Haines 96 and Cowie's 100th wicket retain the Paulin Cup

The Paulin Cup between London New Zealand Cricket Club and Winchmore Hill CC is one of the most fiercely contested and cherished fixtures on the LNZCC calendar.

Played at The Paulin Ground in north London — a venue with a deep LNZ club connection, introduced to LNZCC by Gary Paulin, after whom both the ground and the cup are named — these two sides have produced some truly remarkable contests over the years.

Winchmore Hill are always a strong side, and they have historically had the upper hand — the Paulin Cup spending most of its life in the Winchmore Hill cabinet. Only in recent seasons have the results begun to tilt in LNZCC’s favour.

Pre-Match

This particular edition nearly didn’t happen at all. With a certain Lord’s game dominating club chat — free tickets to the Home of Cricket proving an understandably irresistible distraction — The Sheep, match manager for the day, found himself in a battle just to raise eleven men. It was far from ideal, but we got there in the end and a competitive XI was assembled.

The Toss & Winchmore Hill innings 192 all out (37.3)

The Sheep won the toss and with the pitch green elected to bowl.

Put into bat, Winchmore Hill were frustratingly consistent — and frustratingly fragile in equal measure. Time and again their batters got themselves in, looked threatening, and then gifted their wicket away just when a big score beckoned. The story of the innings was one of promise unfulfilled — a procession of batters who did the hard work of getting in, then couldn’t find the gear to go on. Had even one of them kicked on to a fifty, the complexion of the match could have been very different. As it was, the last wicket fell at 192 — a competitive total, but one that flattered to deceive given the number of starts Winchmore Hill had carved out.

Leith Cowie — fresh from his rain day recovery from the previous day (which, by all accounts, meant the beers flowed) — delivered something special. A superb 4/27 in 8 tight overs was the pick of the attack and kept Winchmore Hill firmly in check.

The Sheep claimed 2/39, while Runi Talwar (1/54), Daniel Lawrence (1/7), Vinay Kumar (1/28) and Rez Maroof (1/21) were also amongst the wickets.

LNZCC Chase — 194/4 (27.1 overs)

The reply was nothing short of electric — clinical, aggressive and utterly decisive, completing the chase with 13 overs to spare.

Andrew Haines was the anchor, producing a stunning 96 off 74 balls (14 fours, 3 sixes, SR: 129.73) in an innings of remarkable authority. He anchored the chase while still playing with freedom and flair, before falling just four agonising runs short of a century that would have been richly deserved. The early departures of John McMullan (3), Eddie Commons (16), and Ben Fawkes (2) did nothing to slow Haines down.

Then came Daniel Lawrence. Having been economical with the ball, Lawrence shifted into an entirely different gear with the bat, launching a ferocious 62 off just 38 balls (8 fours, 3 sixes, SR: 163.16) that blew the game wide open. It was the kind of innings that wins matches — brutal, calculated and utterly thrilling. A player of real talent and one to watch closely for the future. Rez Maroof saw out the formalities unbeaten on 4 as LNZCC cantered home.

Presentation & Thanks

The individual honours were equally well deserved. Andrew Haines was named LNZCC’s Man of the Match for his magnificent 96. For Winchmore Hill, C Lloyd Barnes took the honours, recognised for his efforts with the ball.

The final act of a memorable day came with the presentation of the Paulin Cup. The Sheep found himself having to remind James Lane, Winchmore Hill’s match manager, that the trophy still needed to be presented. A small oversight, perhaps, but one that drew the kind of knowing laughter that only a day’s cricket in good company can produce. The Cup was duly handed over, with both teams retiring to enjoy a few well-earned beers together — and, unlike a certain England cricket team in the news of late, everyone made it home well before curfew.

A huge and heartfelt thanks must go to James Lane and the entire Winchmore Hill Cricket Club for their hospitality, their competitive spirit and for making it such an enjoyable occasion. We look forward to doing it all again next year.

A particular mention must also go to Gavin Ayliffe, making his LNZCC debut having crossed over from the Gents of Cambridge, who stepped up to ensure we had our eleven. A fine way to begin a career in LNZCC colours — welcome to the club, Gavin.

Conclusion

Against a backdrop of logistical headaches and a Lord’s-shaped distraction, the lads produced a performance that did real justice to the history of this fixture. Leith Cowie’s magnificent 4-wicket haul set the platform, and Andrew Haines and Daniel Lawrence delivered the knockout blow with the bat.

And it wouldn’t be right to let the day pass without acknowledging a quite remarkable personal milestone. In the course of his brilliant spell, Leith Cowie claimed his 100th wicket for London New Zealand Cricket Club — a quite extraordinary achievement that speaks to years of dedication, skill and service to the club. On a day of fine performances, that landmark deserves to be celebrated loudly and at length. Many congratulations, Leith — here’s to the next hundred.

A final thank you to Malcolm Miller for giving up his Sunday to umpire — his presence on the field ensured the game was played in the right spirit and his contribution to the day should not go unnoticed. Much appreciated, Malcolm.

And for the Sheep — the Paulin Cup now sits proudly on his mantle, a fitting reward for a day’s work that began with eleven men barely assembled and ended in glory. Not a bad Sunday at all.

Photos

Shaun Raumati with more silverware

Leith Cowie became the 9th player to take 100 wickets

Gavin Ayliffe from the Gents of Cambridge debuted for LNZCC