Rolling back the years

With the scores level after a day of tense, tight and attritional cricket, left-hander Christy Kulasingam top-edged a spitting, turning Hemin Patel off-break high in the sky. Wicketkeeper Naveed Khan took careful responsibility for the catch and thus we had the second tie of the season. Stuart Snelling, charging in as if it were 1995 and carding his first five-for since 2001, and Ravi Inkollu, with a mature 35, made the most notable individual contributions for The Gents, but this was a good team effort. Though the batting could again fairly be criticised, the bowling and fielding aspects could not be faulted and the result was just. Salix's match reporter Tony Fletcher noted kindly: 'Thus the first tie in Salix history and I think it fair to say a perfect end to a fantastic game played in a wonderful spirit'.

Yet at tea The Gents, with only one win here in four games, were downcast, having vowed to dispel the disappointment of New Beckenham. Nine of that side returned with heads held high and were on the ground early, ready, willing and, one believed, able to take advantage of a good toss in perfect conditions of sun and breeze. But the wise ones noted the long grass and damp wicket and murmured that 120 would be a good score.

The Gents struck only four boundaries (three fours and Inkollu's six) in a pretty disappointing innings that left more than six overs unused. Khan, Sciberras and Gilkes knuckled down and indeed all the batsmen got a start of sorts but the wicket was lively and Salix's attack good enough to exploit it. The highest stand of the day came when Ken Toft provided gritty support for Inkollu as 25 came for the eighth wicket. But from 84-7 the innings collapsed to 89, closing with a limp chip from Hemin Patel to mid-off. Salix used seven bowlers all of whom had success. By now The Gents had been joined by Earl Bender of Perivale, who provided astute analysis of proceedings and helped with the scoring. It was good to see him.

The Gents could scarcely have had a better start in Salix's innings. First Henig pushed Snelling into Sanjay Patel's mitts at silly mid-on before Darling was run out attempting a second by a smart throw from Hemin Patel to bowler Inkollu. The same batsman had survived an edge to slip in the previous over so the drop was not costly. Snelling then bowled Shaw and it was 11-3. Keaton and Lumsden went on quite serenely and when the former took 14 off the only over of Sanjay Patel's first spell, Salix needed 53 with seven wickets standing.

Shanvare then had Lumsden leg before Snelling took three more wickets right after drinks. Heaton clubbed to long-on Hemin Patel off the first ball of his second spell, the assertive Singh (who had clubbed Hemin for a six) was lbw and Gavigan caught at the wicket, leaving the great man with the astonishing analysis of 7-4-7-5. Veterans Kulasingam and Fletcher took Salix to within 10 runs of victory before the latter holed out off Sciberras to mid-on Sanjay Patel, who then bowled Ellis at 87, conceding only one run of each off his last three overs. As a Salix player had been injured during the film insert, the captains agreed that the lowest scorer could bat twice. Back came Shaw, who damaged Gent hopes in 2006 (52) and 2007 (28). Two more runs came before Hemin Patel and Khan combined to tie the match.

Regarding the preamble in which BBC cameras filmed both teams for the new Dave Gorman show 'Genius' (to be shown on BBC2 in early 2009), it is important not to have one's head turned by the meretricious values of show business. Truth, beauty, love, loyalty and faith are the values that matter most and though The Gents do not always evince them, they do at least try. That said, thanks to Mr Gorman for his kind words and for autographing the scorebook. And we can't wait to see ourselves on the goggle box.