Grace's travelled to Harrow, to play Ploughmans, victorious earlier in the season. Revenge would be sweet, but first it will be hot! Forecast was thunderstorms in the afternoon. Shofiq lost the toss again, the opposition hesitated before inserting Grace's on a flat pitch. Everyone sighed, and worn-out travelled legs from the far regions of the country, having struggled through train and tube journeys, settled down to enjoy a run fest.
Not so. Ploughmans got lucky on the luckless Camberwell who got one that fizzed through his defence and removed the bails. OUT! In came Stockinger, man in form, hastily dressed. Ashton had other ideas to combat the piercing heat of the Sahara, striking early by bowling a corker that pitched leg and struck off, so off he went to be replaced by Rishafi. He fluttered like a butterfly. Camberwell returned to the crease to umpire, and soon had to make a decision - he gave into a appeal to give Rishafi out... LBW! He nicked it said Swinburne; Camberwell umpiring clearly thought otherwise. Rishafi sulked back to the pavilion, rueing his luck (yes, but you did nick it earlier in the season, and you didn't walk when you should have!).
So it will go down in history as another contested LBW in the history of Grace's. Mendis, another of our Sri Lankans, replaced Rishafi. How will he mend this, thought the growing crowd. Ploughmans were jubilant, the score 3 for not many! At the other end Swinburne hobbled and stuck into bushesque resolve, refusing to run and made the fielding look sharp - "they are the best fielding side we have faced this year". Mendis - the best form of defence is attack - decided to get the fielders acquainted with the bus stop on the main road and went about hitting ten runs off every ball. Ploughmans got hot in the heat, the fans on the edge of their seats. Then another six removed the demon match ball out of play. The replacement ball was given the same treatment. Score 62 for 3 off 20 overs, time for drinks. Grace's sighed, game on!
Ploughmans continued to battle away, using ball and comedy to gnaw away at Grace's. Mendis had a few scrapes, and departed for 41 out stumped. Shofiq replaced Mendis and together with Hardisty made Ploughmans' spin look unplayable, Jonathan continuing to block, Shofiq at the other end selecting shots carefully and cunningly. But then one loose shot and OUT. Caught at square off third change. Jonathan battled his demons and conquered them, while at the other end Mercuri making his debut showed he had still maintained his schoolboy shots. Together they eased the score along, but Ploughmans kept up the pressure and wickets fell regularly. Hoeksma, showing the skipper he can hold the bat as well as the ball, played a couple of shots of the highest quality, while Dekock pondered on his defence at the boundary. Braybook looked on itching for his turn. And when it arrived at 4.23pm he struck a four, but next ball wandered out of his crease and was stumped. Dekock was the not out batman. The lower ordered had contributed manfully to helped the score rest at 163. Tea time. sandwiches, cakes, quiche and Ribena, ice cold, all delightful!
Ploughmans began their reply shakily and Dekock, taking the first over, soon had their opener dropped at first slip, and rued his luck in Afrikaans. Shofiq took his first over bowling uphill and was soon despatched to the boundary for a cuple of fours. Heads were seen drooping a little in the heat, but clouds kept the temperature muggy with drops of rain, will this be the end of the winning run? Not on our nelly. Shofiq got back to his fielding position cursing in Kasmiri... What a truely cosmopolitan bunch these Grace's are!
Dekock continued his spell at the other end, keeping things tight and making it difficult for Ploughmans to get runs, the idea being to get them into a pickle. Shofiq soon did, setting up the trap and having the opener caught nonchalantly by Hoeksma behind square leg, who showed how much better he can hold a ball in the air than a bat in his hand! The heat continued, and comedy and entertainment was provided by all. An unorthodox batman built his resolve by hitting across and keeping up with the run chase. Time for change of pace thought Shofiq and instructed Mendis and Hoeksma to take over. Mendis soon sent a couple of Ploughmans back to the pavilion. Hoeksma bowled tightly too - these South Africans, they are tight! Hoeksma was not lucky and was replaced by Rishafi, who was in the zone and soon took wickets, but Ploughmans kept up with the chase. Confident that they had it in the bag, they generously allowed Grace's a drinks break at 6.15pm! 20 overs were due from 6.30pm. Grace's took this break to rehuddle. Clearly needled, Shofiq upped the ante. Sensing this, the slip cordon followed suit. Grace's gritted their teeth, gnarled and growled in the field. A beautiful appeal, a perfect supplement to the Sunday afternoon entertainment, was turned down by their umpire, then a couple of wides were given and contested verballly. Ah the agony, oh but they do fight for one another and together, these cosmopolitan Grace's, how the flags are forgotten when they wear the shirts!
Captain Shofiq brought it back in line. Mendis continued to bamboozle Ploughmans, while at the other end Rishafi's flight of fantasy continued, but Ploughmans were still in it, thanks mainly to the unorthodox batman who continued to gather runs. The score was 90-odd for 5 or so. Chances came and went, the crowds sat, while others simply slowed the game in the afternoon by walking across the sightscreens at regular intervals. And then ten overs left to end of play, unorthodox man continued to gather runs with support from Ashton, and Mendis, bowling in tandem with Rishafi, dropped a caught-and-bowled chance and hurt his bowling finger. He came back with a tiny plaster on it, but Shofiq had taken over the bowling again, and this time he kept it tight, tight like the South Africans before. Building the pressure and giving few chances off his bowling, Rishafi now in the zone at the end battled away, but runs came. Score 130 for 7, and then Mendis caught one off Shofiq's bowling. Shofiq had Ashton caught and bowled off a slower ball, and then bowled the opposition skipper, GAME OVER! Grace's snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. A memorable, memorable game, the winning run continues! 5 in a row. Beddington next for Grace's...