The ball is hard: defeat at Winchmore Hill

There are two points I would like to make at the beginning of this match report. The first is, that the ball is hard, and it can hurt, which is an often overlooked but integral facet to the game of cricket. The second is that I love how cricketers can be so close to violence with the opposition and yet we're conditioned to have a gentlemanly drink with them after the game. On Saturday the 10 September LNZCC played against Winchmore Hill Cricket Club in a friendly match. Billed extravagantly on the scoreboard as the "New Zealand XI" we won the toss and elected to field.

Opening up downhill was Scott Baldwin managed a maiden and then a wicket in his second over, sharply caught by Leith Cowie at midwicket. At this point a light drizzle appeared and the umpire removed the bails and called for the covers.

Hilariously, the drizzle abated before the covers could be properly installed. At the other end Jackson Ellis bowled an initial spell of fiery pace, 5 overs, 15 runs. Scott's spell finished 1-8. Time to see how they go against spin. Richard Lambie took over from Jackson up the hill and was either carefully watched or smashed hard. Three overs, 36 runs.

Shaun Raumati at the other end bowled 7 overs on the trot, his first went for ten, the next six were 2-31. A sharp catch low in the gully to Andrew Haines was Shaun's first wicket in the 13th over and brought WHCC to 50/2.

By the time the next wicket fell, a simple catch in the covers to John McMullan off of Vaughan Robertson's bowling, the score was 98/3 and only another 5 overs had been bowled. Vaughan got his second two overs later, nicely caught at square leg by David Coutts and the game was evenly poised at 109/4 and a RR of 5.3. Mr Coutts was brought on to replace Vaughan and began his 7 overs a little loosely but Shaun and Frosty combined again, a fantastically athletic juggling catch in the slips to remove the club pro. 126/5 and 12 overs to go.

Could we bowl them out as they tried to up the run rate? The Hartley Wintney Express was bought back early for a bit of "foot on the throat" and was promptly belted over square leg for six. Dave fed the WH no. 4 a couple of full tosses to help him bring up his 50, and then a smart good length ball to follow up had him out caught and bowled for 54 from 36 balls. Nifty. Scott's second to last delivery was slightly aggressively patted down the track to him, nimbly picked up, and hurled back clattering into the batsman's pads (7-1-1-21).

A catch at point to Jackson in Dave's 4th pointed to a WH wobble at 156/7. Richard came back with a tight over, bar the final ball, to line up the bowling for the final 6 overs. The last four were bowled by Dave (7-0-2-49) and Jackson (7-1-0-22) and WHCC finished on 200/7. Tea was excellent. Really, really good.

Apart from a boundary to Lambie from the first delivery, we had lost both openers by the time 8 balls had been bowled and five runs scored. Richard caught at slip in the first over and Frosty cleaned out by a low full toss in the 2nd.

Jacob Vanner and Leith Cowie steadied the ship, but Leith was smartly caught at slip off of the club pro's left arm off-spin for 14 runs, 35/3 in the 10th. John McMullan and Jacob combined for 5 overs to take the score to 66 before he holed out to mid- off for 5, followed by Dave and a top edge with the score on 81, 15 overs to go, and the first of D Barker's 5 wickets.

This brought Jackson to the crease and he did not muck around. Jacob was sharply stumped in the 21st for a well compiled 44 runs. Captain Khanbhai supported Jackson well as he carved 25 runs from 18 balls before being caught in the deep, 114/7, 11 overs to go and Scott to the crease. Adam was triggered LBW for 11 on the last ball of the 27th over and the score at 130 but still the batsmen kept appearing.

Shaun, hidden down at number 10, looked in great nick until he was cruelly caught by the sub fielder Leith at square leg for 5. Six overs to go and Vaughan marched in at number 11 only to hole out down to fine leg with 48 runs required from 38 balls. Scott was left stranded on 25. WHCC were at a very similar stage to us with 6 overs to go, but had not lost their openers for 5 runs, we only had one wicket in hand, they'd had three and didn't lose one either. More of them scored 30+ runs, one of them scored a fast 50, their club pro bowled (5-1-1-12) but 5 wickets to D Barker was the key, he wasn't bowling anything special, we were just trying to hit him too hard. We should have been better at scoring the runs, the total was gettable. Nice to see 7 catches and only one put down though.

Thanks to the club of Winchmore Hill for a great day. A huge shoutout to their commentator who provided live commentary of the game.

Beers after the game were very much enjoyed, jugs were bought, the opposition were fraternized with, Shaun and Leith combined again to tell a wonderful tale of youth and inebriation. It was an excellent day's cricket, despite the result.