Monthly Archives: August 2019

Whale Resists Gardeners

Whalers CC vs Gardeners CC; Sunday 18th August 2019; King’s House Sports Ground

After a late start due to rain and a wet outfield the Whalers took to the pitch to take on the Gardeners, a team we hadn’t faced in a few years. In the interests of expediency Will conceded the toss and the Gardeners batted first. This proved a masterstroke from Will as Jack and Dan opened up with some very tight and testing bowling on a damp pitch, runs were proving very hard to find, the pressure told and Jack picked up the first wicket getting through the defences of their opener. Dan changed ends and immediately had a double strike, Channa taking a good catch and the other opener edging behind. Russell had taken the ball into the wind and was also bowling some testing lines. After 15 overs the score was in check but the batters were looking settled and when Kamal and Geoff came on the batters looked to accelerate. Kamal bowled well against the aggression and while Geoff took a caught and bowled in his first over, the Gardeners were starting to play some lovely shots, aided by several dropped catches. Jack came on to finish the last over and after some discussion with the skipper eventually sort of agreed on a field, a 4 straight through the gap that was being discussed ‘ruined’ Jacks figures as he finished with 1 for 7 off 5 overs. The Gardeners finished on 145 from their 25 overs.

In reply Dean and Kamal opened the batting, Kamal was the initial aggressor with a couple of lovely square cuts. Dean was playing himself in but soon found his rhythm hitting several huge sixes when the bowlers dropped short. The 50 partnership was bought up in the 6th over before Kamal was bowled. Fraser came in and was aggressive straight away with a couple of sweetly struck fours before missing a straight one. Channa was next in and after playing himself in supported Dean in moving the score along in a partnership of 56 before getting a top edge for 24, These was a late flurry of wickets as the Whalers closed in, including Dean (after being dropped three times previously)  spectacularly caught one handed at mid on for 87. Will settled everyone’s nerves with a classy lofted off drive for the win with a couple of overs to spare.

M.O.M – Jack 7.3.5.1, mention for Deans 87

Champagne – Wills classy lofted off drive for the win

Muppet – The Captains (Jack and Will) fielding calamity which ‘allowed’ the 4 that ‘ruined’ Jacks bowling figures, mention for Kamal who was trying to catch geese in the field.

Whalers Fall Short in Last Ball Thriller

Whalers CC vs Stallions CC; King’s House Sports Ground; Sunday 4th August 2019 

 

Following a washout the previous week, the Whalers returned to action on Sunday vs the Stallions at Kings House. 

 
Buoyed by the return of Geoff after 5 months travelling and his pre-match advice regarding how to respond to a bear attack, skipper Will confidently took the decision to toss up without inspecting wicket choosing to bat first. 
 
The early progress of openers Dean and Tom indicated this was a wise decision, until the latter was caught at cover leaving the Whalers 33/1 in the 8th over. Enter Fraser who quickly injected some momentum into the innings with a number of sweetly struck boundaries (and an all-run 5). More than ably supported by an in-form Dean, the Whalers reached 98/1 by drinks. 
 
Soon after Fraser was out LBW for a well-made 46 to Riaz to bring Will to crease. Dean brought up his fifty shortly after with a six. The pair put on 50 before Will was also out LBW with the score 176/3 with 6 overs left. 
 
This brought Geoff to the crease brandishing a new logo-less bat brought from an unknown maker in rural Essex. Early indications of the bat’s quality were inconclusive as a noticeably rusty batsman preceded to edge all early deliveries faced, including a comical double drop. At the other end a less troubled Dean serenely moved to another excellent 100, although he was caught behind soon after for 106. 
 
Viren joined Geoff and together they upped the rate with some cracking shots taking the Whalers to what seemed like an imposing 257/4 from their 35 overs, a less rusty Geoff finishing 34*. 
 
The Stallions response was dented early when Dan bowled the opener in only the 3rd over, but thereafter the batsmen found their feet and started finding the boundary with regularity, in particular opener Rameez. 
 
Russell eventually dismissed the No.3 to leave the Stallions 45/2, but Rameez continued his assault taking a particular liking to anything straight or slightly legside, moving quickly to 50. 
 
After some juggling of bowlers to stem the flow of runs, Dean snared the No.4 to bring Stallions skipper Ejaz to the crease. Despite the wicket the runs continued to flow with Rameez reaching a superb hundred soon after. With the prospect of defeat growing ever greater, Will turned to Tom to stop the rot and was repaid a few overs later when he winkled out Rameez caught behind and quickly removed the No.6 LBW. 
 
With 2 overs left the Stallions required 11 runs to win with skipper Ejaz an imposing presence at the crease. Step forward Dan who bowled a fantastic over conceding two runs and taking the vital wicket of Ejaz. 
 
So it all came down to the final over with 9 runs required and a New Zealander selected to bowl it. One briefly wondered how many would be watching were the game made available on free-to-air. 
 
A first ball dot, was followed by a quickly run bye and a third ball boundary. Then it got interesting. Next ball a steepling chance was put down allowing the batsman two runs, but Geoff followed up with ANOTHER dot ball. Two to win off the final ball. The final delivery was bunted down to long on and the batsman desperately tried to come back from a second run which was never there…but a very unfortunate bounce from a bullet throw from Tom saw the ball evade Geoff’s grasp allowing the Stallions to complete the run and secure the win.  
 
Freshly consigned to the dustbin of history, the dejected Whalers dragged themselves from the field to shake the hands of their opponent. There would be no super over, no champagne reception at No.10, no Queen’s birthday honours. Not now. Probably not in 4 years. Maybe never.
 
Some disappointed Whalers regrouped in the clubhouse for a hefty fines session. Thanks to the Stallions for a very enjoyable game.  
 
MoM: Dean for his hundred

Tom Shepherds Whalers to Victory

Whalers CC vs Lambeth Lambs CC; King’s House Sports Ground; Sunday 21st July
 
Buoyed by England’s success the weekend before, the Whalers eventually assembled at King’s House for a game against the Lambeth Lambs. The six regular Whalers were joined by a few new faces to make a strong side that were confident of a good game, mainly because Dean was hungry for yet more runs.
 
Jack lost the toss (again) and the Whalers were set the task of bowling first on a pitch with one incredibly short boundary, and one monstrously long one. Jack and Dan started things off, keeping it relatively tight against the Lambs’ opening pair, with a few wides thrown in for good measure. Once Martin had joined us (citing a lack of trains) and slotted into slip, he was given an early opportunity to show the Whalers how to catch, but instead seemed to fit in with our abilities all too well. Russell soon took over from Jack, and the Lambs’ opening bat seemed to take a fancy to his offerings, targeting the short leg side boundary and helping himself to as many runs as he could. New recruit Felix took over from Dan and, having found his rhythm, was soon firing down some testing deliveries. Eventually the reward came as Felix made two breakthroughs to remove the Lambs openers who were getting into their stride. 
 
The Whale continued to keep the pressure on as we headed to drinks, keeping Lambeth to a manageable 88-2 at drinks. Another change in the bowling brought Aseeem and Tom (another newbie) into the attack. While Aseem bamboozled the batsmen from both sides of the wicket, Tom peppered them with a few short balls, before discovering that pitching it up was more rewarding and he claimed a couple of wickets to keep Lambeth in check. While Aseem kept it tight from the other end, Harry (newbie number 3) chipped in with some testing deliveries from the other end and struck to give Dan a catch at point, and the Whalers could sense a chance to finish things off. Dan and Russell returned at the end, the former picking up one wicket, and the latter seeking revenge for his torrid time earlier in the innings. By this stage, the Lambeth batting abilities were starting to dwindle, and Russell was relentless in his accuracy, picking up four quick wickets and ending the Lambs’ innings on 204.
 
After tea, it was the usual affair – watch Dean pad up, and try to figure out who was going to open with him. Martin was volunteered to go out and show us how to bat, and for the first few innings he and Dean did just that, playing a watchful innings and picking off the poor bowling. The Lambs’ preference for Last Man Stands showcased itself when the bowlers were asked to bowl more than two overs in a spell, but that soon brought on their key left-hander Ari. He set about moving the ball a dangerous amount, and lured Jack into questionably giving Martin out LBW for 17. In strode Roland, keen to seize the chance for some runs. That chance didn’t last too long as he was pinned plumb LBW for a duck. Amit, beginning the process of remodelling himself as a batsman and promoted to number 4, was next up. Similarly to Roland, his chance to make a dent in the total didn’t last too long as he played down the wrong line and was bowled for 1.
 
Dean was still at the other end, peppering the boundaries and hoping there were enough batsmen to keep him in the game. Luckily, only one more was needed, and Tom came in to steady the ship. He and Dean set about rebuilding, and soon were well and truly on top of the Lambs bowling attack, punishing anything short and keeping the strike rotating nicely. As Dean soon raced past 50 and neared yet another century, Tom was also building a nice score and soon got himself on the honours board with a maiden half century for the Whale. Once Dean had hit three figures, it was only a matter of time before the total was chased down, the Whalers reaching 205-3 off 30 overs.
 
Man of the match went to Tom for his excellent all round bowling and batting display (61* and 2-22). Champagne moment was picked up by Felix for knocking back the top of off stump, and Tom completed a day by taking muppet moment for kicking the ball over the boundary for four.
 
All in all, a good team performance for the Whale.