Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club

Scorecard

Mortimer West End v Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club League 1st XI on Sat 09 May 2015 at 1:00 pm
Match was Drawn (winning draw)

Match report An away trip to three-time BCL Premier Division champions Mortimer West End looked a tough prospect on paper for the newly promoted Crows, missing as they were a few of their bigger names, however there was an air of quiet confidence emanating from the ranks of traveling Crows players and fans as they began arriving under the early-May clouds (*there were no fans). Maybe it was the assurance gained from a huge win against West Reading the previous week, perhaps it was a beautifully naïve hangover from the glorious, halcyon days of last summer’s triumphant campaign, or it just might have been the sight of only ten players in the MWE ranks, with several of them being greener than the rather bedraggled outfield. Whatever the reason for this confidence, all eleven Crows knew that conditions both overhead and underfoot were perfect for bowling first.

Now everyone who has ever seen Colonel “Nasser” Cluett bat knows he does not like to do things the easy way, so it was no surprise for his troops, as they watched him march back from the middle, to see him signalling the inevitable with several technically correct forward defensives- yes, yet another toss lost, and yet another mountain to climb. All that was left for them to do was mock their skipper for several minutes about his abysmal, Hussain-esque record of losing every important toss rather than help him warm up, then settle in to watch as Tham joined the Colonel in striding out to confront the youthful MWE opening bowlers.

One grumpy, onlooking CCWCC tail-ender loudly proclaimed that it was “nap time” as he settled in with an air of resignation to watch two renowned blockers put up the barricades for an hour or so, and this sentiment was echoed to varying degrees amongst his teammates. One man did not get the script however, as a dour first over from the Colonel was followed by some wham, bam, thank you Tham in the second with eleven runs coming from it; the Doc had clearly diagnosed the bowling as buffet, and prescribed a large dose of punishment. Watching on the rest of his team were joyful, and still somewhat disbelieving, as the Doc went aerial time and again, racing to his first fifty of the season in only his first innings and delivering the lion’s share of a 70-odd opening stand. To his dismay the fun was ended with the very next ball though, as the MWE skipper, having just come on, ragged an off-cutter from way outside off stump into the timbers, breaking the spell and with it Crows’ hearts.

Despite this fantastic start a period of consolidation was clearly now needed, but the first and second change bowlers, infinitely more able than their youthful predecessors, were having none of it and turned what was previously smooth sailing into a Libya to Italy raft-ride. In particular their accurate cutters, exaggerated by the gripping, popping wicket, were virtually unplayable as first Nick and then Ravi were sent back to the pavilion. Even the Colonel, having battled to a crucial forty-seven, was eventually to succumb, and it was more by luck than judgement that Jaffa and Izzy were able to see off this potent pairing, both being dropped along the way.

After this the remainder of the Crows’ innings, some ten or so overs, was a flurry of runs and wickets as they accelerated from 140-4 to 218-9 off the full forty-five. This lively period included a brilliant forty-four from Izzy, a less brilliant golden duck for Saviour on his Prem debut, a lusty seventeen from Crooky which featured a towering six that was millimetres from Jaffa’s injudiciously parked company car, and a final, two-ball flourish from Ash that ended the innings on a fitting high. Considering the conditions the Crows knew that they had put a very healthy total on the board, and the big question on their minds as they tucked into a delightful tea was would Mortimer West End be brave enough to go for it, or would they drop anchor and play for a losing draw?

Any possible ambivalence in the MWE ranks was removed in the first half of their innings though, as any thoughts they may have had of an unlikely run chase were squashed by some impressive Crows bowling and fielding. The first ten overs, with CCWCC having taken the old ball, were sent down by spin-kings Cluett and Crook, tying the batsmen up in knots and leaving them 30-1. Jaffa and Ash were then to take the new ball and apply all sorts of pressure onto the seemingly paper-thin MWE batting line up, with Cluett J going for only a handful of runs in his six overs and Fowles taking two crucial wickets, the pick of which being a sublime one-handed catch from Albino Nick at mid-off, taken above his head at full stretch.

With “Aberdeen” Angus Murray charging in after the drinks break, the strong wind gusting behind him, the Crows didn’t have to wait long for their next two breakthroughs as twice he induced false shots from the uncertain MWE middle order, and twice Ashley put pay to the myth that fast bowlers are a liability in the field as he pouched two more than decent catches that on another day would have stood out as exceptional. Not on this day, however, as the returning Jaffa drew two identical half-drives from two identically poor MWE tail-enders for his brother at short cover to snaffle with two spectacular diving catches in consecutive balls. Despite the hat trick ball being shoved wildly down the leg side there was no doubt at this point in the minds of the Crows players that they were about to despatch the remaining two wickets with alacrity and secure back-to-back league wins.

Alas, the fairy-tale beginning to CCWCC’s career in the Premier division was to finally come to an end as they just couldn’t budge the Mortimer West End rear guard, despite throwing everything they could at them for nine tense overs. Five different bowlers had a go at dislodging the obstinate batsmen, with the closest chance being a sharp low catch that went between two slips after Ash induced an edge from the charmed number four. Indeed it was mostly down to this plucky youth that MWE were not blown away in this game, as with a mixture of fortune and fortitude he carried his bat to the end and was rewarded with sixty-eight vital runs.

Colonel Cluett’s troops will march on from this match with their confidence unshaken and their record unblemished though, as a resounding winning-draw away at the three-time Prem champions certainly does not count as a blemish. Any potential frustration at not winning this game is eradicated by the simple fact that to be in a position where nearly beating such illustrious opposition in this elevated division could possibly be a disappointment is a very, very good place to be, and shows just how far the club has come.

Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club League 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
10nb 2w 10b 1lb 
for 9 wickets
23
218		        
Anthony Cluett b Kingston 47 2
Thamindu Wedatilake b Kingston 50
Nick Outram ct & bowled Hodson 1 1
Ravi Godbole b Hodson 8
Mohamed Izzadeen b Patel 44
Jeff Cluett ct Bray b. Patel 19
Simon Sheppard lbw Patel 0
Azarudeen Mahroof ct Audsley b. Patel 4
Robert Crook b Kingston 17
Angus Murray Not Out  0
Ashley Fowles Not Out  5 2

Mortimer West End Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Miles7.002800.004.00
Patrick6.003100.005.17
Hodson12.0235217.502.92
Kingston11.0241313.673.73
Johnson5.002800.005.60
Patel4.003448.508.50

Mortimer West End Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
2w 1lb 
for 7 wickets
3
142 (45.0 overs)		     
Audsley b Fowles 20
Johnson b A Cluett 7
Pewekar ct Outram b Fowles 20
Bray Not Out  68
Kingston ct Fowles b Murray 17
Hodson ct Fowles b Murray 0
Patel ct A Cluett b J Cluett 3
Telford ct A Cluett b J Cluett 0
Patrick Not Out  4
Miles  
   

Crowthorne & Crown Wood Cricket Club League 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Anthony Cluett8.0029129.003.63
Robert Crook8.022700.003.38
Ashley Fowles10.0039219.503.90
Jeff Cluett11.0725212.502.27
Angus Murray7.0321210.503.00
Ravi Godbole1.01000.000.00