Whalers CC won by 10
wickets
The Whalers cruised to their first
ever 10-wicket victory at the weekend to round off the 2008 season in style.
The early meet allowed for plenty of time to compare hangovers and get in some
pre-Kenya fielding practice – any opposition which saw our attempts to hit a
single stump from five yards’ distance couldn’t fail to be impressed.
Once we finally got under way, Dan
and Gouldy got us off to a flying start with 3 wickets in the first 3 overs,
and the Strollers never really recovered. Although Matthews held things together
with 36, wickets continued to fall regularly at the other end, with Will
Rossiter (2-7 from 6 overs) and Matt (1-5 from 5 overs) the pick of the
bowlers. Highlights were good catches for Ben, Kamal and Dan, and a sharp
run-out. Probable lowlights were the number of dropped chances as the Strollers
struggled to come to terms with straight bowling and a slow pitch, Ollie’s
persistent attempts to stump their teenaged tailender when he wandered out of
his crease, and Channa’s bowling spell, which led to a number of planes being
diverted from next-door Heathrow due to unidentified objects crossing their
flight path. Eventually we polished off the tail and the Strollers were all out
for 67.
Having demolished the selection of
Mr Kipling’s finest, the Whalers numbers 3, 4 and 5 settled down with their
pads on, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. But they were not to
be needed, as Al and Pip put paid to any thoughts of demons in the pitch with a
confident batting display. Al especially dispatched anything over-pitched to
the boundary, but unfortunately for the rest of us he wasn’t able to reach his
50 before the Whalers reached their target in the 12th over. Al
finished on 48 and Pip 18, and we retreated to the pub very early to fine
Gouldy for numerous breaches of the traffic laws and to plan our first
international victory on next month’s tour to
Strollers: 67 all out (Gouldy 3-18, Dan 2-6, Will 2-7)
Whalers: 69 for 0 (Al 48*, Pip 18*)
Man of the match: Will
Rossiter
Champagne moment: Dan / Ollie combining for the run-out
Muppet moment:
Ollie
trying to stump their teenaged tailender