NLCC Fun Day 2004

After its successful launch last year, the North London Sixes tournament returned, bigger, badder and altogether stronger. Six sides from the club were augmented by two guests – Highgate and the Coach and Horses.

 Pool A played on the main ground provided a feast of batting, and precious little bowling. Tom Wakeford and Guy Nicholson were the batting stars of the group with an unbelievable number of home runs. Tony Johns, guesting for his nephew’s team, tucked in to Pat Mills' off-breaks to carry his side to 91 in their opening game. The Coach provided plenty of scares, and were unlucky to claim only one win – beating the eventual champions. Salman’s side completed the group with one win, snatched in the final group game when with six needed off the last ball the skipper himself thumped the winning hit into the nearby school. In a very even group two sides finished with two wins. Ian’s side qualifying for the final by winning the head to head.

 Pool B played at Ferme Park was dominated by Rianne’s side who qualified with three straight wins. Hannes Strydom was the player of the group with some wonderful exhibition batting that endangered the players of nearby Highgate, Calthorpe and even North Midd. Visiting side Highgate narrowly missed out on reaching the final, winning two of their group games and only falling short against the mighty South African contingent.

 Betting was slower than expected, with most of the smart money going on the holders – George’s team. It seemed that many of the punters preferred to wait for the sprint race where some heavy money was being invested on Jim Green. The handicapped event preceded the final, and Jim proved his backers right with a storming victory. In hindsight its clear that the headstarts left the guys further back with too much to do, but Jim won by such a distance that he had even increased the initial gap on much of the field. Alex Lewis and John Flood finished a creditable third as a three-legged entry. Alistair Hart failed in his appeal to have Tom Wakeford disqualified for running out of his lane - the stewards accepting Tom’s defence of a pre-race bottle of red wine.

 And so to the final. Ian’s team had invested heavily in experience with the thirty-year old skipper the youngest member of the side. Rianne’s side by contrast were based on youth and athleticism. There could be only one winner. While Rianne’s team of tots allowed themselves to be distracted by the torrential rain and muddy pitch, Ian’s older heads got on with the game. Certainly they earned their victory by fielding for five overs through a monsoon. Phil Strongman provided a man of the match spell of 1-0-2-0.

 Man of the Tournament: Guy Nicholson – averaged 100 on the day.

 Champagne Moment: Salman Ali’s monstrous winning hit.

 Strop of the Tournament: Ian Johns, over-ruling the umpire in a petulant display that will soon be available for download on the video page.

Team of the Tournament:

Guy “Hull” Nicholson

Hannes “Strider” Strydom

Tom “UB40” Wakeford

Salman “Muhammed” Ali

Alex “Mills is my bunny” Lewis

Phil “Silver fox” Strongman

report by: Run (and Report) Machine