Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs NatWest CC

The return fixture against our banking chums, Natwest. The fixture at their place featured excellent forked lightning, which was of course offered to the batsman.

And the banking crisis continues. Natwest arrived at FRC with fine weather forecast and Richard ready to lead Eltham out for the first time post tour.

Natwest won the toss and whilst they waited for their kit bag complete with fielding pads to arrive, they decided to bat. Tanveer and Kash?

(Is this a relation to Tango and Cash? Suggestions for Eltham CC TV cop look alikes please. Who is the Columbo of Eltham? Cagney and Lacey? Or even Morse)

anyhow? Tanveer and Kashif both bowled quickly and accurately and Eltham were quick to stop anything that came towards them. 10 overs produced 9 runs and Harris went for a hook shot off of Kash which he top edged and Matt Bulpitt ran from square leg to take a catch and the first wicket. Butt came to the middle, after hitting 70 at our last game, and fact that Tan remembered and promptly bowled him second ball.

Kash took the wicket of MacLeod and Eltham looked to see how they were going to get the wicket of the opener Michaels who was looking composed and compact. Kashif again got the breakthrough after another stunning catch from Redman behind the stumps. A masterstroke of captaincy here, Richard had told Kash that either he got the wicket of the opener in that over or he was coming off!

Bulpitt joined the bowling club and came on from the Tanveer end. Will Bisley meanwhile was watching the football, whilst Andy and Henry baulked at the warming up techniques of modern footballers. This wasn?t how we did it at St Mary?s - finish the pint your drinking and pass the deep heat around.

A wicket with his first ball, which unlike the Old Pilotonians game where his bowling kissed the bail this one kissed the leg stump. Not a clatter, not a sound just a load of hot air!!!

That was the end of Bulpitt?s fortune as he became the costliest bowler! Going for 20 runs, 10 from his last over! Derek and John Fisher cleaned up the remaining batsmen with Andy taking a stumping to go with his two caught behinds.

70 all out. Tea wasn?t ready and England?s demise in the Headingly Test was on the TV upstairs. So Will and Asjad went out to finish the job off. William hit a glorious pull shot in his first over and looked ready to take the game on when he got a ball that rose quickly on him and he edged to slip. Richard making no mistake sent out Pete Fisher, who again quickly set about the Natwest bowlers.

Tea was taken and although Pete was bowled on his return the day belonged to Richard and with his parents on the balcony with Evie and a pint of Masterbrew, he hit a customary six and then a Chinese cut between his legs to win the game for Eltham.

In the bar by 5:30, a few pints and misery as England fell to 54-5, but home by 7:30 to win brownie points too. Job done! Onto Swanscombe next Sunday and the return of Swain