4th XI vs Polytechnic

Saturday, 5th July 2003 - League

4XI Match Report

Saturday s July 2003 V Polytechnic Away

North London 4’s won only their second game of the season after a high spirited chase against Polytechnic.

Turning up on time which is a first for us, especially as the game was over in Chiswick was as good victory in its own right. Playing on the back of two consecutive defeats to probably the best teams in the League, form said we would probably lose. But this is the 1987 league and form is the last thing you look to when trying to put any form of match plan into action.

Winning the toss, Poly decided to bat, on a slow, uneven and generally poor wicket which was one no batsman was ever fully in. An early wicket for Jack Grylls handed us a good start – the game slowed up though for a long while and the next wicket wasn’t claimed until the Captain was halfway through his spell. A smart catch down the leg side whilst standing up from the 4’s new keeper, Tom Gibbons (another gem unearthed from the Academy) gave the Chairman his first wicket of 2 from his 13 over spell with 52 runs conceded. At the other end, Jo Wood bowled a mammoth 21 overs on the trot as first change bowling finishing with 4-43 – a great effort. This gave North London the impetus to tie back the attempted onslaught by the Poly batsmen. Chipping in with 2 wickets and 2 catches was the ever trying Matt McDonald which also added to Poly score being kept to a minimum and finishing on 158-9 from 52 overs.

This was the first time the fours had claimed full bowling points – obviously something to do with the Chairman bowling his longest stint for sometime with his new look medium pace in swing.

In reply, North London struggled to deal with the opening pair bowlers, obviously acclimatised to paying on this poor wicket. Just about keeping up to 3 an over before the remaining 20 overs were to be bowled. At 74-6 eighty five runs were still needed. Lorson Conroy and the Chairman had failed; the only recognisable score was that of debutant Ben Chambers who made a critical 33 to keep us in the game (has the Academy produced another superstar?). Poly didn’t have much to offer in terms of first and second change bowling and cometh’ the hour, cometh’ the saviour. Matt McDonald who was playing in his final game for North London before immigrating to Canada had some repaying to do after the Chairman had extended his contract to a second season. And as the Chairman had predicted, not only did Matt deliver but he hit the winning runs with a sweetly struck four -  which was a great site as the whole team were waiting with baited breath at the boundary to see him in after his heroics. Along with a very stylish knock from Tom Gibbons (43) both players put on a 70 odd partnership before Tom got out 7 short of a deserved fifty – North London came out worthy winners by 3 wickets with 3 overs remaining.

Matt had produced his best literally till last. This also meant that North London kept within touching distance of getting out of the relegation zone, if safety was made a reality at the end of the season this would be an even better feat than last season considering the resources the Chairman has had to work with.  

report by: The Chairman