Editor’s apology: This, the Whalers and the Rabbits reports are in the wrong order, because I posted them this way round and I can’t work out how to change them! It should be Bluies (this one), Rabbits, Whalers.
Off the back of CICC’s first win of the season against Ploughmams, the boys looked to carry on the momentum at Roehampton playing fields where we faced a familiar foe in Barely Bluies. Captain Matt Goodman began the days cricket with a protracted negotiation whether we would be playing 30 or 35 overs. We can only assume that this was some sort of “get in their heads early” mind game as neither CICC or Barely Bluies would reach 30 overs but alas our illustrious Captain won the mental battle and a 35 over game was agreed.
In keeping with tradition, CICC lost the toss and were put into bat on a green pitch, with Mr Jon Stern and Sammy O’Connell opening the batting. Scoring looked to be tough with 16 runs coming off the first 5 overs. Trying to pick up the run rate J. Stern (4) was then caught at mid-wicket. Ed Gregory next in at 3, having arrived late was unable to get his usual comprehensive pre-match warm up completed which would come back to haunt him. Scoring continued to be tough with the next 5 overs going for just 10 runs, leading S. O’Connell (11) to try push on but ultimately holed out at mid-wicket leaving Clapham 25-2 off 11 overs. After last week’s heroics S. Dooley (1) came out to the middle but couldn’t recreate his big shots from the previous week, after getting off the mark he was caught and bowled shortly after.
Specialist number 5 batsmen J. Lynch was next in off the back of a duck against Crouch End, he was keen to get off the mark early although E. Gregory had other ideas turning down an easy single he was called through for (Editor’s note: he turned down one of mine as well, Ed you owe me a run!). Although, this may have been a premonition to the events in the next over. Ed now on strike called through a tight single and out of nowhere a Lee Harvey Oswold from the bushes took him out. Down went Ed in some agony. Emulating his hero Brad Pitt in Troy, Ed clutched his Achilies, and everyone thought the worst. E. Gregory (5) unfortunately had to retire injured leaving Clapham 35-3 off 14 overs. Luckily there was an orthopaedic surgeon on the Bluies team that was on hand to assess the damage. It was cramp. Dehydration from the previous night’s vin rogue had caught up with Ed. No ruptured Achilies just a tight calf from forgetting his morning Berocca. J. Frecknall came in at 6 to try steady the ship and pick up the scoring rate but soon after J. Lynch (1) stepped back trying to heave one into the leg side and only to completely miss and was bowled middle stump.
G. Hutton (0) had a similar fate being bowled for a duck but that led Naitik to the crease playing his first red ball match having been scouted by CICC’s international man of business Jaymin, could he be the saviour CICC needed. Simply put yes. Naitik got to the crease, didn’t need to take a guard as it would have slowed him down and hit his first ball for 4. James held up the other end but Naitik started to tee off scoring a rapid 15 runs not really understanding why everyone else was struggling until J. Frecknall (9) hit a hip high full toss straight to a fielder. M. Goodman strode out with one objective, keep Naitik on strike. For the next 5 overs Naitik did not play a single defensive shot instead adopting the see ball hit ball method which meant Clapham had dragged themselves back to 95-6. Matt was holding his own as well getting runs and ultimately bringing up the 50 partnership until Goodman (17) was called through for a tight single but was run out. Although the partnership had got Clapham to a more respectable 106-7. Naitik’s (47) first red ball match was finally ended when he decided to play his first defensive shot of the day but was bowled bringing an end to what would become a match winning innings. J. Pandya (0) closed out the CICC innings with a duck and S. Tanuku not out on 5 setting Bluies a target of 114 to win.
CICC took the field to defend a modest target but as our Captain said “don’t judge a pitch until both teams have batted on it”. Despite being the oldest cliché in the book, it looked to be true with Shantan bowling a wicket maiden in his first over and Jaymin finding the outside edge to be caught behind, both openers were dismissed for ducks. Bluies 3rd and 4th batsmen then proceeded to grind out the opening overs, putting on 39 runs until J. Pandya changed up his angle of approach bowling round the wicket and delivering a rank long hop that was skied straight to Shantan. (Editor’s note: If it was ever in doubt that CICC play the game the right way, it was confirmed when Captain Dad recalled Bluies’ no. 3 after being triggered LBW by their umpire* after he middled it. *Suspicion against said umpire had already been raised when he had requested Matt give him a summary of the LBW rule during our innings- yes I said rules, not laws!)
S. Dooley was next to run in at first change with some beautiful in swinging deliveries he picked up 2 wickets in his first over to pile the pressure on Bluies who were now 45-5. Bluies again rebuilt putting on another 29 runs before G. Hutton was sharp in the field and fired the ball in to the wicket keeper running out Bluies’ no. 3 who had been anchoring their innings. At 74-6 the match was on a bit a knife edge seemingly both teams could win this match and when Bluies put on another 19 runs it looked to have swung in their favour. Up steps the nicest man in cricket, J. Frecknall who’s accurate line and length forced the mistake getting Bluies number 8 caught and bowled and kicked off a collapse of their lower order. S. Dooley bowled a 2 wicket maiden in his final over finishing on figures of 5-1-21-4. J. Frecknall cleaned things up, getting Bluies number 11 clean bowled with the last 4 wickets going for just 1 run and completing a Clapham victory in sunny South West London.
About the author: Foster, Foakes, Lynch – you think of Essex and you think of gifted glovemen. James Lynch is also a powerful middle order bat, no surprises from CICC’s ‘muscly chap’. Lynchy is also a talented ramp-scooper, although it’s not been unveiled in an actual match yet.
