A BOOM BOOM 50

On a sun-drenched afternoon at Rickmansworth Cricket Club, the scene was set for an enthralling afternoon of play. The team were eager to right a few wrongs from the previous weeks disappointing result but things did not start well as one of the selected team hadn't turned up meaning Ricky fielded first in the baking heat with only ten players. The opening bowlers, Nassar Shah and Yusuf Waqar after loose opening overs got into their stride restricting the opposition run rate. Nas removed the opening batter in only his second over and Yusuf came close to a wicket on several occasions. Following some bowling changes, the opposition run rate started to pick up and despite a wicket from Anuj, the opener batsmen (Total of 54) and their number 4 (Total of 32) got themselves in and started the score board ticking along nicely.

There was only one option which was to turn to the bowling expertise of the spritely yet vastly experienced Tony McDonald-Barker. Confused batters would be an understatement as at times they simply did not know what to do with some truly magical balls. Tony rolled back the years outfoxing the opposition and bowling their opener and having their number four caught. Tony returned figures of 2 for 32 off eight overs which probably did not do justice to his spell. Despite that, Wheathampstead were able to dig in and see out the overs finishing with 171 runs for 5wickets off 40 overs. Ideally the score would have been lower but every man for Ricky battled hard in the field, running, chasing, and sometime taking blows to the body to compensate for only having ten players. They all deserved the break in play to enjoy a hard-earned sandwich and drink.

The opposition were keen to get the game underway whilst Ricky were still discussing who would bat first. In the end it almost came to a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors until Chris Garrow heroically strode into the crease to bat and face first in his first innings of the season. He was striding back out quickly, stumped off the second ball of the innings trying to chase the game with 39 overs left (Typical lower order batter!!).

At the end of the 8th over facing a slow but un-predictable bowler, the Rickmansworth run rate was slow to say the least with the score at 24-2. The same opposition bowler then upped the pressure, bowling a double wicket maiden leaving Ricky in serious trouble at 24-4. Yusuf then came into bat and started the score board rolling getting to 66 before the next wicket went down. He was supported at the other end by Phil Croft who could only be described as the offspring of Geoffrey Boycott and Mike Atherton. Steady play was an understatement, he faced what felt like 1000 balls before being caught for five runs having batted nearly 18 overs in total, some of the Ricky players watching on did get
a short nap! Anuj came to the crease and flicked a beautiful shot through leg side in his first ball. It looked game on until he was caught on 6.

The score was 78 for 6 with a run rate of 3, with only 14 overs left and 93 to get. A cricket miracle was needed or at least a run rate of 7 and over. It was time for a hero to step up as Nas entered the crease. What proceed was an unbelievable power batting display likened to the great ‘Boom Boom’ Shahid Afridi. Nas dismantled the bowling attack and damaged the scoreboard smashing six after six, each time saying ‘I’m only a bowler’ to everyone that would listen.

Between him and Yusuf they got Ricky back into the game and with a potential whiff of victory. Yusuf was then given out for LBW meaning Nas was left to bring home the innings supported by Neil B and Tony. Tony was stoic when facing and frustrated the Wheathampstead bowlers by digging in to get Nas back on strike and at times was pushing Nas for a second run. In the 39 over Nas brought up his maiden 50 for the club but despite his effort and Man of the Match performance of fifty runs and 2-27 from 9 overs, the team fell short finishing on 148-9

In the end the lack of 11 players in the sub-continent took the toll on the team with each player going away thinking ‘If only we had 11 players'. The game was lost but the effort was magnificent from all. Onwards and upwards as they say!