The best team won – but of course cricket was – again the real winner!
For two glorious years the Wards offices had basked in the glow of victory, the people happy, joyous and smiling. So it was with genuine misplaced enthusiasm that the Wards team rode into Golden Hill that Thursday night.
Greetings were exchanged, handshakes and smiles: all seemed rosy. The trophy was safely bubble wrapped. The bar was open. What could possibly go wrong?
We won the toss and elected to field, confident we’d be able to chase anything they posted (so long as it was less than a 100).
And that was as good as it got… As Sophocles cheerfully once said: “Call no man happy until he is dead”.
From the off it became clear that a polished Christies side meant business: they’d brought batters who could smash boundaries, bowlers who could bowl a good line and length and fielders who stopped everything (plus an ex-Surrey wicket keeper/batsman/bowler – Karun - who was everywhere). Was this in the script though?
It was certainly in theirs.
They blitzed an imposing 152 with a few retirees, this year having the benefit of an electronic score board: so they could see the punishment they were inflicting (thanks Kinga for volunteering to do that!)
Bowling lowlights included predictable dross from Ian going for 26 off 2 overs; highlights, Will took 3 wickets for spit to try and gain some control, Annabel and Fergus had their first heroic go at bowling – and not all were wides (well done)! David kept well (again) and let little if anything through, only missing one difficult edge.
But the big controversy of the night was a mad Mankad moment when Alex stumped Karun for backing up, with the appeal being grudgingly – and eventually - withdrawn after stewards moved in to break it all up. The hearts of the beleaguered Wards team were momentarily lifted though by the appearance of legendary 12th Man Richard Darbinian, spotted in the crowd in his dapper blue suit and pink shirt as a ripple of applause went around the ground. (Did he realise he may have to come on and field dressed like that?) But it was short lived. Even his presence could not relieve the carnage.
They finished on a thumping 152 and while Christies wolfed it down gleefully, we all choked on our half-time food (thanks Emma and Sophie for organising!) And thanks Heather for scoring!
Chasing 7.5 an over from the off was a huge ask and quickly became impossible as we either hit the fielders with depressing regularity or hit 2s where we needed 4s and 6s. The complexities of “Yes” “No” and “Wait” were generally lost on the batters with Ian and Alex ending up at the same end in one comedy moment, only for Alex to scramble back in time. Charlotte umpired firmly, eventually having to give Alex lbw (much to Rob Kinsman’s surprise - who was bowling).
We did, in truth, give it a go: batting highlights, Ian 30, Rich Clement 25, Will 28, Tom 17, ably supported by Jack (3) Alex (2) and Ryan (8).
Amid Christies’ yells and fist bumps of joy the electronic scoreboard glowed our fate through the gloom: 129 off 20 overs (24 short of victory).
After an embarrassing silence and further intervention from the stewards a sulking Ian at last agreed that Tom could hand over the trophy to Tamara (skipper) who raised it aloft to roars of approval. Pressganged into a joint team photo to show no hard feelings we tried our best to smile for the cameras. Fielding had been much less painful…
The best team won, and comfortably (but of course cricket was – again - the real winner).
As the rest of a triumphant Christies side drifted off to their cars, Rob Kinsman was still doing laps of the boundary, high fiving bemused locals and dog walkers. It had been two painful years to be fair.
Our new shiny trophy cabinet has been … er… re-purposed (for now)…
Who was in the team? Will Williamson, Jack Carlton, Alex Rossiter, Charlotte Huntley, Ian Williamson (captain), Ryan Swann, David Baynton (keeper), Tom Scoffham, Richard Clement, Fergus Walsh, Annabel Davis and Super-sub/12th man, Richard Darbinian.