Batsmen Block and Bash to Build
Bonus but Breeze Bothers Bill’s Bowling
After a week in which the phone lines between
various skippers were running red hot right up to Saturday morning
in order to confirm 5 full XI’s it was a relief to get to Broom Road
and see 11 bodies all keen to take on Edmonton 3rd XI.
The start time of 1.30pm arrived which is more than the opposition
had done, a phone call to the skipper at 2pm eliciting a response of
we’re just parking up, there is a football match at Wembley, that’s
why we are late. The FA’s publicity department needs to see if it is
getting it’s message across! With an opposition now in attendance,
the skippers tossed the coin and once again
Rand
was successful. Given the disparate positions in the league, it was
decided to try and accumulate some points and so he chose to bat
first. Walder and Walker opened up with
Walker
first to go, trying to release the shackles only to edge an
expansive drive to slip. Wright completed the 3W’s at the top of the
order, promoted to provide some lefthandedness in the top 6 but he
was undone by elaborate movement from the banadana’d Patrick from
the river end, a fate that befell Smith a few overs letter. At 40-3
things weren’t looking great but season debut Venu Gopal, under
instructions to “play his normal game”, did exactly that, unleashing
incredible power and swatting the bowling to all parts before top
edging another booming shot and being well caught. At 127 for 4 and
still almost 20 overs to bat, skipper Rand had plenty of time to
play himself in but instead decided to offer catching practice to
gully from his 3rd ball faced and the balance swung once
again as the Twickenham tail was exposed. However the gnarled
veteran Walder was still there and in partnership with Payne and
Bowman he guided the T’s towards maximum bonus points until with the
finishing line in sight he chased what would have been a certain
wide and was out for 61 in the 50th over.
Henderson
then took on the mantle of senior pro and saw it through to the end
of the innings, maximum bonus points being assured when a bye was
enhanced to 6 as the ball rolled into the carelessly placed keeper’s
helmet. Twickenham closed on 188-8 and due to the late start they
would have an hour and 20 overs to try and force a win
A sumptuous tea was taken, prepared by Mrs.
Johnson, including home made chocolate cake and a selection of party
nibbles (chipsticks, rashers, onion rings and cheese puffs) of which
it is rumoured they were left over from the previous evenings car
key party at the Club Captain’s Walton-on Thames mansion. A solid B+
on the Hendometer.
Keen to keep the game positive, Twickenham took
to the field, ready to start dead on time and intent on bowling as
many as overs as possible in the limited time available. However Edmonton, despite their positive batting
style, insisted on long mid-wicket conferences, adjusting kit and
generally weren’t in any hurry to push the over rate up. Payne and
Bowman opened the bowling in a strong wind and both were unlucky to
have appeals turned down. Both batsmen
were keen to push the score along and the runs came quickly but
Payne yorked one and Wright, replacing Bowman, had the other smartly
stumped by Rand.
The number 3 was caught by Bowman off Wright, Payne unluckily had
the 4 dropped behind by the skipper but in the last over before the
20 the big hitting number 5 went once too often and Rand stumped
him. Payne toiled unluckily and was replaced by Smith, perhaps too
late given that what followed was a devastating spell of fast medium
bowling, interspersed with a clever slower ball. As the
Edmonton
innings imploded, kept in the hunt by the windy conditions as the
batsmen teased Wright by hitting him in the air to the fielders
placed on the boundary, only for the wind to carry it out of their
reach. Skipper Rand
trusted to his bowlers line and length by posting imaginative
fields, building pressure and pushing for an unlikely win. With just
a few overs to go, the rate having risen to almost 10 and only 2
wickets left, Edmonton called off the chase and despite the
aggression of Smith, who had the skipper caught off a slower ball,
having previously, it transpired, broken his hand with his faster
one, and the wile of Wright, Edmonton held on to post 155 – 9.
A good performance by what was a below strength
Twickenham side in difficult conditions and my thanks particularly
to Bobby Freeman, Dave Henderson (who both held good catches and
batted well) and Ben “Crouchy” Aldworth, who was always on his toes
in the field. Next week, Wembley at
Fortress Broom Road. I wonder if they
were aware there was football on last week?
