen off after 11 overs, but with only 29 on the board.

Gilbert decided something had to give and tried a couple of lofted straight drives off the first-changer from the rugby ground end, only to see them plug dead in the outfield and yield merely twos. His third attempt was, however, less well timed. The slow track and Patel's useful change of pace forcing an early shot and a steepler was well accepted at deep mid on to send him on his way for 13.

K'ip in my my car' Rand, making his second appearance for the Club X1, was sent in at three with a licence to 'give it a bosh', but too fell foul of the slow outfield, being unceremoniously chivvied into sprints by the tireless Campbell. At 18 overs, with only 40 on the board Donald decided it was time to to take it on. The until-now tidy Patel was laid into. Anything short was sent at a frightening pace through the sector from backward point to cover and the score lept forward, more than doubling in the next ten.

When Campbell fell on 36, T 'Suprisingly subdued' Huntington, sauntered centrewards, muttering about being out caught on in the deep and not having a slog sweep, but quickly got into the action, punching two of his first four shots to the boundary via the seemingly hastily aquired slog sweep.

Rand was next to fall on his sword for an opener's 30 to be replaced by A 'The Great White Chirp' Brewer. Alas, his recent subcontinental experience seemed not best suited to survival on a damp English square, and he returned to the hutch without further denting the scorer's ink reserves.

Playing as a bowler today, it was the unusual sight of A 'The polytraumal ruminant' Donelan entering the the middle of a slog-fest at six. Working himself in by attempting quick singles to get the agressive Huntington (18), Kriess (4) and R 'Not Patricia' Freeman (14, including three full blooded slog sweeps) into the game Donelan eventually found the boundary when joined by last week's number three A 'Soggy Biscuit' Phillips, who mustered but one before the overs were up. Donners finishing not out 20 at the other end.

A final total of 157 was set to defend which, whilst nominally 20 under par, with the slow outfield offered a glimmer of hope, if chances could be made and taken with the vast array of slow bowling available.

Tea was a rather enjoyable affair, comprising some basic, but exquisitely produced sandwiches, flapjacks, melon slices and jam scones. A solid B.

With only one regular seam-up bowler in the team, there was little chance of a fight over ends. P 'Night' Mair took his choice at the country end only to see the aggressive number one bat slap a four through extra cover off the first ball of the innings. A few more lusty shots set Ts hearts racing, but Pete slowly got into the groove and starting causing genuine trouble after a couple of overs.

Henderson, an unlikely choice for rapid opening attack, took second over and exploited the classic opening bat's disinterest in facing spin, by slowing the ball as much as possible and generating a number of chances with some genuine turn. 11 overs in, however, and with no wickets on the board, a change was needed.

Rand replaced Mair, bowling initially mostly toppers to a semi-defensive field, and Phillips came on for Henderson with a bit more protection on the leg for the more sharply turning off-breaks. The first chance was frittered off Phillips when mid-off failed to pick the length of one straight at him, and couldn't quite get hands on it whilst stooping forward, but Rand was to soon prise him away, causing some suprise with a conventional off-break and finding a route through the gate.

The second wicket came soon after when the number three inexplicably looked straight at Huntington at slip, went to charge the sleep-deprived off-tweaker, changed his mind, retreating back to the crease before running the ball down the face straight to a throughly incredulous Tom who accepted the gift as excitedly as he'd normally accept buzzers.

The luckless Phillips gave way to Freeman for his senior bowling debut,  with the round-the-wicket chinaman generating more turn than a gull breeding ground. It took only a couple of overs for the first senior wicket to come the youngster's way as a flatter delivery trapped the remaining opener LBW for 49, pitching on off and assuredly going on to demolish middle and leg.

Rand pried out a third, getting Huntington involved again with a take at backward point off a strange forehand slice tennis shot to one of Wilf's loosest balls of the day, before Freeman winkled a second thanks to a straighter one and a sharp take by Kriess behind the sticks.

Rand gave way after an eventful eight overs during which he recorded his best figures as a bowler of three for 27, letting the taller, flatter off-tweak of Donelan take over the burden of keeping things tight whilst Henderson returned to snick out the number seven, the left hander bizzarely leaving his second ball faced as wide, only to see it jag back and take out middle.

Unfortunately by now, the score was approaching 140 and, even the most circumspect of lower order batsmen could put away some of the increasingly common loose deliveries from the weighty wrist spinner, so when Mair returned in his stead, the game was all but done for. The winning run came from a top edge to third man off Donelan. The gameful pursuit by Huntington not quite yielding the catching jug as it plopped to safety and the batters could scamper the single with 3.5 overs to spare.

An enjoyable game of cricket sees the Club X1 edge just south of parity in the wins-losses table, but some encouraging performances from their bowlers, young Freeman and less-young Rand in particular, and another fine knock from the irrepressible Campbell, all in the absence of a second seamer for the attack can't leave the side too downhearted, and when the long month of away games comes to and end on The Green next week, Royal Ascot had better have had their Shredded Wheat.