1st XI vs Ealing Trailfinders

An ecstatic and slightly confident Southgate team travelled to Ealing Trailfinders following a very impressive win back at The Walker Ground the week before. Spirits were high, vibes were great and the sun was shining. What better way to spend your weekend?

That was soon put to bed, as quick wickets of Sunny Kanuparthi and stand-in skipper Josh Ray were followed by a rather unnecessary run-out of Max Joseph, who said "that's the best I've felt in 3 years". A steady partnership between Hugh Hyslop and Christian McLoughlin tried to wrestle back the momentum, much to the delight of the Southgate lower order so they could debate which cricketer the statue on the side of the pavilion was made after. Is it Cook? Is it Strauss? Maybe Pietersen? and a pretty rogue shout from Laurence Perry "I think it's Virat Kohli".

However, more wickets fell at regular intervals, meaning Southgate finished on a pretty below-par 132 all out.

Trailfinders looked to waste no time in search of the required 133 run target as both openers came in swinging, whilst also opting for a hit and run approach, which worked to their benefit. That was before Hugh Hyslop came in to the attack, taking two wickets in his first over, one of which was the wicket of their spin bowler who cupped his genitals before every ball that he bowled. Strange. Nevertheless, runs continued to flow despite the introduction of Laurence Perry, who once again picked up multiple wickets, including a quite spectacular catch from Christian McLoughlin in a short square leg position. Up there with one of the greats. Trailfinders found their way to the total winning by 4 wickets. Ultimately, the game was won, or should I say lost, in the first innings after a poor total was put on the board.

Back to back away games for Southgate as we travel to bottom of the table London Tigers where a bounce back is very much needed after a poor showing.

Daragh Edwards

3rd XI vs Friends United

3XI v Friends United 4s (away)

Parinda Kularatne 3-16
Kazi Hassan 5-22 & 52
Nevin Kularatne 25

After several weeks of frustration, there was something noticeably different about the mood around the Southgate 3rd XI before a ball had even been bowled against Friends United 4th XI. Perhaps it was the return of Sarfraz Hafeji for his first appearance of the season, the welcome return of colt Nevin Kularatne fresh from completing his GCSEs, or Santosh Shankar being back representing his local club after spending much of the season playing cricket down in Kent. Or perhaps it was simply Nish Shah, who spent the entire warm-up proudly showing off the new sunglasses he’d been eagerly waiting to wear. His excitement proved a fitting microcosm of the feeling throughout the squad – refreshed, confident and quietly optimistic that this looked like a side capable of finally getting its first win.

After winning the toss and bowling first, opening pair Parinda Kularatne and Arpit Katoch immediately justified that optimism. Both bowled with exceptional control, giving the Friends United batters little room to breathe. Parinda claimed three deserved wickets, while Arpit was desperately unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet himself after repeatedly beating the bat or forcing false strokes. As Sarfraz quipped from the field, "They don’t know what a leave is," with the opposition seemingly determined to play at everything.

The early momentum was perfectly captured by a superb catch from Kevin Lazarus at mid-wicket. With Southgate’s fielding having let them down in recent weeks, Kevin's sharp grab felt significant. It wasn’t just another wicket; it reinforced the confidence that had been building before the game and set the standard for an excellent day in the field.

Alan Babwah and Santosh Shankar took over first change. Alan continued his habit of striking early, although luck perhaps deserted him thereafter despite inducing several edges and miscued drives that just evaded fielders. Santosh initially searched for rhythm - perhaps understandable given the amount of wicketkeeping he'd been doing in Kent - but there were flashes of real quality as the ball swung, beat the bat and hinted that wickets were never far away. Although Friends United recovered from 31-3 to 100-5, that owed more to the outstanding foundation laid by the opening bowlers than any lack of quality from the change bowlers.

Any thoughts of the innings drifting disappeared once Kazi Hassan and Nevin entered the attack. Kazi produced a masterclass in park cricket bowling: simple, accurate and relentlessly making the pitch do the work for him. His outstanding figures of 5-22 from 6.3 overs deservedly broke the backbone of the innings. At the other end, Nevin’s deceptive leg-spin repeatedly left batters bamboozled before claiming a wicket of his own as Friends United were bowled out for 143 in 35.3 overs.

The chase demanded sensible batting on a pitch offering inconsistent bounce, and openers Kazi and Nevin judged it superbly. Complementing each other as well with the bat as they had with the ball, they added an invaluable 77-run opening partnership. Kazi's half-century included a six that seemed to disappear into orbit before only just clearing the boundary rope, while Nevin's composed 25 ended only thanks to an outstanding catch on the leg side - rather unexpected given the visitors’ earlier fielding display.

Nish, eager to finally swap modelling sunglasses for wielding a bat, arrived at number three, while Bhavesh Kotecha kept the scoreboard moving. Sarfraz then treated everyone to a few vintage cover drives that reminded us exactly why they've become his trademark, before one final ambitious drive found a fielder courtesy of another excellent catch - perhaps not the percentage option on a pitch like this. Kevin then continued his recent love affair with maximums by launching another huge six. Thankfully, unlike last week's effort, no windows required replacing this time. Divyen calmly struck the winning runs as Southgate reached 144-5 in just 28 overs to seal a five-wicket victory.

Kazi Hassan was the deserved Player of the Match for his outstanding all-round display of 52 runs and five wickets, setting the benchmark for the rest of the side.

Most pleasing of all, however, was that the confidence evident before the first ball came to fruition. The 3rd XI season is finally up and running. If the fielding maintains this standard and the batting can show just a little more discipline in finishing games off, there is every reason to believe this performance will prove to be the first of many.

By Alan Babwah

2nd XI vs Peshwa

Peshwa 192 all out (54.5 overs) – Bloyce 3-37
Southgate 64 all out

As appropriate for a game of cricket in a football World Cup summer, this top of the table clash was a game of two halves.

Peshwa won the toss and elected to bat first.

Will McLoughlin, from the top end, extracted pace, bounce and both openers, including Peshwa’s R Desai. At the other end, Woffers (17-8-25-2) and Peshwa’s young number three were engaged in a battle of wills. It was attritional stuff and for the second week in a row Adam Collins was distracting himself from the bowler’s equivalent of pad rash with an extensive warm up routine (briefly interrupted to take a looping catch at mid-off from Peshwa’s other celebrity namesake).

Southgate were on top at the halfway mark of the innings, with Ollie Bellwood adding a third catch, but the technically correct youngster and the more free spirited lower middle order combined to block, swipe and biff against Southgate’s spin twins (the original, and best, R Desai and a fully loosened Adam).

With eleven overs to go before the mandated 55 over maximum, captain Sam Faruqi turned to his closers, George Bloyce and Liam Collett. George (3-37) and Liam (2-17) bowled full, quick and straight to pick up five wickets between them, the highlight being a high, spiralling chance to deep extra cover to Safe Hands Sam to finish the innings.

The less said about our reply, the better. With varying degrees of bad luck and self-destruction, we collapsed for 64 to a steady inswing bowler who picked up nine wickets and finished with a hat-trick. Sam, having hit two of his first three balls from the same bowler to the boundary, was left bemused and stranded on 12 not out.

Woffers

2nd XI vs London Superkings

It’s fair to say nobody will be commissioning a commemorative DVD of this one, even those on the side of the emphatic win – Southgate 2nd XI.

Which isn’t to contend it was unpleasant arriving at one of the most recognisable spots in the country, Regents Park, for this hit out against London Superkings. Sure, the most rolling this council pitch had seen, as Liam Collett spotted upon arrival, was from a dog running on it. And yes, it’s lucky nobody picked up a season-ending injury stepping into any of the outfield holes. Even so, there’s an energy to playing in a big public park, where the world-at-large gets a peek into our lives as committed Saturday triers.

However. Goodness me, what an ugly game – in more ways than one.

After a debate about the adjudication of wides in timed cricket, which lasted longer than some G20 summits, captain Sam Faruqi finally got the home captain to get the coin in the air. With 15 minutes left before the scheduled start, it was revealed we’d be fielding. On a shit heap, with plenty of bowling, this was no bad thing. Especially with David Woffinden ready to bowl all day.

The return of Will McLoughlin provided an extra dimension, hitting a bloke on the arm in the first over who was out wearing a hat having given his helmet to the umpire rather than on his head. Moments like this - some weird, some worse - would define the next couple of hours. I suppose we should’ve sensed this, given Max had to pay by-the-hour for our dressing room.

Anyway. Our seam bowling was frugal then efficient. Will’s caught and bowled inside the opening moments got us going. But what followed was a bewildering passage where the hosts committed to the type of defensive vigil you might see when desperately batting out a draw with men around the bat. Sure, Woffer was at his miserly best, giving them sod all to hit as well. But the commitment to the bit from the Superkings saw them sit 17-1 in the 16th over, with what must have been 40-something dots in a row. Why? We’ll never know.

The wrinkle in all this was what felt like had been a clear directive to give nothing out lbw. Three glaring early examples - and I mean shocking – the type of appeals that you are so convinced of you appeal with a smile on your face knowing what’s coming – drove many of us to distraction.

Not our opening bowlers though, who plugged away until the next wickets came on 17, 21 and 25 – a couple apiece, well earned. The plan was for me to follow Woffer as we have in recent weeks, enjoying the same cross-breeze, but this veteran has an engine to go all day, so why change the formula? Will’s final analysis of 11-5-16-2 reflected his fine contribution to this squeeze.

Sure enough, a slogger or four came down the list and from time to time a ball would go the journey. There was another mind-blowing lbw explanation to begin my spell – bat first, apparently, despite the blade to this moment still not down beneath the line of the London Eye. Once calmed from that, Sam trusted the process with the field back, and catches came in turn. Indeed, the first ball after drinks I was slapped flat to long off where it was Will once again in service, taking what in Australia we call a chest mark, smashing into his sternum, clinging on superbly. Big Max Dighton, in his second appearance, took an equally impressive chance low at cow corner.

But it was all about Woffer down the other end. He hit stumps and pads, at the point where he couldn’t be denied, to register back-to-back five-wicket bags. If not for a comedy run out to finish the innings, it’s likely a sixth would’ve come before his 20th over was done. Instead, he’d walk off with a smile on his face with a tremendous afternoon’s work netting him 19.2-11-25-5.

Set 78, the chase only took 15.2 overs. Max Joseph started smartly with a couple of beautiful clips through the onside, but lost Mustafah Mirza right away. Max also departed, done by a canny bit of bowling. On another day, 21-2 might have constituted a wobble. But you wouldn’t have known it when Max No2 played a cavalier back foot thrust for six over wide long off to get off the mark, breaking the back of the job before falling a few runs short of the finish line for 31. Sure enough, Colly did as he does, collecting anything on offer to finish 30 not out. As he may or may not have said to the other mob: you’ve been rolled for 77, I’m averaging 110. Even more now with that red ink.

Out of there by 4:30pm, our messy mission was complete. Now let’s never speak of it again.