Sunday Club X1 v Perivale Phoenicians

In blazing heat on Sunday afternoon, the club eleven completed a fine weekend for the Ts

with an excellent win over a good Perivale Phoenicians side on Twickenham Green. The

standout performer for the Ts was Ashley Gray, who scored a fluent 57* and took 4

wickets, ably supported by Richie Saunders who compiled a gritty 67*.

Given the conditions, on winning the toss skipper Payne had no hesitation in deciding to

take first knock. Openers Donelan and Hough strode to the centre and were subjected to

some early pressure from the Phoenicians’ opening pair, both of whom were bowling

left-arm over. Having weathered the early storm, though, both of the Ts opening bats got

among the runs, being especially harsh on the tiring Hamza. After the first 10 overs, the

home side had reached 51 for no wicket and were looking well set. All was to change

with the first change of bowling, with Naveed entering the fray from the Green Spice

End. After a tight couple of overs in which he darted the ball both ways, Naveed was to

take a wicket in each of his next 3 overs. First Donelan got an edge onto his stumps,

departing for 18. Hough was next to fall, tickling an excellent slower ball to the keeper

for 25. Matthew Freeman was Naveed’s third victim. Like magnesium powder sprinkled

into a candle flame, his innings sparkled only briefly as he chopped on for 4.

Thus, 51 for none after 10 had become 75 for 3 after 20 and the game was in the balance.

The Ts needed a bit of solidity, coupled with an increase in the run rate, and both were

supplied by the new batsmen, Gray and Saunders. Gray looked elegant from the off,

knocking singles into the gaps and stroking the bad ball to the boundary. At the other end,

Saunders was less than fluent to begin with, and quickly became frustrated with his

inability to time the ball. However, he stuck at it and, with Gray maintaining his

composure, the fifty partnership arrived within 9 overs. At this point, the batters

accelerated. Saunders had found his touch and launched some big shots (including a large

straight six). Gray joined in the fun and the next 50 came in just 36 balls. The 40-over

innings closed shortly afterwards. Saunders had thrashed his way past Gray to record 67

not out, with the latter finishing unbeaten on 57.

Mama Bendelow’s tea was well received as always. A fine selection of sandwiches,

snacks and dips was enjoyed all round. Grumbles about a dearth of pickled cauliflower

were quickly suppressed and the Ts took the field with renewed energy.

Gray took the new ball from the Green Spice End with Payne accompanying him from

the Hampton Road End. Both initially struggled with their direction. Payne, in particular,

directed more or less the entirety of his first over at or outside the pads of the

Phoenicians’ opening bat. Had Tom Huntington been present, he surely would have

described Payne’s opening salvo as “leg-side sh%t”. However, things improved from

then on. In his second over, Payne swung one in to rearrange the furniture of Amit (6)

and Gray got in on the act in the following over, bowling Omar for 0. This brought two

experienced looking batters in Sewaran and Robbie to the crease. The former started off

playing and missing thrice in succession to Payne before settling into a watchful innings.

His partner was not to last long, though, castled by a Gray yorker.

At this point, the Ts were clearly on top. The innings was not yet 10 overs old and the

Phoenicians were rattled at 24 for 3. A couple of overs later, Gray gave the Ts even more

to cheer about, bowling Hasan without scoring. After 10 overs of the allotted 40, skipper

Payne decided that the openers had done their work and changed the bowling at both

ends. Jon Trippett came on at the Green Spice End to display some of his skiddy seamers

and Fraser Donaldson swapped leg-spin for seam up at the other end. Donaldson’s spell

was erratic but entertaining. The highlight came with Sewaran cutting a short wide one

towards Phillips at gully. With the ball comfortably past him, Phillips inexplicably

decided that a belated dive was in order and took off. Given his maritime background, it

is to be expected that Phillips’ diving technique is nothing short of flawless. However, on

this occasion, his execution let him down and he appeared less a Navy SEAL and more a

Navy Hippo. Donelan, at slip, was greatly amused.

During this period of the innings, the Phoenicians were compiling runs at a decent rate,

aided by a smattering of extras and a fair slice of luck. Sewaran, in particular, had opened

his shoulders on a few occasions and was moving towards a hard-fought 50. It was at this

point that Donaldson, combined with Freeman, struck to rein the visitors in. The big

Saffer pushed one marginally down the leg-side, where the Ginger glove-man snaffled it

and removed the bails to leave Sufian stranded, stumped for 5. With Trippet keeping

things (including his sphincter) tight at the Green Spice End, Bob Freeman was

introduced to bowl some of his Chinamen at the other. The new batsman, Naveed, looked

dangerous and he and the obdurate Sewaran started to push the score along. But after

only a couple of overs, the junior strawberry blonde was to have his man. A beautifully

flighted delivery caught the edge of Naveed’s bat and was pouched by Phillips at slip.

This left the visitors on 100-odd for 6 and the Ts started to feel as it they might canter

towards the finishing line.

The conclusion of the game was not so comfortable, however. Sewaran, and new batter

Sumeet, began to milk the bowling of Freeman and Phillips, who had replaced Trippett at

the Green Spice End, and the score approached 140. Phillips, though, then bagged the key

wicket of Sewaran. A nice off-break was lobbed up towards cover, where Trippett took a

decent catch. From then on, wickets fell and the required rate climbed. Saunders entered

the fray and swiftly had the Phoenicians’ number 9 bat caught behind. Gray was

reintroduced and took care of the number 10, Hamza, with a straight one. The final

wicket came courtesy of the returning Payne in the final over with Sumeet clipping to

Sewell at point for a rapid 29. The visitors’ innings closed on 189, after 39.2 overs.

Overall, a decent display from the Ts in a game that was, perhaps, closer than it should

have been. Highlights were the batting of Gray and Saunders, both fashioning unbeaten

half-centuries. Gray’s bowling was also excellent, returning figures of 8-0-4-21, while

Payne chipped in with 7.2-2-2-26. Freeman kept well and the outfielding was good –

Sewell’s work on the deep square boundary was excellent. Special mention should also

go to the tramp on the usual bench for a truly jaw-dropping display of vomiting. All in