Concorde v Millfields

Match Report

After a fairly disastrous week from a weather point of view, It was a relief to see the sun shining brightly and furthermore to have 16 players to select a team from. This was pleasing since Millfields are among the strongest teams we play so being able to select from relative strength was a blessing. From the originally selected 11, Matt Hallam withdrew and was replaced by Ash Westen, making his first appearance of the season. Skipper Jerry Wright also withdrew, having stopped a yorker with his big toe the day before, and was replaced by Matt Turvill.

Confident, as we were that we had a good side, a slight tremor went down our collective spines when amongst the opposition we espied, on arrival, the familiar face of Simon Hughes, the ex Middlesex seamer whose son, we were told, is a regular for Millfields. On finding themselves short for the game, it seems that young Hughes had prevailed on Dad to turn out for the afternoon.

Andy Marshall took command of the Concorde troops and on winning the toss, put the opposition in. Despite a fiery opening spell by Simon Duke and a miserly spell from Dave Nash, the first wicket was a long time coming. Though Simon beat the bat regularly, he was on occasions short and was expertly cut to the boundary. Dave, was either very straight or very wide and whilst this combination kept runs to a strickle from his end, a wicket would not come. Similarly, George and Alex whilst bowling perfectly well could not make inroads and the occasional bad ball was punished. Andy Marshall had a go and Prev had a go but it was not until the score had reached 150 that the partnership could be broken.

The score continued to mount and it was not until Ash was introduced to the attack that real inroads could be made with Ash picking up four wickets including the prize scalp of Simon Hughes, giving Ash a first class wicket for the first time. An end to the Millfields innings was declared with the score at 259 at 4.30 and after Concorde had bowled 55 overs. Ash had taken 4 – 37 and particular mention for Dave Nash who among the mayhem finished with 2 – 21 from 9 overs. In the view of the writer, Millfields had made about 30 runs too many and declared about 15 minutes too late to really make a game of it.

This assessment looked to be correct when Edgar and Matt T got the Concorde innings underway with what looked like a maximum of 40 overs coming our way. A rate of 6.5 an over looked a big ask and against some penetrative seam bowling, progress was slow, increasing the asking rate still further. After about 10 overs with our score on 35, Simon Hughes came into the attack and bowled a friendly waist high full toss first ball to Matt Turvill who slapped it to mid on. A rather sheepish looking Hughes accepted the plaudits from his team mates!

The introduction of a leg break bowler did little to increase the tempo of our batting though Nick Freeman and Edgar both made efforts to do so with Ed taking 12 of an over but both perished in trying to push things along (Edgar 37) and 20 overs began with us still requiring 200 to win, surely an impossible task.

However, Andy and Alex had other ideas. In spite of not having played this season and only once or twice last season, Alex lifted his second ball over mid on for an effortless six and then launched an exciting assault complemented perfectly by Andy and suddenly our score leapt forward. Boundary after boundary left the blades of out two heroes interspersed with some brilliant running between the wickets and Millfields brows began to furrow. A scoring rate of 10 an over was maintained for 10 overs until the inevitable happened when Andy set off for one risky run too many and was run out.

Alex, having reached a marvellous 50 with 5 sixes, then launched another big hit down the ground Who should be standing on that boundary but Simon Hughes who, like the first class cricketer that he once was, made the running catch look ridiculously easy. Surely that was game over. but no! Ash had other ideas.

He too crashed ball after ball to the boundary again ably assisted by Prev and Millfields were heard to mutter that they were going to lose this. Ash’s timing was superb and cheered on by his fan club on the boundary, he had brought the runs required down to 25 off the last three overs. Could a wonderful victory be achieved!

Alas, Ash (45 with 3 sixes) was bowled trying to heave another six, Prev (18) top edged a pull and it was left to Dave Nash and Dukie to play out the final over for a draw. This did not preclude Dave from attempting a reverse sweep from his first ball and Dukie added to the high drama by being out off the last ball of the match. Our innings closed with the score on 243 – 9, 17 short of our target.

A draw then but an honourable one and an exciting run chase. Perhaps an earlier declaration might have meant a win for one side or the other? We will never know!