Match Drawn

Match Report

A scintillating stand of 58 off 43 balls between Michael de la Perrelle and Sanjay Patel restored Gents' pride at rainy Tolworth. Only 93 runs were needed in 18.3 overs when the rains came and washed the crops away, the captains shaking hands on a draw at ten to six. Village had earlier motored from a stodgy 56-2 off 19 overs to an impressive 210-4 off 35, Steve Harty (12 4s, 2 6s) and fellow Australian Nick Troja (14 4s, 2 6s) scoring 163 between them and adding 106 together. Harty took 25 off poor Sanjay Patel's final over.

In September 2010, Village's talented colonials had inflicted the heaviest defeat by runs, 168, in the history of The Gents and the omens were not good when the side suffered a series of late withdrawals in the days before the game. Replacements were got, but Gilkes and Denton then fell ill Sunday morning, so eternal standby Ketan Patel and son Bhaven were drafted in, their arrival being delayed until dad could shut up shop, Village kindly supplying substitute fielders. Hemin Patel's Accenture colleague Methra and young Bhaven became the 9th. and 10th. débutants of 2011, an astonishing 34 players having played in just 8 games.

It was therefore an unfamiliar side, though not one without talent. De la Perrelle and Jones bowled tight opening spells, Jones having Simpson taken by substitute fielder Kennedy in the gully. Captain Gupte had his stumps rearranged at a jaunty angle by Snelling in the 14th. over as the pressure mounted on the batsmen, who were not helped by inconsistent and sometimes extravagant bounce. It was now drizzling and the bowlers struggled to keep the ball dry, sending down too many full tosses. Harty and Troja batted dazzlingly, though the latter's sunhat seemed out of place under glowering skies. A few catches were dropped but the fielding generally held up well. Adding back the bowling extras, The Gents bowled 36 overs in 2 hours 45 minutes, a pitiful rate that would have shamed the 1980s West Indians, though if memory serves Test matches of that era were not delayed by frequent ball searches or squabbles about who was going to forsake the shelter of the trees to umpire.

The reply by The Gents was a real tonic for the troops as Village's bowlers found conditions as tough as their Gent counterparts. Dubey took a 6 and a 4 off Boa's second over - no 6 for 25 for him this time around - though Buck edged behind two overs later. De la Perrelle, who played some sumptuous cover drives and Dubey quickly moved the score to 55 before the opener unlucky played on to Boa. It was good to see him back, though he blotted his copybook by paying his arrears with an out of date £20 note. Desai holed out off Pitcher to mid-wicket the ball after pulling a four but Sanjay Patel, having blocked his first ball, then smote three consecutive fours. He and de la Perrelle, who reminded Snelling of Jim Wright at his peak, were not going to die wondering. It was exciting cricket, loudly cheered on by the team and non-playing supporters Kumar and Sachin Desai.

How this unusual game would have ended was of course the major topic of discussion after the match. The Gents had some good batsmen to come, but Bowman in his single over bowled with control of the wet ball. Sanjay Patel believed that extras would have exceeded 50 during the innings. In truth nobody could split the sides at the point of abandonment. The Gents had gone toe to toe with the best team on the circuit and matched them. The wicket also attracted comment but only 7 wickets fell all day. The facilities were otherwise poor, with no pavilion open and a patchy, though fast outfield. Village's match report forcefully made the same point.

©The Gentlemen of West London Cricket Club 2011