Match Report
Sunday 1 August -v- Gateway at Waller Park
The cosy confines of the Malt Shovel were selected as a suitable meeting point for those that fancied a lunch time bevvy, before we made the short trip to the ground. Softy demonstrated his comprehensive knowledge of Dartford, by taking us two miles past the venue, before Spud managed to attract his attention. The toss was superbly lost again by our in form skip and we were asked to bat. Gateway despite missing several of their key players, had a potential match-winner in one very quick opening bowler. It was not he, however that caused the initial rocking in our line up, but his slower partner, who shot out Chucks and Coco in quick succession. John’s shot was particularly nasty and would surely have taken the ugliest effort of the day if there had been a connection. The majority of the side hopped about in great discomfort in a bid for survival, as they faced someone of genuine pace for the first time this year. Spud albeit haphazardly, saved the side from total disaster, with a resolute knock of 38, before he was last out with the tally on 84. In between, Webby had fallen foul of his shuffle across the stumps, Makker had made his usual nonsense of it all and Lardy seemed able only to move his feet towards square leg.
With our side dismantled so concisely, we had time to put our hosts under some pressure, prior to the tea interval. Silver Fox and Love Box put in five accurate overs, but the vital breakthrough eluded them. Noting the early success of the pace bowler, Spud called GT in to the attack straight after the interval. When he can be bothered and the whole world and the elements are not stacked against him, Timmo can produce the occasional delivery of pace, unfortunately the longer he remains wicket-less the more likely he is to pull up with a niggling injury. Fortunately a breakthrough finally came and this was followed by a further three wickets in rapid succession. From 35-4 Gateway rallied to 62, before the skip brought himself on. This seemed to spur Timmo back in to life, as the tail was exposed, then whisked out. There was even time for two overs of farce from James "Limahl" Harper that momentarily threatened our imminent success. Memories of Danny "I bowled a bit at school" Worth, were still lingering, as the Nob took the final wicket, despite several dropped catches prior to this. Gateway finally succumbed, three short of the target, with one player (fortunately for us) unable to bat and eight balls remaining. We were entertained in the splendid confines of the Gateway Club in Dartford, where the beer flowed extremely cheaply.
