This week was a real struggle on the availability front and as Chairman I just want to thank the Captains, Vice Captains and all of those who helped to find players for all 3 teams. That the 3s won their crucial game in a week where it looked for all the world like a concession makes, I hope, that hard work all worth it. The 1s also had a great win but the 2s did not. This was not however for lack of trying! The 3s largely selected itself thanks to large groups of children needing to play with their fathers or their friends fathers, so Oliver Sexton and Marton kindly agreed to play 2s; Marton heroically doing so despite having a new born son.
Harry Light was back but stuck in traffic on the way back from Liverpool, and after losing the toss we started in the field with 9 for a few overs. This could be disastrous against an aggressive team like Mitcham, but not when you bowl as immaculately as Henry Dodd and Charlie Malston did. Our 10th arrived and we continued to field well, backing up the bowlers who were very, very unlucky not to strike.
Kapil came on first change, bowling good line and length and with the score on 58 he tempted one opener to sky the ball, well held by debutant Ajay at a deepish cover. Great field positioning, for which the captain can take zero credit.
Unfortunately 3 batted nicely, supporting the opener who by now was batting fluently. 121 the score when we next struck, Harry taking a typically sharp catch at short extra off Marton. Harry himself was eventually allowed to bowl and did so very well, and when Vivek came on we really had excellent control with both bowlers only going at 4s, on a great day for batting and a lightning outfield. Opener was eventually caught at cover off Harry for the Chairman’s second low one handed catch in 2 weeks, followed by an LBW for Harry. Vivek claimed one caught by Charlie, Henry returned to dismiss #6 caught by Ajay and we were very much in the game as their number 8 strode out with the score at 201.
Number 8 was a big lad. As so often happens, we encountered a man making his debut who turns out to be a ‘gun’ and he blew us away despite more good bowling, adding 56 off 25 balls at the death.

273 was a tall order but with the pitch playing well and the outfield lightning quick, we had a chance. Grant got us off to a brisk start with 2 boundaries in the first over but fell LBW. The other opener was Harry, who started studiously but seemed to hit the ball more cleanly the more tired he got. Unfortunately we couldn’t quite form long enough partnerships, with Ajay bowled by the quick opener and Podge feathering one behind. Vivek batted very nicely before playing across one to be LBW for 13. Henry Harrison really applied himself and supported Harry superbly, understanding the assignment impeccably and forming a partnership of 78. By this stage Harry was firing, a highlight being 5 fours in a row off the big #8 in the over before drinks. Safe to say that the result of the game was in the hands of one man only.

Mitcham are, to be fair, pretty easily rattled but rattled they really were until the turning point. Harry smashed a full toss towards the swimming pool but was very well caught by the opening bowler, probably the only person on the pitch capable of taking such a catch. Harry’s 137 was one of the best innings I’ve seen in the 2s – a superb effort and a joy to watch.
Henry H fell soon after trying to force the pace and Marton was summoned back from parenting duty. Once Charlie Malston fell for a well put together run a ball 18 though, the game was up. We ended up 44 short but can take an enormous amount of pride in how we stuck at it in the field and how we gave it a big go with the chase.