2023-06-18_The_Gents

Match Data vs The Gents on 2023-06-18 at Barnes (Season 2023)

Report by The Nurdler

Back in the Old Routine

So, back in Barn Elms for another sunny Sunday, I ventured in the nets for a tentative turning over of the arm and a gentle warm-up of the nurdles that have provided so many of my runs over the years. I had expected that the latter would be more relevant to the ensuing game but, as it transpired, I should have been working harder on my creaky off-spinners (slow right arm would be a better description as it does not claim that the ball would actually deviate from the straight). Apart from your aged correspondent, the team had a bit of everything – The evergreen Irwin, seasoned veterans Elvis, CK and Daveski, The Next Generation, Raj, Dills, Sai, New blood, Abs and Syed and a rare appearance from Dozy. A full eleven, a sunny day and Raj won the toss and batted. What could go wrong?

We started well 30 off the first three aided by a few no balls and three consecutive fours from Daveski, determined to hit his way back into form. Sadly from there the runs started to dry up and the wickets to fall. Daveski went for 19 quickly followed by Dozy. By this stage the run rate had dropped to around 5 an over and remained there for the duration despite solid knocks from Raj (46) and Syed (18) and a fine unbeaten 50 from CK. We finished on 154 for 5 after our 30 overs. Not a towering total but something to bowl at.

Teas remain self-provided post pandemic, which is a shame as you could fill up a couple of paragraphs with descriptions of the dire state of modern sandwich-making. So, passing over any comments on the lack of baking on my part, let’s move swiftly to The Gents’ innings.

False hope came first ball with a skied leading edge off Syed well caught by Sai. Hope swiftly dashed by a largely untroubled and always speedy stand by the remaining opener and the number 3. Scoring at about 8 an over, they raced to the target in 20 overs. It wasn’t that we bowled particularly badly, indeed Syed should be commended for a spell of 1-24 from his five overs, but the timing of particularly the No 3 was excellent and anything lose went directly to that boundary. In an act of kindness to the regular bowlers, the skipper invited me to bowl what proved to be the final over and I managed to save anyone else’s figures from further pounding by conceding 16 runs as the match finished at a gallop with a six.

Anyway, well done all for an entertaining match played in a great spirit all round. We shall move on to better things, I trust

Nurdler, T