Match report
The sun was out and the temperature was warm, walking into the DSG with two home games you could feel the electricity in the air and already tell today it was going to be one of those magnificent Plough days. The DSG clubhouse was abuzz with hungover and excited Ploughmen, ready for another day of magic, ready for the unrivalled happiness or inconsolable pain that a game of cricket can bring.
And so it was that Max Gumpert lead the Mighty Plough “Gold” team onto the field to take on Battersea Ironsides. Max won the toss sent us in to bat. Charlie and Raees opened the batting and looked solid before falling, Raees once again hitting some beautiful boundaries before falling victim to the little Shahid Afridi voice in his ear.
If Raees had the voice of Shahid Afridi in his ear, then Tom Elmslie had Sir Alastair Cook in his as he came in at 3 and impressively dropped anchor as we then lost Leo and Joan Rivers not long after.
Enter Max Gumpert. We are pretty used to Max clobbering bowlers for fun but coming in at 66/4 there was work to do. Not that “Mad” Max seemed to notice, hitting a blistering century off just 50 balls before retiring like a gentleman. He really is something to watch in full flight. A whopping century then honourable retirement, proper #spiritofcricket. Still in, Tom Elmslie played a textbook “take your time in the middle and the runs will come” innings as he started to really get going, bringing up his first 50 on the way to an impressive 61. Max and Tom put together a partnership of 135 that put the Plough back on top. After losing this partnership the tail managed to scrape together 11 as we finished with a total of 232.
Also worth noting, Raees and Mo Khan now have career strike rates better than most of the club!
Ever the innovator, Captain Max decided to open the bowling with Greeney and Raees. This proved an absolute masterstroke as paired with Damon’s typical tidy bowling, Raees was able to capitalise taking out the top 3 with a very impressive 3/25 including the first stumping to one very, very happy wicket-keeper.
With work to do, Mad Max turned to the other Spin King in the side – librarian Mo Kahn. After a few looseners, Mo proceeded to display what we have all seen at nets showing an impressive array of flight, turn and bounce. He was also rocking shades throughout his spell, adding a cool factor that surely had a part to play giving him the psychological edge over the batter. Mo was on a hat-trick at one stage and only a couple of misfields prevented more wickets falling to his hand. An exhilarating spell.
The Battersea Ironsides tail wagged and Leo Connolly and Daisy dukes happily feasted, with one of the wickets being a very impressive act of sportsmanship from the oppo to walk after conceding the ball hit his gloves before arriving at the further very, very happy wicket-keeper.
The Battersea Ironsides were a blend of youth and experience, who played the game with good spirit and no doubt a few of those younger players will be terrorising us for years to come.
Onto the beers after the match, which coupled with a victory for the Plough Blue side – as Coxy says “the beers are always better after a win.” We really are so lucky to play where we play, with such a fine crop of people.
Special credit to Skipper Max, who expertly managed an outstanding game of cricket where everyone had a part to play in the victory, the best kind of victories.
Plough On
Yanni Baveas
