Concorde v Sheen Park

Match Report

With only 9 players on Saturday morning and an almost total lack of quality batting, the prospects for our game on Sunday against Sheen Park did not look especially attractive. A call from Mike Anning to announce a successfully negotiation with Mrs Anning brought us up to 10 by Saturday night and a text from Nigel Wright on Sunday morning offering the services of young Ben, finally gave us 11 willing hands. On the bright side, we had a battery of pace bowling – but only Nick Freeman and Jerry Wright among what might be termed specialist batsmen.

At the toss, Jerry made the suggestion that Sheen Park bat first with the words, “I have a good bowling side but very little batting” and this was readily accepted by the Sheen Park Captain who was, in any case, keen to bat first and we got underway with Josh Griffiths and Simon Duke opening the bowling. Josh bowled extremely well and with good pace and was very unlucky that his spell went unrewarded. Dukie was probably the quickest he has ever been on our ground and whilst the wicket could certainly not be described as quick, it was giving a little bit of early help to the bowler, and he was a pretty fearsome proposition, certainly at least to Nick Freeman behind the stumps who was complaining regularly that it was hurting his hands.

The Sheen Park Opener, Shaun Quinn, took Dukie on and after hitting him through mid-wicket a couple of times, he played across the line once too often and was LBW. Although the next wicket did not come to either Dukie or Josh, they kept such excellent control that when they came out of the attack after 18 overs, the score was still only 30. Now Nasher and a strangely reluctant Adam Carter took over and began to move the ball prodigiously and in the process ripping out the middle order, taking 3 wickets each for very few runs. When Adam asked for a rest after 5 overs (3-13) Jerry Wright came on and bowled the previously obdurate no 7 with the last ball of his first over leaving Sheen Park reeling at 78 for 8. George bowled 3 tidy overs for 9 runs but with neither spinner getting much from the slow wicket, the opening pair came back and took the last two wickets. Though the extra pace on the ball leaked a few runs, Sheen Park were all out for 102, a fantastic effort by the Concorde bowlers who all returned excellent figures.

The question now was could we make the runs required for a famous victory against the odds. With no obvious opening batsmen, Nasher volunteered and it was decided that Adam Carter should join him before he fell asleep after his third match in 24 hours. This was only a partial success as Adam fell for 5 with the score at 9, Nasher skied a drive for 11 with the score at 26 and Prev was caught for a duck with the score on 30. The match was very much in the balance and much was required of the 4th wicket partnership between Nick Freeman and Jerry Wright and as befitted the two senior batsmen, these two began to establish some control over the situation through some quick singles and the occasional boundary and they had taken the score on to 66 before Jerry was adjudged LBW to a rather indifferent sweep shot for 17.

Young Josh Griffith strode to the wicket in purposeful and confident style and looked entirely at ease in supporting Nick Freeman who continued his good form from two weeks previously in playing a most responsible innings, curbing his attacking instincts for the most part but unleashing the occasional powerful blow to relieve the pressure. Josh too began to strike the ball freely and to general delight from the Concorde benches, these two took the side home to a most unlikely victory. Nick was unfortunately left on 49 no, the highest score of the match by some distance and Josh on 22 no. A win, then, by six wickets and all the sweeter for being so unexpected.