Match Report
After the debacle of 'Singhgate' at North Weald, the skipper wisely trimmed the Singh contingent from six (including Honoury Member Johnny G Singh) down to a more manageable two. Into the mix came Omar Mahmood for debut, along with Aftab and Azam - collectively known as 'The Boots 3'.
Wajih was traditionally late, with Pommie deputising at the toss. Pommie was not to be tricked by any sleight of hand this week and took his own coin with him - perhaps he is not as stupid as he looks. Perhaps mindful of the dismal display at North Weald we asked our hosts to bat.
Moysey and Pommie took the new ball, with both bowlers regularly passing the outside edge and generally making life difficult for the Hayes opening pair. Eventually both openers were winkled out, which brought Hayes best two bats to the crease. With Wajih still awol Hynes and Painting were happy to push the ball into the gaps, creating a sound base for what could have been a formidable total.
Spud and Azam were introduced, with Spud removing the dangerous Hynes and Azam finding a way through the defences of Painting.
The Skip finally arrived and all of a sudden Crusaders, who had looked like a 'rudderless ship' under the Captaincy of Pommie, seemed re-invigorated. The middle order were hustled out, with further wickets for Spud, Azam and Chand and had the tail not wagged, we could have been chasing twenty fewer than the 193 required for victory.
Talk at tea was of the importance of cementing a good opening stand. Moysey summised that we would probably cruise to 120 for 1 and then crumble to 130-8, before mounting a match winning rear-guard action - there spoke a man with 30 years of 'Crusadering' behind him.
The sound base was provided by Wajih and Jabs, with Wajih the early aggressor and Jabs happy to play a supporting role. With the score trundling along at six an over, it appeared to the neutral observer that the game was well and truly in the bag. Jabs fell two shy of fifty, Wajih 9 runs later for a fine 61 and with their demise came a complete power shift. A weak under-belly ranging from Bat 3 -11 was cruelly exposed.
The collapse was not quite as catastrophic as Soothsayer Moyse had predicted and maybe Danglers had not factored in 'The Omar Mahmood' effect to his calculations. Like something out of a Keystone Cops' movie, he accounted for Darren and Azam with comical run outs, setting off for suicidal singles without a word. I am guessing his role at Boots is non Customer Facing.
Hayes, who had kept their spirits up, with little discernible belief that they could get a result, were suddenly galvanised. Keep Omar in and surely he would get all his team-mates out - game won. Alas for Hayes, Omar got himself out, bringing our 'sensible' Vice Captain to the crease - surely that was the end of the drama! Not a bit of it. Chand decided that there was some merit in the Omar tip and run tactic and promptly ran Pommie out.
Spud who had been happily scoring was now scrambling into his pads, realising the likelihood of Aftab batting in a vaguely sensible manner was virtually nil. A slice of humble pie later and the 28 remaining runs had been knocked off with 3 balls to spare, Chand finishing 22 not out and Aftab's winning runs taking him to 14.
