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A match that lives long in the memory - fresh from a ten-wicket win in the previous game the Presidents go on to make what is still our highest score in a thirty-five over match.
We all know the theory for the perfect limited-over innings - a solid but not sluggish start - the platform - wickets in hand - and then the onslaught. And how well skipper Mike Edwards executed his carefully prepared game-plan. Winning the toss and deciding to bat on a warm and sunny day, he sent out the chunky figures of Clive Lewis and Laurence Worms to open the batting. A brisk start from Clive, fifteen at a run-a-minute (two fours and two threes) before falling leg-before in the fifth over, with the score on 23. Mike himself came in and the score began to mount. Fifty-four after ten overs. Eighty-five after fifteen. Seven off the next over. Nineteen off the next. At the start of the eighteenth over the score is an ominous 111-1. The dreaded Nelson - it strikes and strikes again. Mike stumped for thirty-eight (six fours) to end a partnership of eighty-eight in forty-two minutes. Praba Thangarajah caught and bowled first ball.
And at the exact mid-way point of the innings, Prakash came out to bat with the score on 111-3. Off the mark with a four from his second ball. Ten off the next over. Thirteen off the next. It's 138-3 after twenty overs. A very tired Laurence tries to feed Prakash the strike and is hopelessly run out for a dogged fifty-one (seventy minutes, seven fours). Guy Martin admires Prakash from the other end for twenty minutes - a stand of thirty-three for the fifth wicket, of which Guy's share was four. After twenty-five overs it's 178-5 - Prakash scoring fluently when he can get on strike. Jey Parthiban contributes ten, but departs to Isaac, the first of the Priory bowlers to exert any measure of control. Nick McNally soon follows and the innings momentarily stutters. After thirty overs it's 200-7 - but Prakash is still there. Jerry Cox is caught to become Isaac's fourth victim - a duck for Jerry but a partnership of twenty-two. Thirty four overs and it's 222-8 - Prakash undefeated on 78 - but at last he has the strike - six, four, dot and some extras - a muddle but he's back on strike - six, six, four - and he's reached his hundred in thrilling style - at least two of the sixes still rising as they cross the boundary by the playground. The finest display of hitting we have ever seen at Haydons Road - 104 not out - 104 out of 140 scored in seventeen and a half overs - six sixes and twelve fours. Time for tea.
The skill and cunning of Mike Edwards not yet done. He asks the unorthodox pairing of Jey and Guy to open the bowling. Jey knocks over Baker and Guy rolls over batsmen two, three and four in an insipred spell of 3-10. There is some resistance from the middle order, but Nick McNally picks up three to rein things in. A frugal spell from Will Thorogood. Mike then brings himself on - 2-9 to him before Praba is summoned to deliver the coup-de-grace. A huge win - and one of the days that make it all worthwhile.
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