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Langley - 3rd August 2003
London New Zealand posted a comfortable win against Langley on Sunday, despite many of the team going without lunch due to a mix-up over the start time and the extremely rural locality of the lovely Langley Upper Green common. Skipper Pete Tippen, having abandoned mid-way a pre-match hike to the 'nearby' Bull public house, opted to forsake vital liquid refreshment in favour of punctuality.
It was with some surprise then that Tippen and his team noted the presence of only one Langley player at the ground at the prescribed start time of 2.00pm. Even more curious was the absence of LNZCC treasurer and frequent Langley player Tony Penman - a resident of the nearby village of Clavering. When investigations revealed that the start time for the contest was in fact 2.30pm - as prescribed in the Langley fixture book.
It was too much for some, notably the svelte Richard Burgess, who could be heard loudly lamenting the large cod and chips he'd passed over at Clavering's legendary Cricketers' Arms.
With no dining options in close proximity to the ground, it was a truly run-hungry LNZ team that took to the crease after Tippen had won the toss and elected to bat during the heat of a cloudless, scorching Essex day. Matt Rheinholds (29) set the tone for innings, dispatching four of the first five balls of the day to the fence in true Birkenhead fashion.
Rheinholds combined with Michael Deane (60) in an opening stand that looked capable of taking the game away from a plucky, but slightly overmatched home side. Penman (14) looked in aggressive mood when he replaced Rheinholds at the crease, the opener having been bowled when he attempted to hoist
The Bull's canny landlord out of the park. And Penman, coming off a battling 40-odd for Langley on the Saturday, looked completely at ease on the fine batting surface until he set off for what turned out to be a poorly-judged single. Having struck the ball firmly to straightish mid-on, Penman strangely, but confidently, called 'yes', when 'no' seemed a wiser option. He set off for the run, only to beaten in a foot race to the stumps by the fielder, with no throw being required to effect the dismissal. Burgess then strode to the crease for the Kiwis, but perhaps his mind was still contemplating deep-fried seafood as he swung, missed, and strolled off for a duck.
When Mike Deane was bowled soon after attempting any number of unsuccessful shots to a slow, straight ball, LNZ found themselves in need of a middle-order revival. And sure enough, it came courtesy of leading run scorer Sam Foley (73), who made nonsense of Langley's belief that he suffered a weakness to leg-stump, waist-high full tosses, and the clean-striking Shaun Perkinson (51*), who brought up his half century from the final ball of the innings. With the runs having flowed freely at Langley in recent weeks, there was some concern among the Kiwi bowlers that 238 might not be enough to bowl at.
But little-used new ball exponent Steve Deane (1-36) set any fears to rest with his second ball, bowling Langley's opener with a gem of an in-swinger. But that was as good as it got for Deane, who seemed unsettled by the constant chirping coming from the gully region about the ridiculous size of his new trousers, not to mention some dubious umpiring and borderline sharp practice from the Langley batsmen, who simply refused to hit any of their numerous airborne shots to fielders. It was with some relief to the Kiwis then when Tippen removed Deane in favour of Chris Shaw (1-22), who dutifully struck with his first ball - needless to say, a gentle catch spooned into the gully.
Meanwhile, Andy Swann toiled manfully behind the stumps, blocking Tippen's array of Forest Gump chocolate box deliveries with every conceivable part of his body, including his calves. Mike Deane (3-19) then showed his talent for slowing down the run-rate in the middle of an innings extended beyond his batting, sending down seven miserly overs of left-arm seam and picking up three cheap wickets.
Grahame Diedrichs
(2-37) came back to pick up two wickets in a tight three-over second spell as
the Kiwis rattled through the Langley middle order. Diedrichs' fine spell
perhaps only soured by his beaming of Langley's distinguished 75-year-old number
11. Diedrichs later explained the delivery by saying, 'I wasn't going to
patronise him'. Lovely stuff. Swann and Burgess sent down the final two overs
without much ado to leave Langley 69 runs short of their target, handing Tippen
his maiden victory as LNZCC skipper. Scoreboard
40 Overs LNZCC 238 for 5 Langley 170 for 9 - Match Won by
68 runs Batting Runs Catches Stumpings
Michael
Deane 60 Andy
Swann 1* Bowling O M R W
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