Keiwit Cricket: BBC Caversham (H – at Kidmore End)

BBC Caversham 90 all out

Waqar 4-24, Ashman 2-14, Withers 2-24

RUASCC 91-4

Greenhalf 40 not out, Extras 24, Dip 16

RUASCC won by 6 wickets

The outcome of this game was always likely to be determined by which BBC team turned up. If it was the team we bowled out for 27 a few years ago we would probably be OK. If, however, it was the team that turned up for this fixture last season, the one that scored more than 200 and had us struggling to a draw with nine wickets down, well, that would be an entirely different prospect.

In the end it was somewhere in between, but certainly leaning toward the “27” side. BBC were reduced to 49-6 after opening spells from Withers and Waqar (the bowlers aided by three LBW decisions) and although they rallied briefly adding 31 for the seventh wicket, the lethal combination of Stewart and Ashman helped to polish off the tail inside 30 overs.

The fielding was unusually sharp with Nadeem in particular impressing in the slips and gully region, and the performance was capped by a sensational diving catch by Ward running in from the boundary.

Faced with what should have been a routine run chase the RUASCC response got off to a terrible start. Ward (0), Eagle (7) and Daman Singh (3) all departed to leave us 12-3 before Dip Patel and Andy Greenhalf salvaged the situation with a partnership of 73 in just 14 overs. Only Dip’s bizarre run out prevented the pair from seeing us home, but it proved to be a minor glitch as Nadeem clipped the winning run from the final ball of the 20^th over.

With tour coming up next weekend this seems like an appropriate time to sum up the season so far. So here goes:

Out of 13 games played we’ve won six, drawn four and lost three. The three defeats have all been close (5 runs, 1 run, 2 wickets) but at the same time two of the draws have been salvaged only by the last wicket partnership. We’ve successfully chased scores of 212 and 193, successfully defended 109 and bowled opposition teams out for 48, 82, 90 and 104.

Leading wicket takers by quite some distance are Waqar (24) and Withers (20) who regularly open the bowling and carry the lion’s share of the workload. In fact between them they have bowled more than 40% of the overs and taken more than 40% of the wickets.

The only other bowler in double figures is Dr Ashman (10) and he’s missed more than a month of the season for the World Cup. The only other bowlers to take more than two wickets in an innings are Nadeem (5-15) and Jordan (4-26) but despite this we have managed to bowl out the opposition six times, more than we sometimes manage in a whole season.

Michael Ward (244) is the leading run-scorer to date having made two fifties and two further scores above 30 at the top of the order. This bodes well going into tour where he typically cranks it up after a couple of beers. Of the batsmen turning out regularly both Eagle (47, 31, 30) and Greenhalf (40, 33) have made useful contributions, but many of the standout knocks have been from guests and occasional players. Adil (83), Rafiq (60), Jas Singh (50, 44), Fawaz (49), Nadeem (45) and Dersh (47, 35) have all put in match-winning performances while Loader (57) and Daman Singh (59) have excelled in defeat.

In a season where key players like Zia, Saad, Main and Baker have turned out only occasionally we have benefitted from more regular appearances by Waqar, Daman Singh, Greenhalf and Nadeem, as well as newcomers like Karthee and Murphy. Credit should go to the Captain for putting together a full team (almost) every week capable of carrying a positive win record into August.

TOUR!!

RUASCC Highlight: Ward’s catch on the boundary, probably the best of the season so far.

RUASCC Man of the Match: Andy Greenhalf.

RUASCC Team: Ward, Eagle (capt), D. Singh, Dip (wkt), Greenhalf, Nadeem, Karthee, Waqar, Stewart, Ashman, Withers