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Irritating Saturday 9
Chris Goldie3 Jul 2016 - 09:32
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Surprising, frustrating, thrilling and disappointing - 4 words to sum up 5 different results
Cricket can be a cruel and unfathomable game sometimes and Saturday 9 of the League season proved to be exactly that as the 1st XI somehow managed to lose a game that they had mostly dominated throughout and a sharp rain shower ruined a promising run chase for the 2's. There were positives - an excellent win for the 3's but the 3b's lost heavily.
At Richmond, there was a late start as the visitors and one umpire arrived later than anticipated. This was to provide important later on as rain took overs out of the game. Southgate chose to bat first and made slow progress against disciplined bowling, reaching 109 for 5 at the end of the 40th over. An excellent partnership of 91 in 21 overs between Dunned and Rashid Mullahzudah saw the visitors reach 196 before it was broken in the 61st over. It was clear that, despite 5 overs already taken out of the game (a legacy of the earlier late arrivals), Southgate would bat the permitted maximum of 66 overs and they did and boy did it cost Richmond. Going into the last over, 8 down, Southgate were 214 for 8. With 3 balls to go, they were 217 for 8 but 2 6's and a 4 to finish the over saw a final total off 233 for 8.
In reply Richmond set off with 49 overs to bat and lost both openers Arthur Sewell and Oli Tame by the time 14 runs had been scored. However, Ben Compton and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala set about repairing the innings in style. Further rain at the end of the tea interval took a further 4 overs out of the game, thus leaving Richmond needing to score 200 in 33 overs for victory. With Mukesh Bhatt bowling steadily, Abhi and Compo picked up the tempo, slowly but surely upping the rate. Abi brought up his first Richmond ton - a superb innings - but then was adjudged LBW sweeping. However with the rate now just under 7 an over, the game was there for the taking if Richmond could keep cool heads. However, a flurry of wickets and a shrewd switch of ends for Bhatt, (proving yet again that leading spinners should bowl from the town end), created more and more pressure. Combo however, used the short boundary to good effect and with 2 overs to go, 15 runs were required with 3 wickets in hand. At this point, however, Compo made his one lapse in judgement, attempting to take Bhatt on and perishing in the deep. Suddenly 8 down, it was time to secure the 4 points- the least that we deserved from the day. However, the return of Rashid Mullahzudah for the last over proved too much with first Tom Hemingway adjudged LBW and then Jimmy Mugnaioni bowled first ball to leave Southgate surprise winners and Richmond's players and supporters very frustrated. For much of the game Richmond played well but on reflection, there are a number of factors that turned a probable victory into an unlikely defeat. 24 extras conceded against 6 by Southgate; 16 runs off the last 3 balls of their innings; 9 overs lost to rain, primarily because the match started later than it should have done; and ultimately some poor shot selection at crucial times. All were factors that undermined Richmond's otherwise very good performance. Credit to Southgate who kept going in the belief that pressure would be bring them the result and so it proved. If Richmond learn from these mistakes, keep cool heads and make good decisions, the 1st XI have an excellent chance of winning the League. If we don't, the narrow margin between defeat and victory will, like last season, see us fall short.
At Enfield, the 2's were well on the way to chasing 242 for victory - 118 for 1 off 14 overs - before a deluge saw a sodden square and the abandonment of the game. The 3's however enjoyed an excellent run chase against North London with Miles Dilworth's 120* the backbone of our efforts to knock off 245 for the loss of just 2 wickets.
The 3b's were bowled out for just 108, a total that North Midd's 4 knocked off for the loss of just 1 wicket whilst a much changed 5's lost by 5 wickets to Indian Gymkhana's 4's.
So all in all a frustrating Saturday. As we go into the 2nd half of the season, the 1's lie second 4 points behind Ealing; the 2's are 3rd but 27 points behind Teddington; the 3's are also 3rd but are just 12 points behind Hampstead; the 3b's currently sit 9th in the table but are just 8 points behind Stanmore 3's who are 5th; and the 5's are above the relegation zone.
There is much to play for at every level and we can undoubtedly progress at all levels. However, availability needs to be better off the field and performances more consistent on it.
At Richmond, there was a late start as the visitors and one umpire arrived later than anticipated. This was to provide important later on as rain took overs out of the game. Southgate chose to bat first and made slow progress against disciplined bowling, reaching 109 for 5 at the end of the 40th over. An excellent partnership of 91 in 21 overs between Dunned and Rashid Mullahzudah saw the visitors reach 196 before it was broken in the 61st over. It was clear that, despite 5 overs already taken out of the game (a legacy of the earlier late arrivals), Southgate would bat the permitted maximum of 66 overs and they did and boy did it cost Richmond. Going into the last over, 8 down, Southgate were 214 for 8. With 3 balls to go, they were 217 for 8 but 2 6's and a 4 to finish the over saw a final total off 233 for 8.
In reply Richmond set off with 49 overs to bat and lost both openers Arthur Sewell and Oli Tame by the time 14 runs had been scored. However, Ben Compton and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala set about repairing the innings in style. Further rain at the end of the tea interval took a further 4 overs out of the game, thus leaving Richmond needing to score 200 in 33 overs for victory. With Mukesh Bhatt bowling steadily, Abhi and Compo picked up the tempo, slowly but surely upping the rate. Abi brought up his first Richmond ton - a superb innings - but then was adjudged LBW sweeping. However with the rate now just under 7 an over, the game was there for the taking if Richmond could keep cool heads. However, a flurry of wickets and a shrewd switch of ends for Bhatt, (proving yet again that leading spinners should bowl from the town end), created more and more pressure. Combo however, used the short boundary to good effect and with 2 overs to go, 15 runs were required with 3 wickets in hand. At this point, however, Compo made his one lapse in judgement, attempting to take Bhatt on and perishing in the deep. Suddenly 8 down, it was time to secure the 4 points- the least that we deserved from the day. However, the return of Rashid Mullahzudah for the last over proved too much with first Tom Hemingway adjudged LBW and then Jimmy Mugnaioni bowled first ball to leave Southgate surprise winners and Richmond's players and supporters very frustrated. For much of the game Richmond played well but on reflection, there are a number of factors that turned a probable victory into an unlikely defeat. 24 extras conceded against 6 by Southgate; 16 runs off the last 3 balls of their innings; 9 overs lost to rain, primarily because the match started later than it should have done; and ultimately some poor shot selection at crucial times. All were factors that undermined Richmond's otherwise very good performance. Credit to Southgate who kept going in the belief that pressure would be bring them the result and so it proved. If Richmond learn from these mistakes, keep cool heads and make good decisions, the 1st XI have an excellent chance of winning the League. If we don't, the narrow margin between defeat and victory will, like last season, see us fall short.
At Enfield, the 2's were well on the way to chasing 242 for victory - 118 for 1 off 14 overs - before a deluge saw a sodden square and the abandonment of the game. The 3's however enjoyed an excellent run chase against North London with Miles Dilworth's 120* the backbone of our efforts to knock off 245 for the loss of just 2 wickets.
The 3b's were bowled out for just 108, a total that North Midd's 4 knocked off for the loss of just 1 wicket whilst a much changed 5's lost by 5 wickets to Indian Gymkhana's 4's.
So all in all a frustrating Saturday. As we go into the 2nd half of the season, the 1's lie second 4 points behind Ealing; the 2's are 3rd but 27 points behind Teddington; the 3's are also 3rd but are just 12 points behind Hampstead; the 3b's currently sit 9th in the table but are just 8 points behind Stanmore 3's who are 5th; and the 5's are above the relegation zone.
There is much to play for at every level and we can undoubtedly progress at all levels. However, availability needs to be better off the field and performances more consistent on it.
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