Saturday 20th September 2014
Twickenham 255 for 4 (40 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon 259 for 6 (37.1 overs)
Stoke D’Abernon won by 4 wickets
Stoke maintained their post-league 100% record with a big run chase over Twickenham at the Rec.
The early start meant a lively pitch first up, Keegan Weideman and Matt Mustill getting a few to jump at the batsmen from the surface. As one Stoker described him, “fed up of being hit” opener Slater skied a length delivery from Mustill Jnr to Will Frost at mid-off.
Guy and Johnson toughed it out, and the latter got to 17 before mis-pulling a lifting delivery from Weideman to Nico Spreeth at short leg. Stoke had a good foothold in the game as Frost turned the ball from the off, and Ralph Coleman collected two wickets in his second over when Guy, who also made 17, edged one, then Mehra yorked himself 3rd ball. 53 for 4 after 16.
Thereafter it was totally different story. The well-organised Nomula and the more adventurous Cheema got themselves in and started to form a partnership that went on and on. Stoke skipper Jase Earl juggled his options well, and worked well with his bowlers and older heads to address the problems of being a fielder light; the lure of the Asahi keeping Jack Raimondo on the sidelines after his hockey match rather than taking the field.
Nomula and Cheema became more expansive in the closing overs and ran well, ten of the last sixteen overs went for ten or more runs; and they completed a 200 partnership at the beginning of the final over.
Word reached the middle that Cheema was 99 not out ahead of the final delivery. A swing and a miss, (nearly bowled), saw the players start to turn towards the pavilion only for his mate to call it wide, (a bit naughty), allowing him to push the final ball down the ground for a hundred…or was it? A re-examination of the book overnight shows that the batting total adds up to 266, not the agreed score of 255, (bowling and extras do add up to 255), so not to deny their man his glory we have deducted the runs from Nomula’s score, still leaving him with a career best.
After a plentiful tea courtesy of contributions from all the players, served up by Douthwaite Snr and Spreeth Snr, (thanks, guys!), Stoke set about chasing what looked like a formidable total given the pitch; but the Twickenham middle order effort showed what could be achieved.
Rick Mustill, playing his first game of the season, planted one four before being bowled by Cheema; but Dan Douthwaite and James Trower got the board moving; Douthwaite in particular being merciless on anything loose; racing to 54 off the 37th ball he faced; change bowlers Deoras and Pankaj Singh, (definitely not the Test player), conceding 67 runs off the five overs they bowled in tandem.
Mehra and Ubale slowed the scoring, but not to the extent that Stoke ever fell behind the rate. Douthwaite continued to deal in boundaries, (his final count was thirteen fours and six sixes), and reached his hundred off the 63rd ball that he faced. Mum arrived moments later, thankfully late enough to jinx him as she normally does after he registered his fourth century for the club.
Trower’s good form continued and he reached a deserved half-century of his own soon after, and sensible batting from here would surely secure victory.
Having reached 116 from 78 Douthwaite fell to a soft stumping off Ubale; ending a partnership of 159 in 19.2 overs; then Trower checked out on 57 when he hit a pie from Tomar straight to cover; a yard either side would have seen a sixth four to add to his solitary six. He faced 68 balls for his runs.
Nick Lo and Earl took what runs were on offer to edge Stoke nearer the finishing line, but both fell to bowling they would normally expect to plunder, possibly caught in several minds as to which part of Surrey to hit the ball to. This meant work still to do with a lengthy tail and a man short; but Mustill Jnr played nicely, hitting a six into the car park and running the ball around well to make 20.
He was run out with less than ten needed, leaving Spreeth and Frost to knock off the remaining runs to secure a fine win with sixteen balls to spare.
Plenty of talking points in the bar afterwards and credit to the opposition who stuck around and had a few beers; as did messers Douthwaite Snr, whose continued love for the Stoke experience was clear for all to see; and Spreeth Snr who was seen necking a couple of nerve-calmers before his boy got behind the wheel and made his latest effort to drive from A to B without stalling.
Numbers permitting, Stoke’s Saturday programme finishes next Saturday at Woodmansterne. Availabilities to Jase and Nick, please!
Scorecard Link : http://sdacc.play-cricket.com/view_results_details?id=11940117