Concorde v Fairlands CC

Match Report

We did not originally have a fixture arranged for this weekend since it is usually rained off. So this year, it was decided to leave the day open and thus, through this use of reverse psychology, a nice dry day was guaranteed. Accordingly, a match was hastily arranged through the exchange against Fairlands CC, from outside Guildford, who were, of course, a completely unknown quantity.

It was their bad luck that they found us fielding perhaps our strongest XI for about three years, lacking only a pace attack but more than compensated for by a varied spin quartet and strong batting down to number 8 led by the return to the game, after a three-year rest, of Jordan Dyer.

On winning the toss, Jerry Wright, in time-honoured fashion, asked Fairlands to bat, a decision dictated less by the condition of the wicket but rather more by a lack of enthusiasm for fielding in a biting wind at 6pm.

Ashley began the day well by inducing an early waft to mid on off his second ball, an easy chance which was made to look very difficult by a tumbling Jordy who took the catch at about the third attempt with the ball lodged in his armpit. Still, a catch is a catch and he is entitled to a bit of rustiness after a long lay off.

Jordy opened up from the other end and bowled well without much luck with a number of edges, both thick and thin, running for four through the gully and slip area. The number 3 laid about him with some gusto and accompanied by the surviving opener in rather more sedate fashion, these two moved the score along until the no 3 was rather unlucky to be bowled by a clever grubber from Ashley, which barely left the ground, for 28.

At this point, Jerry turned to spin with Nikhil and George coming into the attack and after a couple of quiet overs, the entire complexion of the game changed as Nikhil bowled a superb spell of left arm spin compensating for a shortage of turn with clever changes of pace. in short time, Nikhil completed an analysis of 6-15 aided by two more catches by Jordy who in contrast to his first catch, made his second difficult catch look easy and the third one routine. George chipped in with two wickets with one caught by Nikhil at mid off and the second bowled to bring the Fairlands innings to a premature end for 78. Their innings included no less than 6 ducks.

It should also be mentioned that the fielding was much enlivened by new recruit Pat Wells, a friend of Ashleys, who kept up a loud and entertaining commentary on the proceedings and was successful in reducing even Nigel Wright to rare and admiring silence.

With tea not yet ready, a 45 minute spell of batting was required which Jordy and Edgar negotiated without much alarm until on the stroke of tea, Edgar inexplicably, stepped across his stumps and was bowled by a ball which just kissed the outside of leg stump. After tea prepared by Cudders, Nigel Wright joined Jordy but was LBW without troubling the scorers and Ashley strode out to join Jordy being heartily applauded by a pack of adoring fans who has arrived during the tea interval. Clearly inspired, Ashley put bat to ball and accompanied by Jordy who was, as ever, powerfully efficient particularly through mid wicket, the score of 78 never looked enough.

When Ashley smote a huge 6 over long on, the match was effectively over and a trademark boundary from Jordy brought the match to a close at about 5pm with Jordy on 42no with 8 4’s and Ashley on 21no with 3 4’s and a 6.

It was very positive that in our first match of the season, we had already improved on last seasons record although it was hard not to feel a little sympathy for Fairlands for running into us on a day when we were at almost full strength. Having said that, lets hope it continues.