Gentlemen of West London v. British Library

Sunday 24 August 2009, Old Tenisons Sports Club. British Library won toss. Sunny, 27C

Won by 8 wickets

A game with a plot similar to the previous week’s saw The Gents fight back after fine batting from British Library had put the hosts to the sword. Momentum then shifted towards the hosts with Patrudu Lalam’s accurate spell and a clatter of late wickets, including three for Greg Newcombe, saw the visitors all out for 153. It was not a bad score but the wicket was perfect for batting and Richard Gilkes, with his second fifty of the season, Sachin Desai and Nimit Shah on debut batted with panache to see Gents home in little more than half of their forty over allocation. The talking points after were the fine fifties by Gilkes and Walters and the assault by Hoffmann on Hemin Patel, who returned 4-0-43-0 in three spells which incurred several hunts for a lost ball.   

British Library, punctual to a man, rightly batted on winning the toss. Aylott and Walters constructed their stand of 78 in only 17 overs in conditions of broiling heat. The pulled six by Walters for six over square leg was one of the shots of the season, but Aylott was no less impressive. After persevering spells by Snelling and Inkollu, the skipper made the double change to himself, for just two overs (2-0-16-0) and Sciberras, who bowled his eight accurate overs on the reel. Fifth-change bowler Lalam proved the man for the conditions, pinning Aylott leg-before, catching Morgan off his own bowling and inducing a slice to second slip from Brunning. Catcher Snelling was duly brought back and he quickly bowled Walters, to the delight of his spectating sons.

Newcombe bowled Wheatley and similarly disposed of the dashing South African Hoffmann and Brewer off successive balls before Ravi Inkollu struck twice in two overs to end the innings. The DIY tea worked well. It was too hot for a major feast and a pack of Value sandwiches was left over. By the end of the match, three new chemical elements had been synthesised in the turmoil of its innards.

With a fast outfield, the score was below par and to win British Library needed early wickets. Hemin Patel’s batting order had considerable logic, with plenty of power in the middle-order but as it transpired these batsmen weren’t needed. Spectators were treated to a chanceless opening stand by the back-to-form Sachin Desai and Richard Gilkes of 74 in only 12 overs. The withering batting, the relentless heat and the lack of an eleventh fielder seemed to break British Library’s hearts, though they did take two wickets in quick succession, Desai bowled in an innings of six fours and Sciberras caught and bowled off a shell of a drive for one. Gilkes and Shah then added 71 in nine overs to complete the victory. Shah scored three fours and won the game with a huge six over mid-wicket while the unbeaten Gilkes posted eight fours and a straight six in his tremendous knock. The match finished moments before England completed their Ashes win.

British Library had some good batsmen but by their own admission were a tad light in the bowling. They also misinterpreted the inclusion of Nimit Shah, one of their players accusing The Gents’ organiser, perhaps playfully, of bringing in ringers. Those who saw Nimit run out Dhruv Patel and score 9 and 6 in the recent Close PF game would perhaps have rated him as a player with potential rather than a matchwinner, so this innings came as something of a pleasant surprise. He is welcome back anytime.