1's make it two out of two!!

Staines & Laleham CC v Addiscombe CC
18th May 2019
Faulkners

Addiscombe CC – 186 all out (39 Overs)
Staines & Laleham CC – 161 all out (46 Overs)
Addiscombe CC Won by 25 Runs

After winning their opening fixture at home to Woking the 1st XI travelled to Staines & Laleham for the first away game of the season. Looking to build on their opening day win the A’s travelled with optimism. Even John Fogarty was optimistic that he was going to score his first runs of the season.

The A’s began their warm up with the resounding warning from Starnesy to be wary of the outfield as it was a minefield. In his true injury prone nature and not listening to his own warning it was him who wore one straight on the shin. The sound resembling the middle of the bat on ball. Something John Fogarty was hoping to hear whilst he batted. It turns out this was the closest he was going to get.

The Captain, Chris Hurrion, lost the toss and we were inserted. Before entering the changing room the Captain took to one side the top six batsmen for a chat. Probably reminding them not to do anything stupid and score runs. John Fogarty, pumped from the chat, was now certain he would score his first runs of the season.

The openers, Captain Hurrion and John Fogarty, were looking to get the A’s off to a great start. John Fogarty was coming off a golden duck in the first game and the pressure was on his shoulders to get some runs. Golden Duck. Nicked off to slip. 3-1
Next in to steady the ship was Adie Monk. The pressure shifted to the Captain to start the innings off for the A’s. A wayward shot and the Captain was out. 4-2 not exactly the start the A’s were looking for.
The fourth man at the crease was Adi Dhond. Addiscombe desperately needed Adi and Adie to build a partnership and take off some of the pressure. Adi out for 1. Bowled round his legs by the opener. Things were not looking good for Addiscombe with the score 9-3.
Next in was James Ramsey. After beginning to build a partnership Rambo was out caught. With the score 41-4 it was not looking pretty for Addiscombe and thoughts started to creep in that we were going to be home earlier than expected.
The next man to the crease was David Roche, the hero from the first game, and boy did we need him to be the hero again. Adie and Roche began to build the partnership playing some wonderful shots and putting the runs on the board. Roche then went for one shot too many and was bowled by the spinner. Out for 21 which was respectful in terms of the others who were out. The score was now 91-5.
This wicket brought Ash Tandon who was making his debut for the 1st XI. Unfortunately, he was not able to pick the googly and was bowled.
At number 8 was the second hero from the first game, Antony Starnes. On arrival to the crease he was advised by Adie that the spinner is bowling well but if its in your arc smash it out the ground. With the advice in his head the first ball was in his arc and he went for it. Dot ball.
Starnes then smashed the ball for 4 before expertly picking the wrongun (something he does quite often) and clipping it for 4. However, in the next over he was deceived by a slower ball from the quickie and was out for 8. The score was now 110-7.
With Adie still at crease and his options for partners running thin the next man in was Obi. Everything seemed to be going well and both were playing some tremendous shots but unfortunately Adie was run out for 47. Adie batted superbly and his innings was just what Addiscombe needed. The score was now 120-8
Charlie Armstrong was the next man to the crease. After absolutely creaming some shots to the boundary with Obi the score was starting to the look defendable. Addiscombe were 140-9 when Charlie was out caught.
Next to the crease was Ruairi, Pavarotti Corbyn, Bowen. With the Staines bowlers looking to wrap up the innings Ruairi and Obi had other plans. They smashed 40 odd from the last four overs. Ruairi taking particular interest in the free hits he was receiving.
Ruairi was then bowled leaving Addiscombe finishing on 186 from 36 overs. Obi was the not out batsmen finishing on 37.
A defendable total mustered up by Addiscombe from a poor beginning. Commendations go out to Adie, 47 and Obi 37* in particular who put Addiscombe in this position.

Teas were average at best. Although you cannot go wrong with chicken and bacon sandwiches. The lack of variety even lead the meat-eating Antony Starnes to eat a banana. 3/10.

Coming out to bowl you could see how up for it Addiscombe were. We had a defendable total and with our bowling attack it was going to be a good second half of the game. After welcoming the Staines and Laleham openers to IntenseCity, Addiscombe got off to the perfect start. The fired-up James Ramsey cleaned bowled their opener sending James into a frenzy of celebrations. Staines were 5-1.
A perfect start for Addiscombe got even better when James bowled the other opener. Sending the off-stump cartwheeling after the opener tried to hit the overflying plane from Heathrow. Just the start that Addiscombe wanted. The very next ball Rambo had his third and Addiscombe were in dreamland. The score was now 32-3.
It could have been even better for Addiscombe if a certain someone had taken their catches in the slips. The first nearly being catch of the season. Diving one handed to the left but just unable to get a good grip on the ball. The second was a very tough chance as well. With Ruairi bowling too fast, the ball shot off the bat to the slips. Unable to react in time the slip catcher was not able to sort his hands out in time and it was dropped. Two tough chances.
Ramsey and Bowen were replaced by Obi and Starnes.
Both carried on the good work of the openers. Obi carried on his fine form removing two batsmen. Starnes was hooping the ball more than the Harlem Globetrotters and picked himself up three wickets.
At this stage the hosts were 77 for 8 and Addiscombe were looking to wrap up the game.
Obi was then replaced by Charlie Armstrong and to the astonishment of the crowd Starnes was replaced by Ruairi. A chorus of Boo’s rang around the ground.
Both bowled very well but it was not quite working for Charlie who was then replaced by Roche. Ruairi bowled well but the first wicket of the season eluded him. After bowling his allotment, he was replaced by the Captain.
Spin was now the way forward, but this did not bring the final two wickets that Addiscombe were searching for.
Addiscombe now looked to turn the screw but just like the Addiscombe tail enders, the Staines tail enders were showing the top order how it is done. Their number 8 and 10 put together a partnership which frustrated Addiscombe. Ramsey was then brought back into the attack and he broke the partnership leaving the hosts on 147-9 and Addiscombe one ball from back to back victories.
In true Captain style it was Captain Hurrion who finished the game off with a nick behind taken by Adie. Somewhat strangely the batsmen was claiming that he had not hit the ball instead nutted it with his grill. The umpire was having none of it and put his finger up for the first time in the game.
Wicket taking bowlers figures were Ramsey 4-24 off 10 overs, Starnes 3-19 off 8 overs, Obi 2-11 off 6 overs and Captain Hurrion 1-18 off 6 overs. Also, another shout out to Adie who took four catches standing behind the stumps.
The only downside of a nearly perfect bowling and fielding performance were the dropped catches in the slips and the extras from our bowling. A total of 26 extras could have proven to be our downfall and must be improved on moving forward. Plenty of fines though.

Man of the Match – There are arguments for both Adie and Obi but it is going to be given to Obi Niazi. His knock of 37 no at the end set up a defendable score and put us in position for the win. He also bowled fantastically taking two wickets.

Another fantastic team performance from the 1st XI again sees them start the season with two wins from two games. There seems to be a certain spark that has come back to the team and if the tail enders continue to bat like they are and bowlers the same then who knows what we can achieve this year.

Next up for the 1st XI we welcome Purley CC to Addiscombe. A tough fixture which usually leads to a very good game of cricket. On a side note John Fogarty is facing a £50 fine if he is to get 3 ducks in a row.