Our first home match of the season, against our landlords. It was a good game, and lots of fun. We all managed to make it to our new ground, and it was pleasant to find that our opposition appeared to enjoy a laugh as much as ourselves.
We bowled first and our openers Shofiq and Curtis were once again tight and controlled. Curtis captured their opener LBW in his first over, and his spell of seven overs went for only five runs, whilst taking two wickets. He managed to trap their number four LBW also for 0.
Between times Bielby had replaced Shofiq and had caught and bowled their number three. This was a lesson for Curtis, who had missed a caught and bowled when their number three had skied the ball high into the air. Curtis waited for Camberwell at mid-off to run in and take the catch. "I thought it was going further," Curtis said as he watched the ball eventually land four feet from himself.
West Essex were soon 63 for 7 as Bielby saw Shofiq take a good catch at gully to remove their number five on 18, before Shofiq, returning for one over, bowled a double wicket maiden, getting their opener Piperdi caught behind by Stockinger, quickly followed by their number seven being caught by Fitzharris at mid-off. However, we found they had some hard-hitters down the order - this to Newton-Sawyerr’s and Fawaz’s cost. Although Newton-Sawyerr saw Stockinger make a stumping behind the sticks in his first over, his second went for four sixes. Pur batting at number 6 quickly reached 61 before swinging at Fawaz once too often and seeing his stumps broken. Fawaz also bowled their number nine for 20, before their number ten, sadly for him, was run out on 49. The had 201, which seemed impossible after seventeen overs.
We knew we had a game on our hands, and whatever happens our batting is normally entertaining, and so it proved. Camberwell and Stockinger both looked in good nick. Camberwell, hitting a six off his second delivery, raced to 10 before misjudging a ball and seeing his off stump removed. Stockinger took his time before being caught by a skyer on 17. Scott (7), Whitmore (8), and Mendis (10 off seven deliveries) also all perished, and they were quickly joined by Henderson, trapped LBW on 0. The score was 72 for 6.
Shofiq and Curtis were now at the crease. Suddenly runs started flowing. Shofiq found his range, especially with a shortish boundary on one side. He hit three fours and one six, reaching 26 off sixteen balls. However, the seventeenth delivery, the ball after his six, was again short. This time unfortunately the ball flew straight into the fielder’s hands at deep mid wicket. We were 101-7.
Bielby came to join Curtis, who was now also finding his way. In fact he went on to top score, with his fourth highest innings ever for Grace’s, reaching 35, including four fours. Bielby was also finding the gaps, and it has to be said that they reached their fifty partnership well, and with under four an over required for victory West Essex must have been sweating.
It all came undone by a call not being heard. The ball was pushed to cover, Curtis set off, Bielby was run out for 18. Curtis quickly followed, bowled, and Fawaz lasted three deliveries before being stumped for 0, leaving Newton-Sawyerr on 1 not out. We finished 44 runs short, but we had a great time, a good laugh, and an enjoyable day.