London Erratics Cricket Club

Founded 1974 for recreation and refreshment

Saturday 6 May 2006
London Erratics v Harpsden
at Harpsden

Exciting, but frustrating
Click on (Þ) symbol for photo images
LONDON ERRATICS — batting 4s  6s 
Rivington caught 27 1   
Andrews caught 25 2   
Prasad caught 5    
Khawaja run out 50 5   
Pannell NOT OUT  44 5   
Ali caught 13 1  1 
Evans NOT OUT  4 1   
Stephenson    
† Rennell    
Eltringham    
* Ward    
183 for 5 in 33 overs
Fall of wickets:  1(Andrews)–48, 2(Prasad)–61, 3(Rivington)–79, 4(Khawaja)–163, 5(Ali)–178
With rain falling at the scheduled one o’clock start, the Erratics sloped off to the Three Horseshoes. Invigorated with appropriate refreshment, the 12-man squad returned to the ground, to negotiate a shorter, novel (to us) match format — a 33/30 overs match, with the draw possible. The Erratics won the toss and elected to bat. Richard Heller volunteered to assume the role of umpire and photographer.
To combat the moist conditions, James Rivington (Þ) and Peter Andrews (Þ) deployed a range of unorthodox shots, not unsuccessfully. Peter departed just before the fifty partnership was reached. Parag Prasad (Þ) looked classy; but the bounce remained awkward and he was snapped up in the gully. James succumbed the same way in the 18th over — the victim of a promising 13-year-old!
Nasir Khawaja, playing his first match since that silly football injury, was joined by debutant Andrew Pannell. After a watchful start, they began to play shots: Nasir quickly refound his old form, and Andrew displayed a good technique and a willingness to hit the ball. With ten overs to go, the scoring rate was still below 4.5 runs an over: cue sudden acceleration. Ten runs off the 27th over saw the fifty partnership up.
The last two overs were fun. Nasir reached his own half century, then was called for a third that was too much for his wonky leg. The innings of new bat, Mu Ali, was to the point: 3, 6, 4, out. And Michael Evans despatched the last ball. Andrew finished with a handsome 44 not out — good find, skipper Tristan Ward!
HARPSDEN — batting
1   c Pannell b Ali 38
2   c Rivington b Ward 21
3   c Ali b Eltringham 47
4   c Andrews b Eltringham 17
5   not out 31
6   c Rivington b Prasad 18
7   not out 2
8  
9  
10  
11  
184 for 5 in 30 overs
Fall of wickets: 1–58, 2–83, 3–110, 4–141, 5–178

LONDON ERRATICS — bowling
Stephenson 8 0 24 0
Eltringham 7 0 44 2
Ward 8 0 53 1
Ali 3 0 20 1
Khawaja 2 0 29 0
Prasad 2 0 10 1
The home side needed to score at 6.1 in their allotted 30 overs. They managed barely more than half that while Michael Stephenson was steaming in from one end, and Matthew Eltringham was bowling only one loose ball an over from the other. But we weren’t taking wickets, so after 9 overs Tristan deployed his own talents. The batsmen accepted the invitation to score more freely, but impolitely failed to get out, and the fifty was passed.
Michael was given a well-deserved rest. Mu’s first ball (first ever for the Erratics) was hit straight to new boy Andrew. Three overs later, Tristan claimed more success as the other opener picked out James at long-on. He doesn’t drop those ... well, he did the next one that came his way. By that time, the batsmen were getting after the bowling, and the hundred came up in the 20th over. Matthew replaced Mu, to good effect — Peter at point took the sort of diving catch he never takes, and the No. 3 freakishly top-edged a full toss to Mu at long-leg.
Still 43 runs needed off the final 5 overs, and we’ve started taking wickets. Skipper Tristan wants to capitalise on these successes: who else can toss the ball up? James knows that Nasir is keen, and mentions his name. Good in theory ... but now the target is 28 off 4. Parag bowls a tidy over to a defensive field. Surely the Nasir gamble is over? No, the skipper clearly fancies Russian roulette — with all the chambers loaded! Now it’s just 9 needed off 2. Parag does his best, and James takes a catch at point — but only 4 runs are needed off the last over. Can the miserly Michael Stephenson produce a miracle? A single here, a dot ball there.... One run needed off the last two deliveries, with the new bat facing. He misses the first, dabs the second, scampers, and a despairing Mu can only flick the ball towards the stumps, too late. Harpsden are very happy.
Erratics lost by 5 wickets
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