Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs Blackheath CC Ex XI

Eltham were unlucky not to stretch their winning run to nine games as their walking wounded were denied victory by a stubborn Blackheath side in glorious sunny summer conditions at BGS. This was possibly Eltham's last game at Bexley Grammar before they made their summer move to the Footscray Rugby Ground next week, and everyone seemed keen to give BGS a good send off and keep the winning run going. Initial viewing of the opposition led some members of the squad to remark that this match might be another walkover reminiscent of several fixtures earlier in the season (Statics / Catford Cyphers), however this was far from what was to unfold. Pete skippered the side in the absence of Matt and a gentlemen's agreement was made between the two captains that the home side would bat first and allow the visitors first go at bowling on the rather green square.

Pete Fisher and Will "rainbow pants" Bisley (And yes they really were!!) opened the batting for Eltham and both looked comfortable early on before Will was bowled for 4. Richard joined Pete at the crease, promoted from his usual number 7 slot, and was in typical swashbuckling mood looking to get off of the mark early. They kept the scoreboard ticking over but the Blackheath bowlers were proving difficult to score boundaries off of. Richard and Pete both fell to good catches by the visitors whilst looking to try and hit out, and this brought Colin and Matt Bevan to the crease. Matt made a conservative start, blocking anything straight and waiting for the bad balls. Once he had got his eye in he looked well set and produced several glorious pull shots, and was looking good for a big score before he took a tumble whilst turning to take a second run and, after deciding that he couldn?t continue, was forced to retire with an injured ankle. This brought the skipper to the crease, and soon the ball was disappearing to all parts of the ground. Pete made 27 before being well caught.

It should be mentioned at this point that Carol had once again been tasked with scoring the fixture, and there was huge debate about what colour pencil should be used for which bowler, issues with a blunt sharpener and the fact that Blackheath used more bowlers than there was space for in the book! Coupled with being faced with blunt pencils and possible mistakes with the scorebook, Carol also had to cope with Andy Redman turning up half way through his run, detouring specially to ensure that score book was being filled in with more colours than Will's pants. It should also be mentioned that Carol was forced to watch a big guy with low trousers that were virtually round his ankles and a butt crack the size of the Grand Canyon bowling right in front of her to make sure the scoring was correct - the sacrifices these scorers make ey!

The loss of Pete's wicket brought Asjad to the crease. This was an unfamiliar position for him to enter the field of play, having on almost every other Eltham appearance opening the innings, and he made two before taking a big stride down the pitch to banish the ball to the boundary. Everything looked great about the shot apart from the bit about connecting with the ball, and he was comprehensively bowed. Derek then entered the fray, and lasted three balls before calling for a runner, which is always a call for complete chaos out in the middle and much enjoyment for those watching from the sidelines. The use of a runner for Derek however passed without incident, and Derek finished on 12 not out, while Colin, who held the innings together, finished with a well deserved 40 not out. Blackheath were set 180 to win.

Following on from an excellent tea by the Bisley?s, the Eltham players took to the field to try and secure a ninth successive win. Colin was having a rest from his usual wicket taking duties and took up wicket keeping duties (try saying that after a few drinks) in the absence of both of Eltham's regular keepers. Tan opened up at the far end while Ricky had taken the Pavilion (ok school) end of the ground. The first couple of overs passed by rather uneventfully, although the ball was moving a bit off the pitch and ball missed bat by inches on several occasions. In the fourth over Ricky got one to swing away a bit more than usual taking out off stump and the visitors were one down. Tan was unlucky not to take a wicket next over as the batsman just managed to get bat on ball, while Ricky was continuing to trouble the batsman at the other end. Derek then took a lovely catch at slip the following over, giving Ricky his second wicket.

Up to this point Eltham had not been their usual chirpy selves in the field, and some miss-fields and spilled catches were hampering their task. Something was needed to spark Eltham back into life as the visitors moved past fifty with the loss of only two wickets and the batsman at the crease both looking comfortable. David had been brought on to replace Tan and began to induce the batsman to play a few more attacking shots. It was this tactic that brought Eltham their breakthrough. The batsman at the strikers end nudge the ball down the pitch looking for a quick single and set off, before deciding that a run was not on and shouting "no" . However the batsman at the non strikers end was already halfway down the pitch by that point and turned slower than the QE2. Colin made a great scramble from behind the wicket and threw the stumps down at the non strikers end whilst on the floor, running him out by a country mile. Colin was as chuffed as a badger at the start of mating season! This sparked great celebrations among the Eltham players, and maybe that was the spark that Eltham needed to turn the tide in their favour.

Asjad was then brought into the attack, and he took three crucial wickets, including a great rising delivery taken behind by Colin which the batsman did well to get a bat handle on to stop it smacking him in the face. Pete was also on and he bowled their number 7 before Pete Fisher took a great catch out in the deep to give Pete his second victim of the day. With several overs to go Colin then came out from behind the stumps to try and get the wickets Eltham needed for victory and Asjad took over the keeping duties. There was great hilarity and bemusement to be had moments later when he asked for a helmet from the sidelines whilst keeping to Wouldham's leg-spin with just two overs remaining. BGS is not renowned for its high bouncy wicket, and surely keeping to leg spin cant be that fast and dangerous???

However the Blackheath batsman held firm and Eltham were unable to take the two wickets that they needed for victory. The match was drawn, and in the context of the game was probably a fair result between two evenly matched teams. It was then on to the pub for a well deserved drink, where Derek was overheard at the bar asking about his dry roasted nuts - surely a consequence of being out in the sun all day!

Reporting: Ricky Alexander-Webber