Scorecard

Eversholt II v Totteridge Millhillians Cricket Club 4th XI on Sat 07 May 2011 at 1:00pm
Totteridge Millhillians Cricket Club Lost by 82 runs

Match report A trip to the lovely village of Eversholt for the 4s this week. Unfortunately the lovely village of Eversholt was hosting a wedding this week which led to a curious episode where we were not allowed into the club car park by a militant wedding organiser. Half an hour of arguing about this trivial issue meant the start of the match was delayed.

Chris lost the toss again which wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened given the overnight rain had left the pitch looking very green. The home side chose to have a bat and the 4s welcomed back Siva for his first game of the season and also debutant Veera who joined the super agent opening our bowling. Contrasting styles to say the lease Veera with a classical action hitting the same spot each delivery and Siva wild run up mixing up jaffas and rank wide ones. That said, first blood went to Siva who produced one of his jaffas which seamed, took the edge and was snaffled one handed by Kamlesh behind the pegs. Second blood went to Siva as well with the other opener miscuing a lofted drive which dropped kindly to the skipper at mid-off. Veera was bowling beautifully all the while and was unlucky when a tough chance was put down in the slips, he was wicketless up until the last over of his spell when a forced drive flew to the right of Milo at point who flung himself and grabbed it in mid-flight and more importantly held it once he hit the floor. There was some chat that Jim Hutch had produced the best catch of the weekend but I have it on first hand testimony that Milo’s exceeded it. Milo on a roll popped up to take a further two catches both of Roger who replaced Siva, one catch was an excellent take a backward square leg off a well struck glance to remove the oppositions very patient skipper. Roger took the pace off the bowl to tie the batsman down although at times the humid skies made controlling a swinging ball tricky. Milo replaced Veera at the other end and was unlucky to have a chance shelled at square leg. All these long run ups had put a strain on the over rate so Rahul and Chris were brought on to get through some quick overs. Rahul had number 6 trapped plumb in front and bowled with good flight and length. Chris was a unfortunate to have a couple of chances put down including their big gun who following his reprieve put the following delivery over the wall surrounding the ground to darken the Captain’s mood. Siva was brought back on for a second spell and promptly caused the gun to drag on, Veera then picked up a thoroughly deserved second catching the bat off his own bowling. Sanjay scored a direct hit to collect a run out but contributions from most of the opposition batsman meant that they reached 224 off the 53 on what was a very testing pitch early up.

The early life in the pitch had died out by the time the 4s strode out to bat but unfortunately Phil after cutting one delightfully to the boundary pushed hard at the following delivery that took his edge. Mike Pratt looked good leaving their hander well and picking up runs from the loose ones but couldn’t quite beat mid-off departing earlier than he would have liked. Sanjay scored an exclusively leg sided 50 at the same ground in the 4s successful chase last year and he repeated the feat again blasing away merrily despite the increasing numbers of fielders who found themselves positioned on the onside. Like Phil, Kamlesh also was dupped by the useful opening bowler into edging one that was well held at first slip. Unfortunately Sanjay’s serene progress was becoming evidently more painful for him as his back started to give him some real grief. This led to him hitting a full bunger down mid-offs throat, he didn’t even make it to the boundary before collapsing in agony clutching his back. Zoe / Joey the 4s physio in chief was summoned to assist. The verdict: he was hamming it up. Veera and Neil were charged with keeping the 4s chase alive with the former showing some good form hitting the spinner who was now on back over his head. Alas he was stumped attempting the same shot an over later bringing in the skipper who started to enjoy himself against the spinner. Neil had studiously played himself in before a lapse in concentration saw him pop one up to the short man. Miles after an excellent day in the field had used up his mojo and was plumb in front for a blob, a betrayal of the net form that he shows week in week out. Boom Boom Siva was next up and though we were expecting some fireworks no one could have quite have foreseen the hitting we witnessed. His first six took two balls and followed his first ball four, he then managed to run his captain out but who cares (well I did, I swore at him), he was seeing it like a football. Smashing a spinner over his head is one thing but hitting a reasonably pacey seamer over his head and over a huge fir tree off the back foot is just extraordinary. All Siva innings end with a catch in the deep and this was no different, his 30 had come off of 10 balls with a single dot ball on account of him not wanting to concede the strike to a mere mortal. Rahul and Roger could only hold out temporarily before victory for the opposition was sealed.

There were some real positives from today and overall we played with good spirit and fight but ultimately our batting is not quite where we want it to be right now.

Eversholt II Batting
Player name Runs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 9 wickets
0
224 (0.0 overs)
A.Garraty Caught  S.Sakthivel (C.Benn) 14
N.Farmer Caught  S.Sakthivel (K.Bharadia) 4
M.Ling Caught  V.Rengasamy (M.Hencoe) 23
P.Litchfield Caught  R.Luck (M.Hencoe) 24
L.Singleton Caught  R.Luck (M.Hencoe) 18
D.Lawson Lbw  R.Bhatnager 20
D.Garraty Bowled  S.Sakthivel 38
M.Garraty Run out  S.Patnaik 16
A.Dage Not Out  16
R.Jani Caught  V.Rengasamy (C&B) 1
R.Girardi  

Totteridge Millhillians Cricket Club 4th XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Sivasankar Sakthivel11.0053317.674.82
Veerapandiyan Rengasamy13.0239219.503.00
Roger Luck11.0341220.503.73
Miles Hencoe6.002200.003.67
Rahul Bhatnagar7.0030130.004.29
Chris Benn5.022600.005.20

Totteridge Millhillians Cricket Club 4th XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
142
(0.0 overs)		    
Philip Ridout Caught  R.Girardi 4
Michael Pratt Caught  R.Girardi 10
Sanjay Patnaik Caught  L.Singleton 51 1
Kamlesh Bharadia Caught  R.Girardi 7 1
Veerapandiyan Rengasamy Stumped  D.Garraty 4
Neil Dennison Caught  D.Garraty 7
Chris Benn Run out  M.Garraty 22 1
Miles Hencoe Lbw  D.Garraty 0 3
Sivasankar Sakthivel Caught  D.Garraty 30
Rahul Bhatnagar Bowled  L.Singleton 1
Roger Luck Not Out  1

Eversholt II Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
R.Girardi9.0041313.674.56
D.Lawson7.012400.003.43
D.Garraty9.0047411.755.22
L.Singleton7.4126213.003.39