Match Report
Crusaders had the better of a timed game at Nazeing, the hosts holding out for a draw, with the final pair at the wicket.
An entertaining maiden fifty from Goldie Singh (59), well supported by Wajih (41) and Chand (49), laid the foundation for a Crusaders declaration at 218-9, allowing Nazeing an extra twenty minutes to chase the target.
Harpreet (10-3-23-1) and Sonu (7-1-21-0) ensured that Nazeing were always struggling to keep up with the run rate, but Crusaders needed a catalyst to give them any chance of winning the game. It came in the form of Jony Singh. Not lacking in enthusiasm, there were some doubts that he could deliver on the big stage. These doubts were soon dispelled. Running in looking like a scaled down Honey Monster with ants in his pants, his four overs yielded 3 wickets, reduced the skipper to his knees and left two Nazeing batsmen gazing forlornly at the sky. Mystery is always a wonderful weapon in a bowlers armoury - Jony had it in swathes.
Alas Crusaders failed to press home the advantage. Wajih rotated his bowlers, with some success, but the Nazeing skipper, having survived a first ball edge, into and out of Day's normally so reliable gloves, looked fairly comfortable and found solid support from the 70 year old Burns at number 11. With the arrival of bowling sensation Jony on the scene, it was with some sadness that we witnessed perhaps the final deliveries of Johnny G. In a spell that seemed to last an eternity, but was in fact an incomplete over of 4 deliveries, G Man eventually feigned a muscular injury, thus enabling the game to finish before twilight set in. Dave discarded the gloves (incidentally Spud immediately snared a stumping) and grabbed himself two wickets, but Nazeing held firm, closing on 166-9 from 45 overs - a fair result for a game played in good natured sporting spirit.
