RUASCC 139-8 dec
J. Singh 54, Ateeq 19 not out
Highmoor 113 all out
Withers 6-31, Ateeq 2-21
RUASCC won by 26 runs
Last year’s match on this ground was an absolute shocker:
RUASCC batted first in a quagmire, reached 74-9 in 48 overs and lost by 5
wickets. So, knowing full well how
important it was to go out and win the toss, Eagle went out and lost the toss
and, inevitably, we were asked to bat first again.
The team news was doubly disappointing: Zia was ruled out
with his fractured thumb and Ken Stewart was available following his return
from holiday.
On another damp pitch against some extraordinarily tight bowling
the RUASCC innings was dominated by Jas Singh, showing increasing assurance as
an opener, who batted for 31 overs and top-scored with 54. Playing very sensibly in difficult conditions
Jas nevertheless hit eight boundaries, the importance of which was reinforced by
looking at the state of him every time he ran a “quick” single. He dominated partnerships with Eagle (10),
Dip (11) and Greenhalf (12) and was eventually removed by the immaculate Gayan
who at that stage had figures of 3-4 from TEN overs.
Malde, Tranter, D. Singh and Stewart contributed just 15
runs between them but debutant Ateeq managed to drag the score up to
respectability with some useful late hitting.
One had to feel sorry for Pensioner Ken (run out for 0) when he was
sacrificed to allow Ateeq back on strike in the final over, but no one felt
sorry for Gayan when a six from Ateeq ruined his figures and left him nursing
3-19 from 13 overs. RUASCC had nearly
doubled last season’s total and the more optimistic members of the squad were
claiming that humiliating defeat was by no means inevitable.
That said, without Zia it could have all gone horribly wrong
had Withers not channelled the spirits of Lillee and Trueman to bowl his finest
spell in ten years.
Highmoor may not possess the strongest batting line-up we’ve
ever faced but it hardly mattered – on this form Withers would have troubled
the Aussie Test team of the 1990s. The Waugh brothers would have been crushed; you’d see Allan Border crying into a tin of
XXXX.
There was little sign of the onslaught to come as the
openers saw out the first half hour, then wicketkeeper Dip took exception to
the batsmen’s attempts to steal some ground and decided to stand up to the
express pace of Withers. The trick
worked admirably as it resulted in a stumping for the first wicket. There followed a catch for Stewart at mid-on and
then the key wicket of opener Taylor, trapped LBW to the deadly Withers quicker
ball. 44-3 and Withers had all three. It’s no surprise that people were starting to
draw comparisons with Bob Willis at Headingley 1981.
At the other end Daman Singh had been replaced by new boy
Ateeq and his fifth over brought two wickets, the first a great catch by Ashman’s
forearm, the second a lob straight to Greenhalf in the covers. Then Withers, into his 11th over,
bagged his fourth wicket when Miraque chipped to Ateeq for another comfortable
catch.
At this point RUASCC were undoubtedly favourites but a 7th
wicket partnership of 45 put the home side right back into the match. Harris took the attack to the bowlers and hit
several fours and sixes over the mid-wicket boundary. Two overs from Stewart went for 19 runs and
Withers incredibly bowled four consecutive overs without taking a wicket.
Harris posted a quick fifty and Highmoor only needed 30 runs
from nine overs, but the danger man attempted one big hit too many and was
caught on the long-off boundary by a very relieved Dr Eagle from the bowling of
Jas Singh. The momentum swung back in
favour of RUASCC.
The lower order started to block, but it was a hopeless task
against Withers, bowling a spell reminiscent of Andrew Flintoff on the final morning
of Lords 2009. Bowling with a close, attacking
field Withers and Jas finished the job in three overs for the addition of only
three runs. One batsman (who shall
remain un-named) was heard to tell his partner between overs not to play any
stupid shots, but ignored his own advice and came down the track to the first
ball of Singh’s over and was clean bowled.
Another catch from Ateeq (his third) off Withers sealed the
match and a win by 26 runs.
Withers’ sixth wicket was his 200th for RUASCC
and his 6-31 from 16.3 overs represent his best figures since his debut
in 2003.
The RUASCC juggernaut thunders on.
RUASCC Highlight: Without Ateeq’s 19 runs at the end of the
innings the match could have ended very differently, and his six off Gayan in
the final over somehow made us all feel a little better about things.
RUASCC Man of the
Match: Withers for his best spell in
years, but he’ll have to share it with Jas Singh who first scored fifty to set
up the total then took the vital wicket of Harris when Highmoor threatened to
overhaul it.
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