18 August 2007 St Lukes A v Whyteleafe A (League) – Home
St Lukes:
James Somers (Capt)
Richard Bent (w/k)
Karl Quinn
Gothum Kandavelu
Mitsi Patel
Shoukat Rahman
Gopi Desai
Dieter Grutzner
Wasif Zamir
Evan Huyerman
Bob Gaddes
Another ‘crunch’ game for St Lukes – victory would ensure promotion but defeat would open the door for either Battersea Ironsides or Ottershaw & Ham Moor to overtake them. Only one change from the previous week with Karl coming in for a ‘rested’ Richard S.
The skipper did the right thing and won the toss (well the opposition lost it but so what) and put Whyteleafe in on a pitch that looked soft on top and likely to give bowlers some encouragement. Evan immediately got some reward taking wickets in his first two overs reducing the opposition to 2-2. After his success last week Bob was finding it more difficult to find the correct line this week – Horrocks 6, 6, 4 off one over being painful. Karl dropped a difficult chance on the boundary (same batsman, same bowler) but as the skipper said “you would have put money on him taking it”. Luckily Horrocks (25) was run out shortly after, rashly taking on Shoukat’s arm and losing. Evan, Gopi and Karl then picked up wickets to put Whyteleafe at 79-6 after 25 overs. Curtis started to dominate the batting with some textbook drives – he took the score on 120 (and his own score to 51) before being bowled by James playing back to a ball that was probably a bit too full. James picked up another two wickets as Whyteleafe batted out the overs to finish on 145-9. Evan (19-3) and James (15-3) being the pick of the bowlers.
With the clouds darkening, St Lukes looked to respond in positive fashion. Unfortunately, the skipper went early being caught in two minds outside off stump and directing a well taken catch to slip (“should have left it”). Richie and Karl kept the scoreboard ticking along at (about) the required rate before Karl (29 – including 6x4) was second out with the score on 59. Gothan (12) had a brief flourish before perishing. St Lukes were 78-3 after 24 overs (the opposition had been 77-5 at the same point) and the rain was getting worse! Richie, digging in, and Mitsi (24 not out) steadied the ship and took the score on to 130 before Richie was out for a solid 42. Shoukat entered the fray at lost little time in taking 16 of the final 18 runs required to give St Lukes victory by 6 wickets – AND PROMOTION.
Man of the match – Richie solid and mature batting and his usually impeccable self behind the stumps (he makes even the bad balls look good). Credit also Whyteleafe for playing on through some difficult conditions when the warmth of the clubhouse must have been beckoning.