Energy Exiles Cricket Club

Match Summary: vs. Battersea Eagles, Sunday, 24 Sep 2017

Ground: Haydons Road
Captain: Phil Ling
Match type: 40 overs
Toss: Battersea elected to bat
Weather: Initially sunny, then overcast
Opposition: Battersea Eagles scored: 133 all out (38.2 overs)
Exiles Score: 134 for 4 (28.4 overs)
Result: Won by 6 wickets
Man of the match: Simon Gundry 20 not out & 2 for 11

After Merton Council surpassed themselves the prior Sunday with a new low in incompetence (double booking teams on a pitch…), Exiles were eager to, firstly, have a game of cricket and, secondly, finish the season on a high. Battersea Eagles kindly stood in for Surbiton Imperials, in a last minute change, although as we all turned up on a balmy sunny day we found a number of Imperial players like Siddik and Joel were playing anyway.

Battersea opted to bat first and proceeded to be very solid with any delivery slightly full belted to the boundary. Wingfield bowled their most aggressive opener with a beauty, swinging in through the gate as he went for another drive. Battersea were still scoring quickly when Gundry, playing only his 3^rd game of the season, came onto bowl. He took only 4 balls to get up to speed and quickly took a wicket, getting one to bounce and entice a thin edge to Keeper Hodgson.

Meanwhile debutant Zabi, the fourth of the Musakhel brothers to play for the Exiles this year, came on to bowl his “spin” from the other end. His speed meant he was bowling more cutters than anything, but both he and Gundry kept things very tight, with Gundry getting another caught behind. Alex Roberts continued his cricketing education as he got a wicket with a short bowl that died on the batsman playing a pull shot which he missed, much to his evident disappointment.

At drinks Battersea were about 80-4 and looked like they’d kick on and get a competitive score. Yours truly was struggling to control my line, but found appealing like Shane Warne for an LBW and the odd scrambled seam good enough to pick up wickets, with the old mantra “bowl at the stumps”. Further wickets for Wingfield and Zabi (courtesy of a diving catch by Keith Roberts in the gully) meant that Battersea Eagles were bowled out for 133. Apparently their lowest score of their season, so a great team performance all round.

K. Roberts and Iqbal started the Exiles reply well, with Iqbal playing his customary aggressive role, and actually playing like a certain Quentin Davies, though maybe with a bit more footwork. Keith needed to score at least 56 not out to winning the batting trophy, but the Exiles depth charge curse struck as Sanjay bowled his first ball with a lot (a lot!) of flight to tempt Keith down the track, who proceeded to hit a very hard drive back at the bowler who held onto a difficult catch.

Then proceeded a mini collapse as Patel was out to Sanjay lbw playing back, and Iqbal’s innings was over caught at mid on. 3 wickets falling in less than 12 balls. It left players scrambling to get batting gear on, and luckily as it was a friendly, and the umpire (me!) didn’t have a watch on, Lenton wasn’t timed out. Hodgson and Lenton steadied the ship, with Hodgson looking in good touch and Lenton comfortable when playing forward. They put on a partnership of 35 before Lenton was bowled, leaving Gundry to see Exiles home, with consummate ease and ruing his missed games of 2017. In what has been a pretty disappointing season it was nice to finish off the season with a win

MoM Simon Gundry for tight spells and picking up vital wickets when the team needed them. 

Report By: Phil Ling

Last modified: 11 March 2018 14:31:46. Top of the page