1st XI vs Hackney

Sunday, 15th June 2003 - Sunday League

This game was, to say the least, eventful, though it certainly didn't seem that way in the opening overs when Hackneys young openers played tentatively against good bowling from Jack Grylls and James Connell. The latter picked up a well deserved wicket with a catch behind the stumps, and Jack was unlucky not to take a wicket in his opening spell. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately)  the seeds of controversy were already beginning  as Hackney's batsmen took an age between the balls, at one stage walking down the wicket to punch gloved following a single. Bernie Chapman weighed in with some strong words, and the problem seemed to have been diverted. Attention turned to Hackney's no. 3 batsman, who made Joe Howard's technique look like the epitome of correctness, and it didn't seem he would be around for too long as he hoiked Robby Tombs's first ball for an ugly single. Robby picked up the wicket of the other opener, but then no more breakthroughs emerged as Hackney's unconventional shot selection and frantic running between the wickets skilfully evaded logic, and this theme was continued throughout the innings. Shakil and Spencer Fowler bowled hard but without much fortune, and eventually skipper Ben Wakeford decided enough was enough, bringing himself on down the hill. He bowled the no. 4 convincingly, but struggled hereafter, as Hackney's batsmen showed an audacious lack of respect, clattering him around for a while. It's fair to say that the no. 3 by this time had "got his eye in" hitting most balls for four and some huge sixes, as Hackney raced towards 200. James Connell came back and removed the other batsman, and then Ben took another wicket, but still the no. 3 remained having hit a rapid century, so it was Jack Grylls's job to finish him off. This he did. With a catch on the boundary by Robby Tombs, but the umpire decided to no-ball Jack, for, sin of sins, not declaring his bowling action. The no.3 having already attempted to justify the no-ball by claiming Robby had caught it outside the boundary, unapolagetically remained whilst the arguments raged. Unfortunately there was little that could be done, so Jack calmed himself down, and cleaned up the batsman once and for all, two balls later. This spell proved to be an extremely profitable one, as Jack kept a consistent rhythm and finished up with a deserved four wickets. We eventually bowled out Hackney for 256, a daunting but by no means unattainable score. As well as the obvious incident of controversy, there was also the question of some extremely harsh umpiring and shouts of derision form the pavilion during this innings, so obviously tempers were rather frayed.

           North London made a convincing start aginst Hackney's opening bowlers, with Ben Wakeford striking the ball convincingly, and Hal Godfrey Wood riding some early luck and then moving the score was moving at 6 runs an over. The attack was also taken to Hackney with  North London's umpires, Andy Blount singled out for praise with two no-balls called for stepping on the side line. The partnership was worth 70 odd, before Hal was bowled by a clever delivery on 26, and disaster struck as Robby Tombs hit his third ball straight to mid-off, putting us on the back foot again. Mike Lamin looked solid until he was bowled, leaving Bernie Chapman to rebuild the innings with Ben. This they both did, with Bernie striking some empathic boudaries over square leg, but unfortunately he too was removed. Ben Wakeford moved on to reach an excellent 65, but he got a good ball from Hackney's off-spinnner. And Blount batted well with Mickey Leighton, playing some strong cover drives, but he failed to capitalise and was bowled. Spencer held things together well, playing a mature innings with the tail-enders, and Jack Grylls provided some light entertainment at the crease before we were eventually bowled out for 215. It was disappointing to lose this game, and we lost wickets too quickly to sustain our innings the full way, but it was still a strong effort and we stuck together well.

Report by: H Godfrey-Wood