Match Report
Sunday 15 September -v- Bexleyheath at Bexleyheath C.C.
Records tumbled again, as The Club registered a twelfth win of a magnificent season, with an emphatic victory at Bexleyheath. After a week long struggle to find players, we were indebted to Dougie Craig and Ben Greggains - two players at opposite ends of their career ladders - for fielding a full compliment of eleven. We also welcomed back Chuckles (re-nicknamed Wheezy Titter), from his recent asthmatic absence and Moysey, pronouncing his fitness to resume bowling.
Although the game was clearly scheduled for a one o'clock start, a certain member of the side decided that he was 'bigger than the club’, by requesting his lift to the game should arrive at one o clock; the fact that the driver was also the supplier of the match ball, prevented play from starting until almost 1.30. Having won the toss thirty minutes previously, Gord had decided to take first knock in a forty over match. After the Skip's single figure demise, it was business as usual for Nunfer Carr, as he preserved energy by smashing 12 fours and two singles in making yet another fifty. TC has failed to score a run since Tour and Simply has nose-dived into a similar abyss of form. Timmo accrued the necessary 29 to pass 6000 runs in his Crusaders career, but despite looking a picture of elegance, with some extravagant leaves outside off-stump, he had to play second fiddle to a thunderous display of slogging fromThe Ox. His final tally was 143*, including 22 fours and 4 sixes, which obliterated the former best 134* of Darth against Brasted Infirmaries, as the highest individual innings in the club's history. This was despite Jim offering to field for Bexleyheath and Gordon considering a declaration. Tea was a marvellous Pie, Chips and Beans stodge bonanza, that would add little to our athleticism in the field - or so we thought! Danglers return to action produced a wicket in his first over and while he kept things tight at one end, we were forced to endure a truly awful spell from Wheezy-Titter at the other. This enabled Bexleyheath to keep up with the required rate, though they lost important wickets in doing so. Chuckles managed to register a wicket during a five over spell which cost 35 runs, courtesy of a tumbling catch on the deep mid-wicket boundary from Spud. Dougie Craig replaced John, but far too often he dropped short and was punished off the back foot. Moysey who had shown signs of burn out after about five balls, managed to complete four overs, before Jim took over and we gradually started to take control of the match. Spud took a further two catches from Doug's bowling, giving him a return of 2-49 from his allotted spell. GT and Spud then applied the brake, with Bexleyheath slipping further and further behind the required rate in the face of some accurate bowling. Timmo was unlucky not to get a wicket, when Gordon appeared to be perfectly positioned to take a skier. What we hadn't realised was that Gord had recently been the recipient of some eyes, that had been donated for science. Was he 'Looking through Ray Charles Eyes’?
Despite some question marks over his temperament for Spin Bowling, Darren was tossed the ball and duly showed the doubters, that 'the art' is not just about poncey kick-your-arse run ups. Having watched Ernie, the Master exponent of 'bowling at the death' on numerous occasions, he was able to rattle through the tail. Ben Greggains was given a first bowl for the club and was rewarded with a wicket, caught at slip by Spud that gave him a record breaking five catches in a match.
Bexleyheath were finally dismissed, with a little more than one over remaining, still some sixty short of their target.
