The Gentlemen of West London

Runs

West XI

Runs

Gents go West after falling short

A stand of 73 between Australians Cameron Vine and Mark Barling saw a feisty, combative and talented West XI to a convincing six-wicket victory at a sunny, airless Motspur Park. The innings of the Australians and Neepam Bhatt, the bowling of Taylor and Dane and the outfielding of Vine and young Rowan Allerton are worthy of great praise. The Gents could produce no individual efforts to match them, though Richard Gilkes and Sanjay Patel batted well and Snelling and Babar deserved better reward for excellent bowling spells.

After an hour’s delay caused by late arrival of four West XI players, Dhruv and Jimmy gave Gents a sound start, before Dane had them both lbw, Dhruv’s temper briefly rising after he thought he had been given caught behind off the pad by umpire Walton. Young was yorked Vine between these dismissals but Gilkes and Sanjay dug in well, the skipper chancing his arm with several off-drives that found the boundary and a sublime cover-drive off a Bhatt No ball. Cameron Vine sledged Mr. Gilkes early on (“he won’t be around for long”). In fact Rich batted for 22 overs before being daftly run out by Buck after the latter had done a Pink Panther walk halfway up the pitch without a call before padding back to safety.

Sanjay was not quite on tip-top form but was still scoring quickly before he drove Bhatt to Taylor at cover, the bearded Indian then accounting for Wahed, well caught by long-on Bender, whose mirthful cackle disturbed a misfortune of crows roosting by the boundary. A below-par Laing then opened with a bizarre over of full-tosses, two of which were thumped over the long-on boundary by Rich, the bowler’s language being choice. Still, Dave had his revenge by inducing Snarler and Buck to hole out, the former off a high full-toss that might have been called No ball. The Gents were not exactly collapsing, but were modifying their expectations southwards at the end of each over. Useful runs came from each of the lower-order batsmen after Gilkes was run out for a gritty 33. One hundred and 42 was disappointing, though hard earned and far from disastrous. One person most certainly not disappointed, however, was Dave Trinder, on a high after his 35 for Sunderland the previous day and his wonder catch here, he became somewhat over-excited, attempting to mount The Gents’ Secretary, the advances being politely but firmly rebuffed.

The Gents were pleased to dismiss three top-class batsmen in the first half of the innings. Taylor was yorked Snelling, Wright cut Rob Babar to point and H Bomb bowled the fluent Bhatt. A long tail was in the offing but Vine and Taylor were impregnable, though each giving a chance late on. Vine in particular was very impressive, though Babar troubled him. The bowlers persevered, but boundaries came often enough to ensure that run rate was not an issue. A stand of 73 was the match-winner, only ending with Barling’s lbw with 2 runs needed, after which he eyeballed the Gent umpire and said “How far forward was I?” All the fun of the fair, then, but the result was long since dished and done, and Vine smashed Dhruv for the day’s only six to win a match in which The Gents did plenty right, but were ultimately outplayed.

There was little socialising post-game, several Beggars declaring their dissatisfaction with the ground and its facilities before opting for an early night, though Messrs. Trinder and Laing were sociable and stayed with The Gents in both clubhouse and the Earl Beatty. This was a deserved win for West XI but The Gents should not be too despondent, despite some understandable post-match glumness. The Gents played well in parts and the series can still be tied in September, though the Bob Ashton Memorial Cup has been conceded for the fourth successive year.