London Erratics Cricket Club

Founded 1974 for recreation and refreshment

Sunday 28 August 2005
London Erratics v Beamers
at North London Cricket Club, Crouch End

High score draw
BEAMERS — batting
1   b Eltringham 51
2   b Eltringham 56
3   lbw b Head 3
4   st Rennell b Head 7
5   c Ali b Head 26
6 JT c Stephenson b Head 6
7   c Ali b Eltringham 27
8   c Ali b Eltringham 42
9   run out 1
10   not out 2
11  
252 for 9 dec
Fall of wickets:  1–122, 2–129, 3–136, 4–139, 5–167, 6–180, 7–246, 8–250

LONDON ERRATICS — bowling
Green T 5 2 30 0
Stephenson 8 0 54 0
Padmore 3 0 21 0
Eltringham 8 1 51 4
Head 12 1 54 4
Prasad 5 0 34 0
Our special correspondent writes:
The match had an ominous start when match manager Richard Heller telephoned the skipper of the Beamers (the new name for the New Statesman side) to confirm the arrangements. The latter thought his team were playing the London Museum. The prospect of a triangular tournament was removed when the two spoke later in the week. Even combined, there were insufficient Beamers and Museum exhibits. As it happened, the Erratics were in surplus and we offered to loan them two players.
Bank Holiday Sunday was uncharacteristically sunny as we arrived at the well-appointed but equally well-concealed North London ground. After some negotiations, Richard gave the opposition John Truscott (the last Erratic volunteer), the first of several errors. Richard’s next one was to lose the toss and the opposition chose to bat on a beautiful wicket with a short boundary and a fast outfield. His third error was to set extravagantly attacking fields, which allowed their experienced openers to take some toll on Tim Green. At the other end, Michael Stephenson kept a good line and length and induced some false strokes, but no catches to the ill-set field. At last Richard made a good decision: Mu Ali arrived late and Richard substituted myself. Peter Andrews took over the leadership, and the iron discipline began to show in the field. Even more important, Mu took a series of progressively more spectacular catches at long-on, the third (running and full stretch) an Oscar contender.
Alex Padmore relieved Tim, but this was not a day for teenage pace. The opposing openers put up a century stand and Matthew Eltringham took over from Michael S. He began with an uncharacteristic display of the yips before recovering to slow down and bowl both openers. Their middle order then succumbed to the wiles of Jim Head, assisted by a smart stumping from Tremayne Rennell. John Truscott did not punish us heavily, falling to a fine deep catch by Michael S. We were on top until a sudden burst of violence took 20 off an over from Parag Prasad, bowling slower than usual due to injury. Four apiece for Jim and Matthew and a run out closed out the opposition at 252 for 9. Despite the fine batting conditions, this would be a tall order.
LONDON ERRATICS — batting 4s  6s 
Dunabin caught 0    
Prasad lbw 0    
Ali bowled 16 4   
* Andrews c Truscott 26 4   
Green T stumped 33 6   
Stephenson bowled 52 7  2 
Head NOT OUT  46 7   
Long NOT OUT  16 3   
Padmore    
† Rennell    
Eltringham    
210 for 6
Fall of wickets:  1–1, 2–1, 3–26, 4–79, 5–122, 6–163
The Erratics innings began terribly and was marred by umpiring controversies. Richard was unaware of the no-ball rule on cutting the return crease, and more fatally Parag was given out lbw when a majority of Erratic umpires would have found reason to dismiss the appeal. Chris Dunabin had already perished at cover. Mu and Peter repaired the innings with a cluster of boundaries until Mu was bowled by a surprisingly good delivery.
Tim, presciently promoted, took a toll of fours from the opposition opening bowler and successfully farmed the strike from his experienced partner. Muttering darkly the opener was removed, and replaced by a very slow spinner. Good move. His first ball induced a teenage red mist, a violent charge and a stumping. Michael S raised the tempo even more, depositing the spinner several times into the trees. Peter pulled the spinner into the hands of the renegade Truscott, but with 20 overs to go our target was just 6.5 an over.
After a long drinks interval (to watch the concluding thrills of the Fourth Test match) Michael S and Jim were slowed down by a new accuracy in the bowling. When Michael S was out for a well-merited first-ever fifty the target was out of reach. Jim and a sound Mike Long prevented any further alarm and saw off the rogue Truscott (3-1-2-0).
A very pleasant match against pleasant opponents. But with the talent in our team, we ought to have won. I blame the captain . . . [RH]
Match drawn
2005 Season
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