London Saints v. Gentlemen of West London

Sunday 16 August 2009, Old Haberdashers, Elstree. London Saints won toss. Sunny, 25C

Won by 5 wickets

A career-best 46 not out from Stuart Snelling with solid support from 20 year-old Greg Newcombe saw The Gents home with seven overs and five wickets to spare in a curious game in which London Saints did not quite do themselves justice. At 81-2 after 17 overs, they were on top but proceeded to lose their last six wickets for five runs as panic set in. Yet even with a small total to defend and a true batting wicket, they knocked over five Gents for 65 and might had six had Snelling not been dropped early in his innings.

Dave Thomas decided to bat on a perfect late summer’s day and Saints survived the early dismissal of recent centurion Griffiths to score heavily in the opening overs. Berkeley has assailed Gent bowling averages before but it was the 69 year-old Grimes who caught the eye, flicking Snelling for two leg-side fours and driving pleasingly. Seventy came up in only 13 overs and The Gents were looking ragged before Sachin Desai had Berkeley well held by gully Martin off the final ball of his first over. The dismissal of Grimes the ball before drinks proved the tipping point. Barber and Wathan batted well before the former was run out attempting a second to fine-leg Inkollu, though 91/4 off 21 overs was still a good platform for a late assault.

What then happened defies analysis. Wathan and Wingfield moved things on to 107. In successive overs, Hemin Patel bowled Wingfield and had Wathan well held by wide mid-on Gilkes running round. What a fine catcher he is. The intervening over saw Finn Quinn bowled by the captain, who induced a nick behind off Nanton in his next. Hemin Patel then ran out J Quinn and Paul Pearce watched an inswinger from Inkollu disturb his stumps. All out 112 in 28.2 overs was the damage. A wrecking ball had hit the innings.

Though sadly missing the ground’s white cat, who kept the mice and rats down for several years, Old Haberdashers is a good venue to play at and watch both cricket and the low flying light aircraft, which prompted a very senior Gent to enquire, perceptively, whether there was an airfield nearby. The usual filling and varied tea was provided.

Well refreshed, the teams resumed at 5 o’clock with Gents making some changes to the batting order, Sachin Desai resuming his opening slot, his nephew promoted to three and Snelling to five. Sachin looked comfortable before Nanton cleaned him up with the inswinger but Himanshu had already pulled three fours off Finn Quinn before the youngster struck twice in his fourth over, Gilkes holing out to mid-on and Caveney bowled second ball, having cover-driven his first gleefully for four. Himanshu and Snelling took the score to 65 before the left-hander holed out to long-off for a fine 34 (six fours) off Keenan’s slower ball. Palmer fell two balls later, bowled off his boot. It was touch and go but the ageless Snelling, having been shelled at mid-off early, was batting solidly and found stoical support in Newcombe. The big man went on to post six fours and take The Gents over the line with no further wickets down. Thanks to London Saints for being their usual welcoming selves and to the skipper’s pals Paul Martin and Wayne Caveney for helping out The Gents at short notice.