Scorecard

Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI v Epping on Sat 23 Aug 2008 at 1.00
Ongar Cricket Club Won By 4 Wickets

Match report After the poor showing at Benfleet the previous week, a positive response was needed to ensure that the remainder of the season would not implode.

Self appointed skipper for the day Nobbler, already fired up after some comments made by the opposing captain prior to the away fixture, won the ever important toss and invited the visitors to bat on what was a slightly damp wicket with a tinge of green on the surface.

Blake opened up with Matt Adcock this week and thanks to both some expansive and poor shot selection, Epping were soon at 12 for the loss of four wickets. Blake was as metronomic as usual but the plaudits must go to Private Parts who bowled equally well with pace and a good line with no ‘short pitched’ stuff on this occasion.

With wickets tumbling and the bowlers keeping their discipline, Nobbler was able to set fields comprising of three slips, a gulley, a leg slip and a short cover and short mid wicket (see….nobody on the boundary!) and one by one, the unfamiliar faces (apart from Geoff Maynard) that make up the Epping side these days came and went. The score was pushed along into the sixties thanks to some inside edges and french cuts from Nawaz and also some more patient batting from Barrett. When Nawaz was caught by Joe Curtis, or should I say chested down and caught and Malik given out LBW to Jamie Abbott, only the captain remained. After what seemed an eternity, Majeed finally made it to the wicket and after a few hoiks across the line, his middle stump was flattened by Zammo. All out for 70.

No surprise that the pick of the bowling again went to Blake with figures of 15-7-43-5 but credit must go to Private Parts whose figures were 7-3-5-2 and Zammo who finished with three for 18 from eight overs with four maidens.

With the big hand not long past the three on the score board clock, it was straight back out as tea wasn’t ready. Minds were cast back to the debacle that was Old Brentwoods where chasing 85, we collapsed to 69 all out but this time it was different. The conditions were dry and the bowling was not as good. Surely we couldn’t nausea this one up?

Oh yes we could. Joe was the first to go, out LBW for two to a low shooter. This was followed by Jamie (23) who once again was given out LBW to what was described by Stick (11) as a 'shocker'. On the stroke of tea, Stick was bowled although he was adamant that the ball had gone past the off stump and cannoned back onto the stumps via the wicket keeper. The umpires conferred at square leg and after a short while, the dreaded finger was raised and a bemused Stick trudged back to the dressing room. A strange one this although Geoffrey called it out from his vantage point in the score box.

After tea, Rakesh (5) and Simsy (2) took up the challenge of collecting the 18 points on offer but one after the other, they found themselves back in the hutch having been bowled by Malik who incidentally had taken all five of the wickets. Surely Blake would bring us home ? No. He fell to the cardinal sin that is getting out to Shahid Majeed for seven. Surely not again..

With Nobbler, much to the amusement of Joe, continually pacing up and down and wearing out the turf in front of the squash courts, the decision was whether to send in Private Parts for a 'whack' in the hope that he could win the game in an over or go with two guys who had played little or no cricket during the season. It was then that Ongar got a slice of luck in the form of an injury to Malik who had to leave the field and was unable to continue bowling. With the friendlier bowling of Simon Oliver and Majeed’s very slow off breaks, thankfully Sam Adcock (4 n/o) and John Richards (9 n/o) making his debut (yes, you’ve guessed it, another of the Old Parks old boys) dragged the OGB’s across the line with four wickets in hand to the delight of a relieved Nobbler who could now stop pacing up and down.

With 18 points and the bragging rights this side of the four wantz roundabout, sanity had been restored and the OGB’s could look forward to a winnable fixture at home to Old Parkonians.

Relieved

Epping Batting
Player name Runs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
70 (0.0 overs)
J.Whiting Bowled  8
M.Zahid Lbw  2
D.Majeed Bowled  0
I.Razza Bowled  0
G.Maynard Caught  9
S.Oliver Lbw  0
M.Barrett Not Out  13
J.Simmonds Bowled  2
U.Nawaz Caught  14
A.Malik Lbw  0
S.Majeed Bowled  7

Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Blake Hall15.074358.602.87
Matthew Adcock7.03522.500.71
Jamie Abbott8.041836.002.25

Ongar Cricket Club Saturday 1st XI Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 6 wickets
0
71
(0.0 overs)		    
Jamie Abbott Lbw  23
Joe Curtis Lbw  2 1
David Coles Bowled  11
Rakesh Bagga Bowled  5
Chris Sims Bowled  2
Blake Hall Lbw  7
John Richards Not Out  9 1
Sam Adcock Not Out  4
Pinal Patel  
Matthew Adcock  
Neal Clark  

Epping Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
D.Majid7.031800.002.57
A.Malik10.432254.402.06
S.Majeed6.0114114.002.33
S.Oliver2.101000.004.62

  • Umpire :
    R.Abbott & R.Clarke
  • Scorer :
    Geoff 'Mont Blanc' Page
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