Grammar 2nd XI had to make only four changes for the home game against Grade 3 high flying St Ronalds 2nd XI. Out of the team went John Lord, Tom Booth, Aly MacDonald, and Rubesh, who were replaced by Paul MacDonald, Waji, Doug Russell and debutant Hozefa. But this week we had all eleven players ready for action before the start, with Magesh arriving early and parking in the space reserved for the captain.
To save a little time, the toss was performed in front of the old pavilion rather than make the usual visit to the old and hopefully soon to be replaced artificial wicket. The change of venue did little to change the outcome and FP’s were duly asked to bat first.
The batting was opened by Fryer and Johnston who faced good pace and very late swing bowling, but survived the opening overs, scoring at a steady pace aided by several extras. The only casualty in the early overs was the St Ronald wicketkeeper who was struck on the cheek while collecting a leg side delivery, and was taken to hospital for treatment swathed in bandages from the FP’s First Aid Kit.
The fifty was raised in the 15th over and Fryer was again emulating Sir Geoffrey Boycott’s batting style, this week perfecting the art of taking a single off the second last or last ball of the over. There was some interesting calling as the batsmen looked for quick singles having seen the fielders find the bumpy outfield tricky.
Having just struck the first four of the innings, Fryer was bowled by N. Soord for 24, FP’s total 64-1 off 21 overs. Three overs later, Johnston played a lazy shot at Bhatti and played on having scored 19. Muthu had replaced Fryer, but was hampered by a thigh strain and departing batsman Johnston stayed in the middle to act as runner. Unfortunately Muthu’s normal style was being hampered, and reluctantly he retired injured, much to the relief of the knackered runner.
McDonald looked to be in the mood, playing some powerful drives, but was soon out caught at square leg for 4. Two balls later Whyte was also out caught on the leg side. FP’s collapse continued when Phillips was bowled by St Ronald skipper Bhatti for 1, score 102 – 5. Waji was performing the disconcerting Waji walk down the wicket to the bowlers, but had to continue his walk to the pavilion when he was bowled for 3. An old fashioned FP’s collapse was in full swing when Magesh was bowled for a duck. Muthu had returned with Phillips as runner and played some regal shots as he and Karthik went about retrieving the situation. Karthik was 8th man out having scored 21 runs (3×4), one four being an Andy Murray type smash over cover. Next man in Russell was soon bowled for 1, and debutant Hozefa was out caught and bowled by Sakil, leaving Muthu 16 not out (1×4). FP’s total 120 off 43.3 overs.
This had been an unexpected batting capitulation as FP’s lost 7 wickets for 35 runs, but the final score was given a respectable look with the help of 31 extras.
Magesh and Whyte opened the bowling for FP’s. Whyte was hit for two leg side 4’s in his first over, but opener Bhatti was brilliantly caught by injured keeper Muthu diving low to his right and catching the ball in his right glove. In Whyte’s next over Muthu showed great opportunism after batsman S. Rao had remained out of his crease and Muthu smartly stumped the sleeping batsman, the umpire at square leg having no option but to send the unhappy batsman on his way.
Whyte took another wicket two overs later thanks to a fantastic catch by McDonald at first slip diving full length to his right and catching the ball while horizontal, St Ronald 31 – 3 off 8 overs.
Magesh was keeping things tight at the other end putting pressure on the St Ronald batsmen, and it paid off, not for Magesh, but for Whyte when S. Ali was bowled for 13, and soon after Whyte got his deserved 5th wicket when he bowled Rhavs for 5.
But batsman M. Rizwan was striking the ball cleanly and scoring boundaries all round the wicket, several shots just clearing fielders. Batsman Abid stayed with Rizwan for several overs (scorebook missing details) and it took a great bit of fielding by Fryer hitting the stumps direct to run out Abid for 12 runs.
St Ronald were scoring quickly as FP’s changed the bowling regularily, Magesh bowled tightly 10-1-27-0, Russell bowled 2-0-6-0, Karthik showed signs of his old form returning with 6-1-23-0, and last weeks top bowler Phillips, the man who runs in to bowl like Bob Willis but appeals like Mrs Willis, bowled 3-1-13-0.
Whyte returned and soon had Vijy plumb LBW, but St Ronald were not to be denied and Rizwan saw them home scoring an excellent 61 not out (9×4). Muthu deserves special mention for batting and keeping wicket so well while suffering thigh injury.
The St Ronald wicketkeeper returned from hospital with 8 stitches and a hairline fracture of his cheekbone, and his replacement fielder got full marks for enthusiasm as he came on to bowl and walked out to bat before being turned back on both occasions.
Both teams used runners, at one stage St Ronald had runners for both batsmen leading to some interesting calling. Sky TV do not have had enough cameras to cover all the comings and goings during the match, and not even Sir David Attenborough would have been brave enough to venture into the undergrowth aka the outfield.
This was a game FP’s could have won with another 30 runs, but the mid / late order collapse meant that the high scoring St Ronald line up were always a dangerous proposition despite losing early wickets. Unfortunately omissions in the scorebook mean the fall of wickets etc information is unavailable.
Man of the Match – Keiran Whyte – 6 wickets by bowling good line and length, wicket to wicket, corridor of uncertainty etc, resulting in an excellent 6 – 47. (Other bowlers take note)
Champagne Moment – Paul McDonald’s brilliant ‘Andrew Strauss’ moment at slip.
