Snarler Takes Five in 'Derby' Win

Bright batting by Buck, Inkollu and Iqbal saw The Gents come through a minor wobble to win with 17.5 overs to spare in the long-awaited Fairfield derby. Earlier, Kingston had posted a gritty 116 on a difficult pitch, though, in deference to Tony the groundsman one better than the week before. This strip eased rather than deteriorated in the second innings, so the sterling Gents' bowling and fielding performance, led by the fiery Snelling, his equally sharp opening partner Iqbal and the wily Hemin Patel, proved decisive.

The cold winds of previous Sundays were replaced by a welcome zephyr and the ground looked a treat. The captains agreed a declaration game with twenty overs after 6.30 pm. This is Kingston's usual format, and as several of their players were late arriving Sanjay agreed to it in return for twelve Gents being accommodated. Gents made the early running when Snelling had Fleming caught behind and Iqbal pinned Skilton and bowled Gay with a pearler. When Lalam somehow clung on one-handed to a meaty Connors cover drive to give Snelling his second wicket and Hemin Patel bowled White on the sweep, Gents were on top with Kingston 37-5.

There followed some good defensive batting. The burly left-hander Clark was stout in defence and assertive in attack, blocking the good ball and punching the bad ones for four. Hewins gave him solid support as the pair resisted a series of short spells from a variety of bowlers. Snelling then returned to bowl Hewins and Gadd with successive balls but Clements was another sturdy batsman and the hundred duly arrived with no further fall. Hemin Patel then took three quick wickets including the mainstay Clark before Snelling finished off the innings at five o'clock with his fifth wicket, a neat Toft catch at backward point. Adding back bowling extras, The Gents bowled 42 overs between ten past two and tea, fewer than 15 per hour, but it was hot and in the hour before the final twenty overs were called, Kingston only managed 16.

The Golden Boy of Bermondsey (now Peckham) Cricket, Tony Buck, continued where he left off for Sloane Club with a brisk 25 including five fours. It was heady stuff as he and Inkollu put up 47 in only six overs after the dismissal, bowled first ball, of Sachin Desai. When Buck was well held low at mid off, The Gents needed 69 with almost 30 overs to get them. A sensible approach was required, instead Lalam, having hit two fours, was lbw and poor Kalidindi badly run out by a hyped up Inkollu without facing a ball.

A quiet word and some exemplary calling by Iqbal proved more sedative to Inkollu than the shouts of 'Calm down' bellowed across the park by others and their stand of 57 off 59 balls won the game, steady batting ending in a crescendo when the young Pakistani drove a four and two sixes before Inkollu's seventh four sealed the win. It was a convincing display but Kingston will be up for revenge in 2010. They have an innovative way of deciding their season's awards. They ask their opponents to do it for them by completing a form which records the names of their two most impressive players of the day. The Gents chose Clark and Hewins.