Greys Green (A) - 21.5.11

Greys Green 181-6 dec.
Zia 5-39, Withers 1-42

RUASCC 167 all out
Carpenter 35, Malde 35

RUASCC lost by 14 runs.

Right, there are two match reports to write this weekend so let’s get this one over with shall we.

When ten-man RUASCC won the toss for the fourth time in five matches, Tranter stuck the home side in to bat and plugged the Patel-shaped hole in our field with local boy Harry Sims. Withers and Greenhalf opened the bowling and there was very little drama in the first hour of play; in fact, typically, it was only when Zia came on that the wickets started tumbling. In his very first over he induced some indecisiveness from Cross and the batsman played on to his stumps for 16. 52-1.

Withers piled on the pressure with consecutive maidens but again selflessly left the glory to his teammates, this week allowing Zia to rip through the top order as Greys collapsed from 76-1 to 82-5. First Holroyd was caught behind for 19 then three ducks followed (two bowled, one catch by Greenhalf at mid-on). With 30 overs gone Greys were 86-5; Withers had bowled 15 overs for 26 runs and Zia had 5-22.

Sensing the need to up the run rate, opener Mo Shafqat targeted the change bowlers as Jagesh (0-23), Ashman (0-20) and Tranter (0-19) tried without success to dislodge him. He was well supported by Howse, batting with a runner, who contributed a useful unbeaten 33 to the sixth wicket stand.

Withers returned to bowl the final over before tea and his tidy figures took some hammer as Shafqat hit a six and four to move to 98, but Withers was finally rewarded on the final ball of the innings when Shafqat skied his shot to Zia at mid-off who took the catch. Greys 181-6.

RUASCC need 182 runs to win.

With only half a batting line up to speak of the onus was on the top five to get runs and, to be fair, they all did.

After the obligatory opening maiden to Eagle the RUASCC reply got off to a decent start as Carpenter cleared the short leg side boundary as early as the fourth over. Eagle hit two fours in succession off the left-arm seamer before Carpenter launched another maximum. The fifty partnership came up in the eleventh over and all was going swimmingly until Carpenter dabbed the ball to cover point and immediately set off for a single which Eagle enthusiastically refused. Poor Carpenter, run out for 35, stormed back to the pavilion whereupon he fashioned a wax doll of Dr Eagle and stuck pins in its elbow.

At number three, giving batting another try, was Andy Greenhalf fresh from his two golden ducks on the last bank holiday weekend. A massive cheer greeted his survival of the first ball after which he belted his second ball for four. Meanwhile Dr Eagle was accumulating nicely despite some unexplained elbow pain but a moment of indecision against Cusden resulted in him being bowled despite going both forward and back to the delivery. Greenhalf was getting into the groove and he hit a six and a four to reach 20 before another meaty swipe picked out the man on the boundary at long off. RUASCC were 90-3 and needed 92 more to win in 18 overs.

For the next half an hour the win looked not only possible but extremely likely. Chan and Zia added runs at the required rate, neither looking in any difficulty, and Chan brought up the fifty stand with a six over everyone’s favourite short boundary – but very next ball he was gone for 35 when a similar shot went awry and was caught at the third attempt by the relieved bowler.

Needing fewer than 40 runs to win with six wickets in hand it should still have been a stroll, but with pensioner Ken Stewart batting at six there was a dangerously long tail and once Greys got into it the complexion of the game completely changed. Stewart, Tranter and Sims were all bowled for golden ducks, Ashman was run out without facing a ball and when the usually reliable Withers was bowled through the gate by Shafqat the match was over.

From 143-3 RUASCC lost their last seven wickets in five overs for 23 runs – and Zia (stranded on 32 not out) made 21 of those - as RUASCC slipped from a position of superiority to a 14-run defeat.

Still, it’s all a bit of fun isn’t it.

RUASCC Highlight: The sixes hit over the short mid-wicket boundary – Carpo, Greenhalf and Chan all got in on the act.

RUASCC Man of the Match: It’s Zia again. After taking a five wicket haul he would almost certainly have won the game with the bat had he not run out of partners. Honourable mention too for Chan who made 35 and kept wicket very tidily indeed.

RUASCC Team: Eagle, Carpenter, Greenhalf, Malde (wkt), Zia, Stewart, Tranter (capt), Jagesh, Sims, Ashman, Withers

Apologies: Dip Patel, Dersh Patel