Match Report

Well gentleman (and ladies) of a Plough persuasion. After all the talk, after an aborted, Covid-hit
season last year, after all the hard work in the previous few seasons and a tough pre-league
friendly last week, D-day had finally arrived. Finally, we would discover how the Plough’s finest
XI would size up in the Surrey Cricket League Premier Division.

Unfortunately, before we could get to any of that, during an enthusiastic warm-up (always
questionable when you’re playing amateur cricket) a steepling high catch caught Baz on the end
of his pinkie. Even though he couldn’t bend it and it was defiantly standing out at a weird angle,
he allowed himself to be convinced to strap it up and Plough on for the team (the man is
granite).

Despite the questionable logic of trying to start a 45-over game at 13.00 in early May,
St Luke’s were unable to muster more than 4 blokes for the start time. Round 1 to the Plough
we generally thought as we had the pleasure of watching an unfortunate bowler who’d simply
turned up on time having to pad up in a panic in preparation for facing Puff and Bush.

The aforementioned bowler did us a favor by getting him self run out to a sharp piece of work from
Logo Cassin (who many people had favored as their fantasy skipper for the weekend).

The run-out had resulted from some tight opening lines from the previously mentioned Plough openers,
who were both unlucky that their efforts did not go rewarded.

The pressure valve eased slightly with the introduction of myself and Liam, however fair credit
has to go to their opener who batted superbly for his 92 and really started going for it when we
came on. Barras then came on and between the two of us we managed to pull the score back a
bit. Baz ended up the pick of the bowlers with 4 and is on a (debatable) hat-trick for the next game he plays
(probably post-fatherhood if we are honest, but wouldn’t that be a great way to welcome a new
future Plough legend in to the world?).

There was still time for a tidy spell from Logo and a bit of death bowling from myself and Bush.

Again, seems only right to mention that we had to contend with their number 8 who seemed
intent on hitting every ball into the fires of Mount Doom (apparently located a couple of miles
down the A3 in nearby Morden). 200 to win.

For the second week in a row, we were up against some very tidy, accurate opening bowling and
unfortunately, we let them strangle us at the top again. Baz battled bravely at the top before
shooting off to the local A&E to avoid the Saturday night rush. Hicko chipped one to
midwicket and that brought the 2 nuggets (Britto and Fred, with a cursory mention for the 3rd, Iskandar) of
Plough batsmanship to the wicket.

There is something incredibly reassuring about watching these two go about their work.

Both know their games inside out and several watching Plough commented that they were now happy to have that extra lap wandering around the boundary before padding up.
Britto eventually departed for a well-grafted 28 and a minor collapse brought myself out to the
middle with the score at 88-5 with about 15 overs to go.

Fred, unflappable as ever, sagely said “It’s only 7s mate. We bat through and make this easy”.

Heeding his advice I launched myself into the bowling as best I could. Has to be said that by this stage the clouds had become more
than threatening and the light was starting to go quite quickly. Still, the two of us were motoring
along and it looked like the target was going to be within comfortable reach.

Then it started hailing.

Turns out that the ideal seam conditions are the ones where you have fat, golf ball-sized
hailstones on a length. Suddenly, bowlers who’d been average at best turned in to prime Glen
McGrath.

3 overs lost to rain pushed the equation from 42 off 6 to 28 off 3.

With the light now definitely gone and the pitch in ruins, it came down to 6 off the last ball. I am afraid to say that despite all
those overs practicing for just such an occasion at the end of a net session I was unable to
execute my skills.

Kudos to Fred who batted excellently for his 40. Shame to lose the first game, but lots of
positives to take out of the game.

Plough on.
Gizzie