Alexandra Palace CC 2nd XI 168-9 (45 overs)
Collins: 9-0-18-3
Woffinden: 9-3-17-2
Desai: 7-1-28-2
Bloyce: 9-0-45-2
Southgate CC 2nd XI 169-3 (27.1 overs)
Collett: 57* (62)
Fernando: 42* (33)
Mirza: 33 (22)
The day was gloomy; grey skies, a chill in the air and rain forecast later. Not to mention the Tommy Robinson fan club were back in town. However, having delivered a dominant performance last week, this Southgate squad were fired up.
The toss was delayed, an important chase for APCC U11s needed to conclude first on the same pitch we were to use. Skipper Faruqi ambitiously ran on to check our strip between balls sparking both teams and umpires to mistakenly start following him, much to the parents’ chagrin.
Our pitch looked to have a 75m boundary in one direction and 40m to the shared rope with the 4th team pitch where we currently warmed up. We negotiated stealing 5-10 metres extra ground for our boundary before the umpires marched both captains to the 4th team wicket for a performative toss with the kids still playing 20 minutes before our start time.
Toss won, we were bowling. We hurried in to change, help clear the pitch and setup our marks and field. The batters emerged late but we finally got started.
With a cross-pitch slope and breeze, Holmes and Woffinden took respective ends to take advantage of this and it helped provide a tight start before “Woff” won the first breakthrough in the 6th over, the opposition 7/1. The pitch obviously had some variable bounce.
AP’s number 3 seemed to adopt the Bazball approach to this and was skipping down the wicket early. The first boundary and wides then ensued taking them to 32/1 off 12 before Holmes (7 overs 0-32) was replaced by Bloyce (9 overs 2-45). In blistering form so far this year, though his first 10-ball over was more affect by the pitch and wind. His second saw the number 3 loop the ball in the air having already scored two boundaries in the over – 50/2.
Evidently the middle order wanted to also play their shots, only their shots just seemed to consist of hoiks across the line.
Woffinden bowled the other opener in his final over, ending with 9 overs, 3 maidens, 2-17, to bring 2 sloggers to the crease. Collins replaced him and continued the tight lines, not going for a single boundary in his allotment. He and George took wickets in consecutive overs taking the opposition to 77/5.
At this point the metropolitan police deemed the criminal shot selection more important than the far-right march in central London and decided to hover their chopper directly over the pitch for 45 minutes. This white noise must have been a nice reprieve for the bats in the middle who were being told “head down” by the top half of the order who had opted for more mows than summer harvest season.
Bloyce was replaced by Desai for double spin. Collins took another wicket 4 overs after the last (ending 9 overs 2/18) and Desai 5 overs after that. With few runs scored alongside this the opposition were at 114/8. Another for Desai in his next over (ending 7 overs 2/28), 117/9.
Collins was bowled out, it looked like their number 11 was not offering a lot; the skipper brought himself and Collett on to see things out.
The tailender then unleashed an onslaught with overs going for 7, 13, 13 and 9. His 42* off 23 helped them with their only partnership over 50 (also ably helped by us dropping him twice) and ended them on 168/9.
Parts of the changing room were nervy at lunch, we had let them score too many on this pitch. But Collett, in hot form off the back of last week’s ton, was not having it. “We can start slow just as they did and we know we have the batting to speed up” or words to that effect.
Mustapha heeded the positivity and perhaps not the message. In an opening onslaught of solid straight drives (often lofted) the same tailender was carted for 34 off his opening 3 overs (with one over going for 20). Mirza parted for 33 off 22 (51/1), whilst Joseph ably scored 21 at the other end before a miscued pull looped to the keeper (69/2).
Collett bedded in at 3, Dighton had some troubles with the spinner going away from him down the slope and could only muster 4 before edging off (84/3).
Bevan was also feeling the vibes though, and from there-on there was no looking back. Only one chance for APCC as Collett edged through the corden off their skipper’s bowling. He had opted for a 3rd slip rather than 1st though, so this simply brought up more runs. Runs were scored regularly and saw Liam bring up his 50 with exquisite ground strokes (ending 57 not out). His partner Bevan was nurdling the balls around for 1s and 2s and dispatching some big 4s and 6s off the bad balls.
The rain arrived as we needed 10 to win with 19 overs remaining. The run rate was not an issue. Two more 4s for Fernando allowed Collett to rightfully seal the deal with a 4 of his own for a stomping win.
Showers and towels were shared, beers were enjoyed, Another great performance for the boys.