By Rob Powell
A torrential downpour brought a premature end to a successful Cricket Week, but the rain could not dampen a great occasion and an enjoyable, if truncated, game played in fantastic spirit.

The brewers’ ranks were swelled by a few TCC loanees (/deserters), and some frantic last minute recruitment from Berger and home skipper Singh ensured that despite various intervening factors (pulls, pings and a breakdown on the M1) a T20 game between two (almost) complete sides could go ahead.

Masher looks the part
The assembled TCC home side were first in to bat. Returning alumnus Darsh Masher strode out to open alongside the bespectacled Shubh Dutta. Darsh was reportedly returning after an eight week injury lay off, but looked in great touch from the off, dispatching a clutch of early boundaries to get the scoreboard ticking. A rapid opening stand can be invaluable in this form of the game and Dutta was not going to die wondering, helping himself to a couple of fours before frustratingly chipping an easy catch to mid off, departing for 10 from 7 rocks.

Harry Tebb (7) came and went, but not before displaying his customary poise and power at the crease. A tidy opening spell of 1-19 off 4 from Thamby (bowling off progressively shorter run ups) ensured the Ts scoring was stemmed to some extent and he certainly deserved more than the one wicket he ended up with. From the other end, Big Smoke’s Freddy Rouse steamed in with gusto and was backed up by a very impressive spell from Saad Nawaz who frustrated the home batsman with his flight and bounce, ensuring it was increasingly difficult to put the ball away. He ended with figures of 1-20 from his 4.

Darsh though continued to look casual and composed, nonchalantly powering the ball to the rope with some textbook strokes to help himself to a quick-fire run a ball 35 before finally falling victim to a tricky straight one from Ghatge, marking the end of a good spell from the salt and peppered spinner. Next in, Hunt Jnr put in another very impressive performance with the bat that belied his tender years. Joined at the crease by Powell, a combination of regular boundaries and some busy running between the wickets saw the pair put on 50+ through the middle overs.

Headwear to the fore
To the home side’s delight the Chris Wylde “Hat of Shame” was rotated regularly among the Big Smoke fielding side, with Wylde himself, Ghatge (more than once) and eventually Dasgupta all doing their time donning the baggy for various fielding misdemeanours, including dropped catches, use of feet and fumbles. Thamby somehow escaped the unwanted cloth cap despite an egregious misfield at mid off that cost a 4 - playing down to the level and all that.

One of the highlights of Hunt Jnr’s innings saw him (definitely deliberately and skilfully) edge the ball behind the stumps to find Dasgupta’s unused helmet and bag himself a bonus 5 runs. Confusion reigned as the scorer, umpires and everyone else tried to work out whether he could also acquire an additional run for the scampered single or whether it was a dead ball once the ball struck the vacant helmet…Thankfully this was not the type of occasion where anyone was particularly concerned with the minutiae of the MCC Laws of Cricket…

It is always beneficial to have mates in positions of power, and so it proved when Hunt was wrapped on the pads, playing all round a tricky Rouse delivery. He looked up to see his youth team mate Tebb Jnr umpiring and knew in that moment he was safe. Tebb was having none of the zealous appeals and, making the most of the highly dubious decision, Hunt gleefully helped himself to a few bonus runs before eventually holing out as the accelerator was pressed in the final few overs. Following his skipper’s orders and shooting for the boundary, his shot was slightly mistimed and looped up to Big Smoke captain Tugwell who took what can only be described as a trick shot of a catch. A combination of hand, shoulder and crook of elbow somehow combining to ensure the ball was finally pouched.

143 to win
A heavy shower interrupted play but thankfully passed quickly enough to ensure Powell could only enjoy a few sips on his mid-innings pint before the players returned to the field. He was joined at the crease this time by Hunt Snr, cleverly nursing a hamstring injury by dispatching the ball to the rope to avoid the need for any quick singles. Having used up his nine lives, Powell’s final ugly hack ballooned up in the air and was duly and comfortably snaffled by Berger off his own bowling, bringing an end to a bright and breezy knock of 35 from 30 balls.

Red ink specialist JP, in at 7, survived an audacious reverse sweep attempt to remain unbeaten, while Hunt Snr plundered 14 from 6 balls in the closing overs to ensure a respectable final total for the home side of 142 for 5 from their 20 overs.

Openers Berger (9*) and Wylde (16*) were tasked with setting the pace for Big Smoke’s run chase. Some tidy bowling from McLoughlin ensured a tight start, but the first-time partnership survived some running confusion (if only Berger called more clearly…) to establish themselves and get the “visitors” off to a very respectable start. Both had played themselves into good touch and a close encounter to round off Cricket Week was surely on the cards, before the unwelcome weather intervened with the 5th over in progress and the Smoke chugging along nicely at 32/0.

Cricket remains the winner
The rain that had been threatening for a while came down…in biblical fashion and refused to blow over. As the puddles began to form on the outfield, even the most optimistic onlookers had to concede that there was to be no further cricket for the day.

Spirits could not be dampened though and after a few team photos (bedecked in sponsor merch), festivities continued long into the evening, with the Big Smoke crew gamely subjecting themselves to Singh’s ruthless stint as Finemaster, before Berger fired up the coals to ensure all went home well fed as well as watered.

A huge thank you, on behalf of all of us, to Berger for his tireless efforts in putting on not just this fixture but another hugely successful Cricket Week in general, battling COVID/holiday season impacted player availability, as well as pretty heinous weather conditions, to ensure a throughly enjoyable set of fixtures went ahead. A credit to the club as always.