22 April 2014
Club Cricket Conference v Bucks. 21 April 2014 @ Aston Rowant CC
The season’s opening fixture for the CCC was played on Easter Monday against Buckinghamshire at the lovely Aston Rowant ground.
With Bucks preparing for the Minor Counties one day championship, two strong sides assembled on a balmy morning but with weather forecasters threatening showers later in the day. CCC captain Wes Morrick won the toss and elected to bat and the innings commenced sedately as Tanveer Sikandar (Blackheath CC) and Tom Phillippe (Shenfield CC) bedded in against tight bowling from the evergreen Simon Stanway and young prospect, Tom Hampton.
The last ball of the 8th over produced the first wicket, Phillippe falling to Hampton, caught behind. Sadly, Sikandar followed not long after, having looked comfortable for 17. By now, CCC stalwart Sam Burge (East Molesey CC) was at the crease and beginning to unveil a typical innings of aggression and occasional watchfulness. The conference was not able to hold onto wickets at the other end however, as Waqas Hussain (Slough CC) and Richard Cook (Aston Rowant CC) both fell cheaply before 20 overs had been completed.
89-4 became 97-5 when Burge was caught in the deep for a well-made 44, but then followed a solid stand of 60 as Jamie Southgate (Welwyn Garden City CC) and Will Hanson (Esher CC) took the fight back to the Bucks bowlers. Will in particular lived a little dangerously but compiled a critical half century, probably using both sides of his bat at stages that ensured a challenging total could be set. Southgate fell trying to force the scoring for a good 33, followed quickly by the skipper who in truth, had one of his lest effective days in conference colours! As overs ran out, the tail pulled together some useful runs, rounded off by a spectacular 28 from 13 balls by Ed Wharton (Hornsey CC), the innings closing on 245 all out with the last wicket falling from the final ball of the 50 overs.
Perhaps 245 was slightly above par – certainly Bucks thought so but they came out all guns blazing as they began the chase and despite an early wicket for Marouf Chowdhury (North Middlesex CC), CCC’s seam bowling up front lacked consistency and enabled the batsmen to regularly find the boundary. Following the predicted rain delay the chase was adjusted by D/L, which meant that Bucks now required 232 from 42 overs. Hamzah Taj and Rob White (ex Northants) both got in but fell at important times, White having scored a run a ball 34 and Taj for a more circumspect 32. The conference spinners were beginning to exert some control but Michael Payne has settling in, despite the situation looking precarious with Bucks requiring a further 114 from 17 overs. Southgate and Sikandar chipped in with the wickets of both Macdonell and Thomas for ducks but at this point, 120-5 off 26 overs, Payne was joined by High Wycombe’s George Russell and the game was turned on its head. Both batted really well, taking advantage of any loose bowling and a couple of bowling changes that failed to quell the batsmen’s aggression and suddenly what looked like a comfortable win for CCC became a battle to stay in the game. Sikandar eventually claimed the wicket of Payne for a fine 63 but the damage had been done and Russell shepherded Bucks to a final over victory with a brilliant 60 not out off 55 deliveries, CCC coming out losers by 4 wickets.
It was a day that exhibited the good and less good in cricketing terms but a competitive game was certainly welcomed by both sides and as ever, Bucks famed hospitality was to the fore. For CCC, losing in the last over of matches has become something of a habit; 2013 saw 6 such finishes with only one coming out in our favour. Whilst we all hope for great, close and exciting cricket, it would be nice to see the conference ‘nick a few’ this term and enable our opposition to experience the frustration of losing a close one!
Full scorecard here
Postscript: With the next fixture due to be played against Middlesex on 6 May, the side scheduled to be selected was badly effected – but for all the right reasons. Tanveer Sikandar was selected by Essex for their championship match against Leicestershire; Aaron West (Brentwood CC) was selected by Hampshire for his first class debut, and Imran Qayyum (Loughton CC) was offered a contract by Kent, meaning he is no longer eligible for representative selection by CCC.
All at CCC wish these three every success as they pursue their cricketing hopes and dreams and we offer our heartiest congratulations on their selections.
Simon Prodger