Eltham CC

Match Report

Match report Eltham CC Vs NatWest CC

It was an inauspicious week for our hosts, who had inconvenienced a large proportion of their customers with software glitches which meant that many did not have their salaries paid into their accounts, and those that did, couldn't get the money back out. Certainly your correspondent had suffered at the hands of the bank and was looking forward to this match. Could Eltham start off a new financial service known as "payback"?

The omens weren't good, as it happens. In recent weeks Eltham had prospered due to some excellent batting from Matt Bulpitt and bowling from Yaasar, Tanveer and Pad, but a combination of alternative engagements meant that none of our "galacticos" were available. Time for the other Eltham players to stand up and be counted then!

Skipper Swain lost the toss and Eltham were put into bat. "We're a bit light this week" says our oppo Skipper, which generated a raised eyebrow from Skipperoo. He's heard that before at Sidcup! A quick conflab with Wouldham then revealed the inner turmoil that Swain had been trying to deflect for as long as possible by batting second if he'd had the chance - the batting order was not an easy one! The art, dear friends, is to try to give everyone a fair crack of the whip, but that was not easy today as the bowling looked very light on paper, containing mainly batting all-rounders. Swainy tried to put himself at the bottom of the order but wise counsel from Wouldham (there's a first time for everything) luckily stopped him. Good job too as things transpired...

On to the match then. I'm not saying things were slow but at one point the proceedings on the square resembled a game of snooker. Not just any game of snooker either, this was a display by Eddie Charlton on tranquilisers. The two Natwest opening bowlers, our old friends Brown and Palmer, were giving nothing away, and the pitch was also making life difficult by giveing the bowlers some assistance. In order to show how slow progress was, take a look at the first ten overs...

Over	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Score	0	4	4	5	8	8	8	8	8	9

Not good eh? Wickets were not tumbling but runs were very hard to come by for Pete and Asjad. Pete, visibly frustrated, had a dart at a ball from Brown which just took the edge of his bat and was smartly taken by the Natwest keeper for a blob. This brought his dad John to the crease but things were no easier for him, and after a few overs of scratching around John was strangled down the leg side (a physically improbable demise but there you are...) and once again the Natwest keeper did the business neatly. A father and son quacker had been achieved, not seen since the Bisleys managed it for Dulwich against us in the 20/20 competition a couple of years back. Cue photo opportunity above!

The score was moving upwards but not very quickly - take a look at our progress in the next ten overs - oh dear oh dear oh dear!

Over	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
Score	9	9	10	13	16	16	22	23	26	30

During this period Gary Bill came and went, looking as uncomfortable as those who went before him but thankfully escaping the dreaded Amelia. Gary went LBW to Palmer, who bowled really well with excellent line and length and used the pitch to his full advantage - he could bowl worse spells this year and get a fivefer. This brought "Teffers" to the crease and he immediately disappointed those who had suggested he would adopt a french cricket stance by choosing to bat left-handed today. There were loud cheers though (louder than his shirt today which was sadly restrained) when Adam got off the mark. But no! Leg byes were signalled and Teffers looked unchuffed and worried in equal measure - particularly as he confirmed it was off the bat! Thankfully it didn't take Adam too much longer to get off the mark again. 13 runs and Adam's top score for the club and he was ready for a cider!

The next ten overs saw the run-rate increase - but not much, and Eltham were beginning to worry about not getting enough runs on the board. Greg(os) Meeson had come and gone which meant that not only were we behind the eight-ball on run-rate, but we were now 5 wickets down. A phrase involving gun, barrell, and staring springs to mind.

Over	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
Score	31	34	39	44	44	45	52	56	59	63

Not to worry of course since Swainy was on hand to join Asjad and increase the run-rate and stem the flow of wickets. It could all have been so different mind you as Pete was dropped on the boundary off his first delivery. He would not have been chuffed! Asjad started hitting out with Pete but managed to hit one straight down the throat of mid-on just after hitting a large six over mid-off to bring up his fifty. Bit quicker next time Mr Mir but well played Sir! Onto the last 12 overs as Eltham decided to chance their arm a bit and see what sort of total we could muster...

Over	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42
Score	64	71	80	90	100	110	118	126	130	139	144	157

Matt Bevan didn't score many but hung around and ran well with Pete to get the scoreboard moving. Pete was beginning to motor and, when Matt was bowled going for a big one we still looked a bit short of runs. Colin came in and got off the mark with a sweep for four over backward square, attempting to shut his critics up. Forward defensives will be resumed next week! A quick 17 and Colin was caught on the boundary going for a big one in the last over, but Pete was still there on a marvellous 48 not out which saw some lovely shots. 157-8 represented a very good total from where we were, and Eltham looked as pleased as Katie Holmes' lawyer with that score.

After a tea provided by CostCo (and very nice it was too) Matt Rosenthal quickly started proceedings by bowling the Natwest opener for a duck. A good spell by Matt though perhaps a little wayward, but he can certainly build up a good head of steam. His fans on the boundary appreciated it! Gary Bill opened the bowling from the other end in a bold move by the Skipper, but it never really paid off today, and with a high wind it was difficult for Gary to get enough pace on the ball to get any bounce off the wicket. Wouldham advised Swain to put himself on and Pete soon found that the ball was swinging a mile for him - the trick was to control it. And control it he could - and he was particularly satisfied to see the Natwest no.3 leaving a ball which he thought was going down leg, only to hear the stumps smashed as the ball swung back a long way. Very nice!

A nice partnership developed between Nye and Butt which threatened to take the game away from Eltham, but Seeds got rid of Nye with one of his deceptive leg-spinners, causing the batsman to pop one up to Gary Bill who made a lot of ground to get the catch from fine leg. This brought in Natwest batsmen who loked less sure of themselves and when Pete bowled the dangerous Butt, it was most definitely game on. The oppo needed a run a ball from the last ten overs, and we needed 5 wickets.

Pete continued to bowl and picked up another wicket (giving Colin his 300th catch for the club), and with Matt Rosenthal returning and taking a good c&b, we were down to the last few. Gregos then came on with 3 overs to go to bowl his loopy Chinamen in an attempt to induce the oppo to swing as they still needed 20-odd, and almost immediately this got Colin a smart stumping. Alas however, there were no more wickets as Natwest shut up shop, and the game ended in a comfortable draw for us.

Over a relaxing drink with the oppo everybody agreed what a good game it had been, and looked forward to meeting again later in the season.

Reporting: Colin Wouldham