London Saints v. Gentlemen of West London

Sunday 15 August 2010, Old Haberdashers CC, Elstree. London Saints won toss. Sunny, 23C

Won by 2 wickets

Should this prove to be Tony Buck’s last game then what a fine one on which to end, with 19 runs, a wicket and a slip catch. His innings reinforced the blast of 43 by captain Gilkes (six fours and a six) which took The Gents to the brink of victory before a late quartet of wickets by Wathan made things tense. Hibbert kept his composure to see the nine men home on a damp wicket that eased in the second dig. There was a distinct autumnal feel to the day, with a brisk wind keening across this pleasant ground, tempering the mellow sunshine.

Craig Bryan was indisposed so it was ten versus nine, Saints kindly lending a spare fielder. The ground was damp from Saturday’s heavy rain and Sanjay Patel and Hibbert posed awkward questions, bowling an opener apiece. First change Buck bowled Grimes and when Hibbert dislodged Mayhew’s off-bail via his pad Saints were 14-4, soon to become 24-5 when Chalmers edged Hemin Patel to slip. The highest stand of the innings then held up The Gents, before Wathan drove Sciberras to cover running round. Hemin Patel soon bowled the dangerous Nanton and Saints were struggling at 56-7. Pearce and Berkeley added a composed 32 as the wicket dried. The returning Hibbert, who started the day with a season’s bowling average of 132, then bowled the southpaw Pearce and had Keenan brilliantly caught by a diving Sachin Desai low off a leg glance, 92 all out with nine overs left unbowled. Though the wicket was helpful to the bowlers, the fielding side did well while Saints no doubt rued their sticky start, runs coming more comfortably in the second half of the innings.

London Saints are trenchermen and expressed surprise that The Gents left a tray of chocolate cakes uneaten. Readers, they were not wasted. It was a good tea, incorporating pizza, sandwiches, fruit, cakes and tea. There were blackberries, the plentiful existence of which behind the far square boundary had caused some amusing byplay during a search for a lost ball, deposited off a regulation Hemin full toss. The search was unsuccessful. According to captain Berkeley this was because The Gents’ search party were munching blackberries rather than grovelling in the bushes. A replacement ball was procured, whereupon a dissatisfied Mr. Berkeley conducted a solo ball search, hacking his way through the undergrowth like one of Brigadier Orde Wingate’s Chindits in 1943’s Operation Loincloth. The military supply line having weakened since those epic events in the Burmese jungle, he had to make do with an old cricket bat rather than kukri, machete or commandeered elephant.

Sachin Desai drove second ball to cover, 0-1. Toft should then have gone in the second over, gully spilling a simple chance. The Lancastrian, having seen the score to 20-1 in the sixth over, then retired hurt. A fine stand between captain Gilkes and Buck then ensued, the score rocketing to 68-1 after 12 overs with boundaries aplenty off Nanton and Griffiths. It looked a formality, but wickets tumbled to Wathan’s deceptive slows. Gilkes spiralled to the ’keeper before Buck, Hemin Patel and Burman (his first runs since 2006) were bowled, 78-5. Two Sanjay Patel fours off Wathan saw victory come closer before Jones pouched a marvellous catch at long-off, 87-6. The batsmen had crossed and Hibbert then pulled the next two balls from Grimes for four to win the match at 5.30pm. It had been a most enjoyable game, with much jovial banter between the sides. The Gents had the advantage of better batting conditions but might easily have lost, Saints fighting a good fight to the end.