9th June v The Streatham Dogs (H)
Another sunny Sunday at the Rec. The opposition were a touring side known as the Streatham Dogs hailing from south London. Whilst only a few still play regularly, most are of strong cricketing pedigree and all between 35-45. As with all good tours, they arrived in dribs and drabs complaining of hangovers, sore bodies and ailing minds.
Speldhurst also arrived complaining of hangovers, sore bodies and ailing minds, but had three homegrown youngsters in the team looking forward to some of their first tastes of senior cricket. The toss was negotiated so that Streat-Dogs (their words) could have a nice relaxing bat on their final day of tour and shield our batting lineup from causing a disappointingly quick game.
Amir and Yaz opened the bowling, both finding nice movement in the air and good control at different speeds. Only Amir found a wicket through a feathered outside edge whilst Yaz’s figures ruined by a greedy opening bowler who took a disliking to a tree. Ted (youngster number one) bowled three promising overs from a 22-yard run up, picking up his first senior wicket. Sam and George (youngsters 2 and 3) both bowled with sound control, the first with some good nifty away movement, and the latter with lovely loopy leg spin. Matt J bowled with much more promise than the previous days figures suggested and was unlucky not to bowl the batsman twice, and whilst Matt B bowled excellently, he was let down by just a few balls that went the distance. The run rate did threaten to get away from us at one point, but Anthony and Ejas wrestled it back towards the end but Streatham ended on a commanding 231 from the agreed 25 overs.
Unfortunately, we were always going to be a fielding side and were relying heavily on Ejas at the top of the order. With orders to take his time and build himself a score, he walloped his third ball for six and was 37 from his first 13… Ted, opening at the other end batted with the swagger of youth, knocking his second ball for a calm couple through the covers and his eight ball in senior cricket found the fence. His next boundary involved a shuffle down the wicket and a ping over extra cover.
Just as the captain was discussing the bright future of the club with the esteemed Chairman on the boundary, Ejas decided to barbecue Ted and ran him out by half a pitch. Matt, Ted’s father, next to the crease…
Of course all was well and the mistake quickly forgiven, especially as Ejas brought up his 50 with another imperious six just a couple of overs later. Matt and Happy fell to the same bowler, ball and fielder without troubling the score much. Matt J pumped his first ball past third base for a boundary, but fell the delivery after Ted yelled “strike one!” from the boundary to a particularly meaty waft. Paul Dixon fell trying to grapple with the rapidly increasing required rate (no parcel tape to be seen) as did his son Sam, and Anthony. All hopes now rested on Ejas’ (very) broad shoulders.
After bringing up 50, most fielders in the opposition were now stationed at the bottom of the hill on the boundary. With the bowling encouraging more leg-side shenanigans, Ejas thought it best not to tempt fate and block out anything straight which led to a strange period of calm. The home skipper intervened when frequent waist high full tosses were being patted to mid off rather than being lost in Furzefield Avenue, suggesting that the aerial route was preferred by all parties. Cue more sixes over fielders heads and a sly update from the scorers with two overs to go, Ejas reached his maiden 100 in the final few balls of the innings. A remarkable knock in which no other batter reached 13 (…) combining brutal power with a few deft flicks and excellent running (mostly, sorry Ted). He was, of course, stumped from the final ball attempting to send the ball into orbit once more. Sensational stuff.
A shout out to young George who tracked down the pitch in the final over, front foot pulling the ball over the infield for a final consolation boundary, but we did fall quite short. Thoroughly enjoyable afternoon with a lovely bunch of people. Until next time!
Speldhurst Cricket Club 