Energy Exiles Cricket Club

Match Summary: vs. WICC, Sunday, 30 Aug 2015

Ground: Abbey Recreation Ground
Captain: Will Kent
Match type: 40 overs
Toss: WICC elected to bowl
Weather: Cloudy
Opposition: WICC scored: 77 all out (28.4 overs)
Exiles Score: 159 for 5 (40 overs)
Result: Won by 82 runs
Man of the match: Steve Parkinson 80 runs

Poorly’ Plume pull out paves way for Parkinson power play

With the clouds hanging as heavily over a green Abbey Rec pitch as the vapours of the previous night hung over skipper Chris Plume, Sunday’s toss was always one that stand-in captain Will Kent wanted to win. 

But Kent wasn’t the only one worried about the toss, for Phil Ling the decision had taken on extra import. Coming into the game he had 99 wickets for the club and 96 runs and the question on everyone’s lips was which would he hit first, 100 wickets or 100 runs for the club?

As fate would have it, the Exiles were put into bat. And, at 30 for 3 at the end of the 14th over, it looked a little like the toss wasn’t the only thing the Exiles were going to lose, especially given the depth of the WICC bowling attack and the recent form their batsmen have had against the Exiles.

With no recognised openers in the side, Ammar stepped up to the plate alongside Chris’s emergency replacement Steve Parkinson. While Ammar batted well before being found out by a swinging delivery from Janil, it was Steve that proved the revelation. After a few intemperate swings, Steve settled down into an assured knock on a tricky pitch to make his maiden fifty for the club.

Once Ammar left, Geoff and then Johnny followed quickly, both of them only managing two and it was left again to Simon Gundry to stand tall with Steve.

The pair put on 123 for the fourth wicket and hauled the Exiles to a defendable total. Steve fell to a marginal LBW, hit on the chest trying to up the tempo as the fortieth over loomed and Bernard was run out for one attempting to do the same. Andy was left standing not out, along with Simon, further extending Simon’s remarkable not out streak and denying Phil the chance at 100 runs. 

While it was something to bowl at, the WICC batsmen have, in the past few games shown the Exiles no quarter, so at the half way stage nothing was certain, but the mood in the Exiles camp was upbeat given the depth of its bowling attack.

Jibran and Andy started well, each removing one of the openers, Jibran bowling one with a swinging delivery and Andy getting the other caught behind. 

The first two wickets brought Neel and Ashok together. Both batsmen have played well against the Exiles in previous fixtures, but it was only Neel that was to prove any sort of resistance as Jibs produced an inspired spell that included two wickets in two balls. He had Ashok caught at wide mid off by Bernard (the first of three catches for him) and then produced a pearl of a delivery to Nikul first up that swung away and then jagged back in off the seam to take out the off stump.

Terence and Phil were then into the attack, Phil claimed his 100th and 101st scalps with swinging deliveries that took out the stumps. Between those two wickets, Terence combined successfully with Bernard for two almost identical sticks to effectively nullifying the WICC chase.

All that remained was to mop up the tail, but Kunal, Sanjiv and Kyle proved frustrating foes. Both Simon and Ammar were given brief spells but neither could break the deadlock. Eventually, Phil had Kunal caught at mid-off by Simon, and Bernard cleaned up Kyle after a solid innings by the young number 11 leaving the Exiles with a well deserved win.

Report By: Geoff Candy

Captains log: Will Kent

The captain was unavailable for comment, but Exiles favourite Phil Ling achieved a significant career landmark...

On Sunday 30 August 2015, Phil "The Swing" Ling took his 100th wicket for the Exiles in a spell of 3 for 13 that helped his side to a victory over WICC. The Exiles website caught up with Phil for his thoughts:

Hi Phil, very well bowled, you must be pleased to have reached the 100 wickets landmark?

I must admit, it’s nice to have achieved 100 wickets for the club after a lot of focus from the rest of the squad this year. Although I’m not really a milestone person.

Can you remember your first wicket?

Funnily enough I don’t. I remembered my first match was against Priory Arms on a damp wet pitch in Richmond. However, digging through the archives it was the scene of my first wicket – looking at the match report it should have been memorable.

‘Ling's dismissal in particular, leaping from keeper Will's boot into Gundry's hands at slip, probably took the "champagne moment" in an echo of that famous ashes dismissal from D I Gower nearly quarter of a century before.’

Any particularly memorable ones?

I think my favourite was Simon French of Stroller’s, as he knew I was bowling inswing and took an off stump guard, however, he moved so far across I took out his leg stump for a golden duck. Actually that was my 2^nd wicket for the club (I won’t recount all 102!)

I’m also pleased with any wicket, such as my 100^th, which are bowled through the gate.

And anyone you've found especially difficult bowling at?

I found Krunic of Stroller’s tricky, and he always batted well against us, but what’s annoyed me most is twice I’ve dropped him off my own bowling from easy return catches.

I’ve expected big hitters like Sohan (OMTs) or Justin (Agricola) to take to me, but I’ve surprisingly been able to keep them quiet. Recently I’ve never bowled well against Mark Bradshaw (Clapham Nomads) or Neel from WICC. 

Did you bowl a lot when you were younger? Your action is certainly unusual...

Funnily enough I used to be a slingy opening fast bowler, but there were occasions that I threw the ball, so I remodelled it to get a full rotation of the arm – that’s hopefully rectified potential no balls… I’ve always swung the ball though. 

What are your best bowling figures?

My 4-1 v British Library which almost led to me winning my first bowling trophy. I particularly enjoyed my 8-7-2-1 versus Merton on a sticky wicket last season and bowling a tight spell v WICC earlier this season against Janil and Neel

Anyone you've enjoyed watching, playing with or learning from in the Exiles ranks?

I wish Simon Gundry would stop making the game look so easy! It’s embarrassing to the rest of us. It’s always been good fun bowling at the other end to him though as things are generally happen for the team or one of us. I’ve most enjoyed seeing all the new players come along, enjoy the game and improve. I remember I was (even more) raw when I joined the club, but through the nature of the club have improved to be a good contributor and it’s great to see others have the same opportunity.

My favourite player to liven up a dull day whether on the field or watching from the boundary is Marcin Zieleniewski though for so many reasons.

You've famously not yet got 100 runs for the club - how soon do you hope to reach this landmark?

I think this is looking like a 2016 job…

Do you have any intentions of being an all-rounder?

In my first game I actually batted at 6! Above Andy Wingfield. I remember at the time Andy averaged about 5.5 for his career. So if he can do it… I actually opened the batting at school a few times, and I’m more suited to having time at the crease and playing an innings than coming in to smash it. If I can get past the first 6 balls I normally stick around…

What targets do you have going forwards with your cricket - do you think 200 runs and 200 wickets is achievable?

I’d like to get my career economy rate to below 4 and have one season where I take 20 wickets at an average of 20 runs. All achievable in my opinion. I actually think I’ll get to 200 runs before I get to 200 wickets!

Phil, many thanks for your time and best of luck with your future Exiles cricketing.

Interviewed By: Exiles Website

Interview with Man of the Match: Steve Parkinson

On 30 August 2015, Steve Parkinson answered the clubs SOS call as a stand in opener and hit 80 - his maiden Exiles fifty, helping the club to victory over WICC. The Exiles caught up with Steve to hear his thoughts:

Steve, many congratulations - the runs must have come as somewhat of a surprise?

The call up from the skipper at 9:30am that day was a surprise. The runs in the context of my 3 innings the previous season for the Exiles and 3 other one-off games in the previous 17 years was almost a miracle.

It was certainly difficult batting conditions - what were your thoughts in approaching your batting?

When I took guard for my first ball I was a complete bag of nerves. I've never been so nervous batting ever before. At that point my approach was simply not to get out looking silly. Once I settled in a bit, I just went with the old cliché of playing each ball on it's merits and try not to pre-meditate.

WICC have one good bowler after the other so it was a case of picking up as many runs as possible without doing anything too adventurous, then just before 30 overs Simon and I decided we'd up the tempo with plenty of batting to come.

You're known more to the Exiles as a bowler, but have had an injury-plagued season - how is the recovery going and did it restrict your batting?

The recovery is going annoyingly slowly. I'm going back to see the orthopedic specialist next month so hopefully I'll have a better idea of what's wrong and what it's going to take to get it sorted out. It didn't restrict my batting so much, it was more a case of not being able to run between the wickets as quickly as I normally can.

Have you scored many runs in your cricketing career to date - apparently your previous highest ever score was 28?

Yeah, I was always an opening bowler and no. 9, 10, 11 batsman until my final year of high school where the coach saw me in the nets and decided I was solid enough defensively to open the batting. That season I had a terrible habit of seeing off the opening bowlers then getting out to the change bowlers straight away by being too aggressive.

Any shots you particularly enjoyed?

There was a lofted straight drive where I initially thought I'd be caught by deepish mid on, but I was borrowing Terrence's bat which I found had a nice sweet spot, so the ball kept on travelling past the fielder.

Any batsmen you've admired or tried to learn from?

No particular batsman. When I was growing up in the early-mid 90's we were lucky enough to have the Australian World Series live on free to air tv. I learnt a lot from the channel 9 commentators (Richie Benaud, Bill Lawry, Tony Greig etc). They often talked about "advice for young players" in their commentary which I'd I'd listen to then work on in the backyard with my brother or take to the nets with my mates.

This innings must give you confidence in your batting going forward?

Yeah, a lot of confidence. If only to not be as nervous next time out.

What cricketing targets do you have going forward - would you rather try to establish yourself as a batter, a bowler or a genuine all-rounder?

My dodgy knee might mean I have no option other than become a batsman. I've been thinking about ways to re-model my bowling so that it doesn't put too much stress on my knees but I'll wait until pre-season nets next year to see what I'm capable of. As far as targets, the club record score while batting with denim shorts is still on my radar!

Steve, many thanks for your time and very well batted. Good luck with your future Exiles cricketing exploits.

Interviewed By: Exiles Website

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