Concorde v Presidents XI

Match Report

The term “mad dogs and Englishmen” is most normally used in connection with going out in the hot noonday sun. If only that could have been the case with last Sunday’s show piece game which was conducted from first to last in unrelenting drizzling rain from start to finish. In spite of this, 21 Englishmen (so far as I know) and a Kiwi played right through the very unpleasant conditions to complete a game which at a club of less fortitude and determination, might never have started.

As tradition dictates, the Presidents XI agreed to bat first and Concorde turncoat, Paddy Haddow, opened the innings with former Surrey star of the 70’s, Dudley Owen-Thomas. Both played with deep concentration and determination against a probing seam attack of Josh Griffiths and Ashley Western. A sharp chance from Paddy Haddow to second slip was put down off Josh by Skipper Jerry Wright which sadly set the tone for a woeful catching performance by the Concorde side. The main beneficiary was Paddy who was given several chances as he proceeded to a very stylish and hard hit Century and was undefeated on 116 at the close.

There followed a lovely piece of fielding by Josh who swooped on the ball at point and threw down the stumps at the bowler’s end to run out Dudley OT for a dogged 19 but he had shown enough in that time to remind us that this was a batsman who had made first class centuries and had come close to an England cap.

A second lovely bit of fielding, a head high catch on the boundary by Adam Carter, not only accounted for Louis Lynch but also served to show up the catching ineptitude of his senior team mates. In between these two fielding highlights, Martin Powell joined Paddy in blasting the ball to all parts in making 66 and a brief cameo from Kiwi, Scott Baldwin revealed that the Presidents XI oozed class.

With the Presidents XI being waved on their merry way by at least 6 catches being dropped in increasingly farcical circumstances, Graham Neale, Presidents Captain for the day, made what appeared to be a very reasonable declaration with the score on 242 for 3 without having to deploy his own very considerable batting skills or those of fellow Walton legend, Phil Haddow.

Acutely aware that the Concorde batting was spread thin, Skipper Jerry Wright decided to lead from the front by opening the batting and showing the way. A nasty surprise awaited him as the 6’5″ Kiwi Adonis, Scott Baldwin showed himself to be much more than just a useful bat as he roared in from what looked like 40 yards to hurl down thunderbolts, moving off the seam from just short off a length.

Jerry drove him thunderously through second slip for 4 and played him with a degree of competence though never comfort, before the inevitable occurred and off stump was rather forcibly removed. With the very next ball, he struck Ashley a very nasty blow on the elbow and Ash retired to the pavilion to ice his wound.

Scott, having done sufficient damage retired to the outfield and Nick Freeman and Prev began to counter attack both striking some meaty blows before Nick drove one back over the bowlers head in the full expectation that it was completely safe before seeing the afore-mentioned Scott, take a ludicrously good running catch over his shoulder. Prev continued to play an excellent innings, mixing watchful defence with some lust blows against the loose ball and had compiled a valuable 39 before he finally fell.

With the rain getting heavier, Jerry Wright generously offered The Presidents representative a draw, an offer that was contemptuously rejected by Mick Reeve who was scenting a revenge victory after being mercilessly crushed in last years fixture.

With the cream of the Concorde batting gone, there remained two choices. Hit out and get out or try to survive for the draw by batting 30 minutes plus the regulation 20 overs. Surrender is not in the DNA of men like Dave Nash and Ian Cudworth to say nothing of the stonewall duo of Stockbridge and Howard and through the cold and miserably persistent rain, these fine men of Concorde held out for the draw with Ashley evoking memories of Colin Cowdrey by walking out to face the last over delivered by Scott, his previous assailant, which he did successfully and with complete aplomb. The Concorde score finished on exactly half that of the Presidents XI on 121 for 9.

A draw then, a result which was met with mixed feelings on both sides but, all in all, a rather disappointing game on what, had the weather co operated, would have been a splendid days cricket watched throughout by another former Surrey star, Monte Lynch.