August 2014

Almost a mirror image of the previous match but this time with Ives on the receiving end as Hatch End racked up 246 for 9 in their 40 overs and Ives replied with 164 for 9, albeit having kept up with the run rate throughout but with no one going on to get the 50+ score that might have provided the win.

On a quick and undulating outfield where if the ball beat the fielder it went for 4 on the majority of occasions fielding was difficult and Ives were not at their best in the field it has to be said. The best bowlers were Ciaran with 3 for 26 and Andy H with 3 for 36. Denis chipped in with 1 for 62 and Earle with a wicket in the last over but the runs proved difficult to stem. Two caught and bowleds from Denis and Ciaran and a catch for Malcolm.

In reply after Andy H quickly departed, Adrian & Richard with 29 and 26 respectively got the innings of to a quick start with Richard trading only in boundaries during his innings. Phil K continued with 21 and Denis 41 but it was not enough to ultimately overhaul the Hatch End score despite their being 10 overs remaining a the match game to its conclusion.

Venue: Mill Hill Village CC; North Ground; Central pitch; 30 degree declining Easterly slope; Side screens: Check; Club House: Check; Club House conditions: 3rd world; Tea Rating: Damn good!

Opposition: Average Age: 45; Quota: 10; Fairplay Index: 90% (Would have been 95% but for moaning sore-backed silly-LBW appealing bowler)

Result: Victory to Ivanhoe; Ivanhoe Innings: 3-244; Old Citizens Innings: 7-170;

Ivanhoe Innings: Brisk start after Mal’s early dismissal; 2nd wicket partnership of 66 between Dancer (67) and Richard (47); 3rd Wicket partnership of 100 between Dancer and Collins (68no); and 4th Wicket partnership of 72 between Collins and Max (43no); Highlights were :- Adrian’s 2nd (Wind assisted) 6 of the season; Max’s 43no in 8 overs; and Bobs slow start, fast middle part of innings and nefarious actions to take the strike away from Max in the last part of the innings. All in All a fantastic batting effort, best of the season, please God may it continue!

Umpiring Highlights: Hausler 1 (Despite best attempt to get rid of Adrian via LBW was thwarted by good sportsmanship decision by opposition captain who upon hearing Adrian’s girly pleas of innocence recanted the decision;)

Old Citizens Innings:

Bowling highlights:- Hausler (2-23);Laurence/Ciaran/Max/Adrian all chipped in with 1 wicket each;

Old Citizens lost wickets early and were on the ropes for a while, until steadied by Saldanha (52) and R.Bardsley (37no). We couldn’t quite put the nail in the coffin, but came away with a fine win all the same.

Swearbox: Hausler 2 ( Dropped catch:”#&%$ sake”; Legside collision with Earl: “F#&k&&g I£$%”)

Injuries : Hausler 1 (dyspnea caused by the 14:40pm Abrahamson Mill Hill Express collision); Abrahamson 1 ( Instant Adhesive Capsulitis caused by the 14:39pm Hausler to Enfield Express collision)

Catches: Hausler 1 from 2 (1 drop due to train derailment; 1 catch one handed);

Runouts: 1 Dancer (Despite Adrian throwing the ball and Bob catching the ball)

Victory Celebrations: 1 Woodcock (Clenched fists; “YEEESS”)

New and unknown opposition in Whittington CC for what turned out to be an evenly balanced time match but with Ives feeling they were slightly on top at the end of the game.

Put in after losing the toss Den and Malcolm put on 33 for the first wicket although it has to be said this was mainly down to Den with 25 rather than Malcolm(5)! However it gave a base for the innings and after Den departed for 29, knocks of 34 from Bob, 27 from Richard, 25 from Phil K, 10 from Adrain and 9 from Phil P all of whom looked like going on to bigger scores but perished trying to push the score on, the innings closed on 158 for 9 from 39 overs.

Thanks to Andy H with 3 for 21 and Den with 1 for 11, in reply Whittington were reduced to 41 for 4 in the first 18 overs with the final 20 overs to come leaving them requiring 6 an over and Ives 5 more wickets to win. However despite Phil P chipping in with a wicket their followed an unbroken 6th wicket stand of 82 from Whittington. However they could not maintain the required rate and with Richard bowling an economical 7 overs for only 18 Ives after Adrian’s 9 overs for 31, the innings closed with Whittington on 138 for 5 from 38 overs for a drawn match contested throughout in a good spirit by both teams.

Another defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.. it was going so well…..

After Chaseville’s travelling holdups we started very late with Chaseville batting. Excellent bowling with supportive fielding meant that they were 87 for 7 when rain brought an early tea. Whilst Woodcock had bowled with some venom and real hostility, his opening partner Naresh had picked up the wickets (4 for 34). Perhaps Ivanhoe ate too many Bakewell tarts, perhaps some players began thinking of an early night out or just tiredness and/or complacency set in but after tea both sides were very different. Chaseville ensured they used the full 40 overs (there went the early night out!) and reached 144 for 9 (there went the complacency!). Fielding lost its edge and chances were missed – despite Chaseville getting at least 20 more than they should have there were some fine moments for the slow bowlers (Dancer 2 for 19, L. Parnell 8-4-10-1) and a superb catch by Lawrie Parnell. It took the wily Australian experience of Hausler (4-1-5-2) to limit the damage at the end.

And then the reply. a new opening partnership was restricted by excellent bowling . Laney bowled 8 overs for 6 runs, so pressure mounted as the score stagnated. Kenchington (1) left early to the in swinging ball of the day, and debutant Jamie C found rolling back the years a slow process… but will be more confident after the way he was seeing the ball by his demise. At 3 Matt Parnell helped to see off the opening bowlers and his coaching showed real rewards with the classic forward defensive and the textbook cut for 4 (off Laney!).. .. he showed patience and the ability to build an innings.. from now on he can add the runs to make the hard work worthwhile. Slow, but after 20 overs Ivanhoe were still in the game, though still needing 100 at 5 an over. Useful contributions followed from many in the middle order, but no one achieved the match winning innings required—in fact top score for both sides was 30, and yet the pitch was fine and played as well as it ever has. P Parnell (25) at 4 and Dancer (also 25) looked as though they could take the game home but both fell when set (Dancer to an outstanding – match winning? catch). Later Collins (18) and Evans(16) took things closer but wickets fell and despite some lusty blows from the last pair of Hausler and L Parnell, they had been left far too much to do, and Ivanhoe reached 140 for 9, a defeat by just 4 runs… so many what ifs.. and the margins are so small – one fielding mistake, one overthrow, 1 dropped catch , 1 drive straight to a fielder.. so while it looks like Ivanhoe have mislaid the mental toughness to win these close games, it can be retrieved if we all concentrate for 80 overs rather than 63 and a half!

Man of the match: L Parnell