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After the disappointment of Gunnersbury Park The Gents bounced back to clinch the 2004 PALs League against a below-par 12 Angry Men, who were desperately short of players. Their organiser wanted to cancel but 2-i-c HP Denton is made of sterner stuff and some late gerrymandering got them four guests, who were to have no little effect on the batting and bowling. Nevertheless, a powerful Gents team brushed them aside in a game that started at 1.50pm and was over by a quarter past five.
After confusion about the start time, for which the parkie’s boss administered a wigging to The Gents, Aussie Ray Hart, with 105 to his name in his previous match against Ardingly, won the toss and batted. He would show exemplary sportsmanship all match on a difficult day for his team. The Twelve could scarcely afford the early run out of Denton, sent back by Bullock and victim of a smart pick up and throw from square-leg Toft. Snarler yorked Hart, Wright did for Rev. Bullock and the established batsmen were all back in the hutch.
It could have been a disaster, which would not have been good for the enjoyable, long-running series of games between these best of enemies. Dev was steady, Faraz Sherwani elegant and particularly forceful on the off-side in the arc between cover and gully. He top-scored in the innings. His friend Pryesh – later to bowl some promising leg-breaks – is also up for Gents games until season end and he held the tail together as nearly 30 overs were used up on a fast, bouncy surface. Burman cut and drove Wright for three off-side fours before holing out to long-on and tea was taken with The Gents needing 99 to win.
When you are defending such a small score with ten men (Nabil and later Buck doing the honours for 12AM) it is safe to say there are several things you do not need, such as early dropped catches and a spatter of extras. Sadly, Twelve had all of this plus a barrage of aggressive shots from Vyas and Toft. After 10 overs it was 61-0 and The Gents’ maiden ten-wicket win was looming. Smart work from Denton, stumping Vyas after he had charged at Dev’s off-spin, gave Angries a deserved wicket. Two more were to follow, Sherwani deceiving Toft for an attractive 17 and Burman inducing a Scibo tickle into Denton’s safe gloves. The final overs were played out in humid weather and a great sense of fun as the immediate mission was clearly to dislodge No.3 James Lewis. Watched by his proud father, James was rightly having none of it and struck two excellent leg-side fours, Norcott bringing up the win with a three to mid-wicket. Though the victory was a simple one against a weakened oppo, it was far preferable to play than not and only Moon Cat failed to see active service during the day. The league was won with four chasing victories with scores of 139-4, 137-8, 108-7 and finally 99-3. Not a lot of runs about then in the series but plenty of tension and no little good cricket. Well done, guys.
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