Match Report – Whalers CC vs. FCO

CSSC Chiswick – 11^th August 2007

Whalers back to Winning Ways

Result – FCO 192 for 6 (40 Overs - Mildon 3 for 24), Whalers 193 for 6 (36.3 Overs – Terrell 67*, Forte 43, Osborn 24) Whalers won by 4 wickets

After a couple of disappointing matches, it was good for the Whalers to get their season back on track with a solid win against the FCO. On a very hot day, Duncs decided to toss without even checking on the state of the pitch, but this ended up as a mere detail as he lost, and the Whalers had to look forward to 40 overs of fielding in the early afternoon sun.

The innings of the FCO started steadily, and their scoring opportunities were well restricted by some hostile bowling from Dan and some accurate bowling from Ed. The openers proved difficult to remove however, and it was the introduction of daddy Mildon into the attack that saw the first breakthrough. Some stubborn resistance followed as both Paul and James caused the batsmen problems, but without much luck – that was, until, one batsman decided to ask Paul whether he would like to discuss the LBW rule in more detail. This of course wound Paul up – great for the Whalers, not so good for the FCO, as he struck the very next ball with, of course, an LBW!

By 20 overs, the FCO had reached 66 for 2 – not many runs, but with wickets in hand. Paul bowled his 8 overs all in one go, and this brought Ed back into the attack. With usual Whalers cunning, he out-thought the opener who was on a hard-fought 36 with a wide, off-side long-hop. This was smashed back at Ed who deftly palmed a difficult one-handed catch. However, at the other end Kamal and Ads were being given a bit of a going over by the FCO no. 5, who raced to a quick 50 with some lusty blows. The final 10 overs of the innings were a little frantic – Dan was steaming in as if possessed, and was rewarded by Paul, with a stunning one-handed catch in the gulley. However, we could not prise out any more batsmen and they ended on 192 for 6 after 40 overs.

After tea, Dario and Al started well against some reasonable bowling – one bowler in particular caused problems with his accuracy and away-swing. However, a lack of pace certainly helped the Whalers’ cause. Al fell to a beautiful delivery, caught behind for 11, and then Dom was in. He looked well set but on 19 was bowled by another peach of a ball. Duncs then came in to join Dario who was quietly and effectively amassing runs, pushing his batting partners to take quick singles and turn ones into twos. Duncs perished on 24 just before drinks, so all the top order had contributed, and leaving the Whalers reasonably well placed at 95 for 3 after 20. This brought Stu to the wicket and he immediately joined in with Dario’s scamper-fest, the pair pushing the rate along to almost 6 an over.

Then, disaster – after one inter-over chat (involving the immortal line from Dario “it’s almost too easy”), Dario was bowled very next ball. James then came in and initially had trouble seeing the ball. Several swings-and-a-miss later, and he was still troubled, whilst his aerobic capacity was also being tested by Stu, who was still enthusiastically trying to play tip-and-run. Stu went on to reach his 50, but James, and then Ads, departed in relatively quick succession. However, by now the result was close at hand, and Ed came in to finish the job.

In the end, a satisfying win to stop the rot. Good fielding performances from Dario in particular had him nominated for Man of the Match, along with Paul for his tight bowling. Stu was eventually awarded the accolade for his 67*, with Paul gaining the champagne moment for his immensely satisfying LBW (despite the frank exchange of views with the batsman which followed – to his credit, Paul went over to apologise at the end of the over). Muppet moment went for the ‘To me, to you’ approach that Dom and Ads took to fielding a ball that went between them.