HORNCHURCH v Gidea Park & Romford CC Saturday 4th X1 on Sat 19 Aug 2006 at 1pm
Gidea Park & Romford CC Lost lost by 3 wickets
Any team finding itself with only nine players at the start of the match through the vagaries of availability through the club will expect to either win or lose, and the 4th XI found itself in this very position when taking on 2nd placed Hornchurch at Cromer Road. That the 4th XI lost at the end of the day is not so much the point; with a tad of luck they could have won the game after everyone put in terrific performances with bat and ball and in the field. The match went into the last two overs and that says it all for the team spirit and effort!
Skipper Andy Jenner won the toss and decided to bat first on a fast scoring ground. The opening partnership of Les Hall (aged 58 and playing his first match of the season) and Adam McKie (aged nearly 15) made a bright start and had 28 on the board before Adam was caught in the covers. Enter Chris Webber and a partnership worth 137 for the 2nd wicket ensued, initially led by Les Hall with some trademark shots and boundaries taking full toll against some ordinary bowling. Webber opened out with powerful clean hits and had 9 fours and a six in 72 before he was caught in the deep, but Les ploughed on untroubled with a couple of mini partnerships as the bowlers tightened up and found some line and length. Durham Bhogal then came in at the fall of the 4th wicket and proceeded to hit 3 fours and 2 sixes in a cameo injection of fast runs to the innings before also perishing in the deep. Les completed his well earned and deserved century (containing 15 fours) in the final over before the declaration which came at the riches of 277 for 5.
With only four bowlers on the day Park needed a good start and early inroads to the home teams' batting and this arrived through a fine pick up and throw from Adam McKie that seperated the openers in the second over. Colin Jones then had a great spell where every time the ball seemed to go in the air it produced a catch. First Chris Lamb (another 14 year old making his debut and fielding very well) produced a well judged catch at fine leg, then Anil Patel held a firm hit into the gully, and Durham Bhogal a fine running catch at mid wicket. Jeremy West was bowled, and at 70 for 5 there was a lot to play for by both teams. At this point Tom Willson produced some very powerful hitting in particular taking full toll of the slower bowlers with a string of boundaries. He rode his luck, and there were several close appeals, but the ground is very difficult to defend at the best of times and particularly when someone is "in", and with only 9 fielders it is somewhat harder! He and Michael Roce produced what proved to be the match winning partnership putting on 130 before Roce was out for 43 having a dip at the returning Andy Jenner, who produeced just the steady spell that the situation demanded although even he could not stem the in-form Wilson. Jason Syms also added vital runs with the dominant Wilson, who completed a fine century; without him the home team would have been nowhere. Syms had several close calls but survived and was out with 14 needed off four overs, another good catch this time by Adam McKie. Hayward played and missed, Wilson struck another boundary, and with two overs left he lofted the ball straight where what would have been an excellent running catch was missed and the winning boundary ensued. Willson finished with an astonishing 153 not out, a real tour de force, and a very fine effort indeed. Colin Jones finished with 4 for 88.
This was a thrilling match given the circumstances and a credit to all who played in it. Next week we play Hutton who are immediatley below us in the division. Let's hope for better availability and the same team spirit!
Gidea Park & Romford CC Saturday 4th X1 Batting
277 for 5
HORNCHURCH Bowling
HORNCHURCH Batting
280 for 7
Gidea Park & Romford CC Saturday 4th X1 Bowling