THE PRESIDENT'S XI
CRICKET CLUB

v. MORDEN CORINTHIANS
28 MAY 2005

WON BY 44 RUNS

An away match in bosky Raynes Park - the buzz of passing trains and traffic a more or less satisfactory substitute for the hum of insects on a perfect country afternoon. The fierce heat of the sun disguised by a stiffish breeze. Praba assumes the mantle of captaincy by losing the toss - never mind, skipper. The Presidents put in to bat. And the captain decides to open the innings himself. A scampered single off the first ball does little to disguise the pace and hostility of opening bowler Allan. Tom Worms plays an elegant forward defensive to his first ball - but then is castled by an inswinging yorker that has nervous feet shuffling among the waiting batsmen.

The Presidents in familiar territory - but for all the the menace and intent of Allan, and the flight and guile of Sharling from the other end, the Corinthians are not to take another wicket with their opening salvo. Slowly, steadily, sometimes streakily, Praba and his new partner Mike Edwards begin to build. Just 16 on the board after five overs, but 38 after 10. Praba finally falls to a freakish one from new bowler Luis, but is replaced by Robert Frew - looking solid and serene. A stand of thirty-five for the third wicket before Mike falls for a hard-fought for 33, again to Luis. The President's at 75-3 in the nineteenth over - the Corinthians beginning to examine their wider bowling options.

The right option is chosen. The slow and teasy loop of Pinkney has the Presidents' eyes rolling like lemmings caught in headlights. Robert falls to one that barely has enough energy to clip a bail. Chris Lewis having punched Luis for four off his first ball fondly watches his next, from Pinkney, sail out of the ground. Unfortunately the real ball, rather than the one he is watching, is still on its way to his stumps. At 80-5 in the twentieth over it all begins to look different (even if somehow all too familiar).

But once again the Presidents show a new found resilience. Ravi Muthiah is of course not troubled by this slow loopy stuff - patting it back if need be, swatting it around if not. Andrew Swan is not quite so assured - but hangs on gamely and grimly. A stand of thirty-five for the sixth wicket, before Andrew finally decides to charge - and is duly stumped. Nikesh soon holes out with a mis-hit off Hammond - but Ravi is still there and is joined by Raheel, who adds discipline, purpose and power. Thirteen off an over from Hammond, a splendid straight-driven six off the otherwise frugal O'Neill. Allan is recalled to stem the flow - but the Presidents still reach 155-7 with five overs to play. Ravi finally falls to Allan - ending the innings' best partnership of 44 - but Raheel sees it out to the end (a fine 33 not out), joined in turn by Richard Swan and last man Tony Bruggemann. A total of 170-9. Would it be enough?

The Corinthians open cautiously - plenty of overs, plenty of time - but Praba is bowling beautifully and his second over, a wicket-maiden, is followed by a pressuring maiden from Andrew Swan. Just eight runs from the first five overs - and one man down. Praba clean bowls another one. Twenty-eight for two after ten overs. Ravi comes on to keep the lid down and bowls his usual thoughtful and economical spell. Tony Bruggemann is also tidy. But Fletcher and Rada survive over after over and slowly compile the highest stand of the match. When Rada finally falls for 30, caught behind off Raheel, the Corinthians are sixty-eight for three - with twenty overs to go - the run-rate needed still only five per over - and wickets a-plenty in hand. Twenty without loss are added off the next five overs - fifteen to go - eighty-three needed - still less than a run a ball - seven wickets in hand. The Corinthians seem to be judging it right.

But all to play for. Fletcher finally falls to Raheel in the next over - a fine tumbling catch by Tony Bruggemann. Hammond departs for a rapid six - again to Raheel. But then the powerful Allan starts to splatter the bowling. Twelve off an over to bring up 113-5 after thirty overs. It's still just less than a run a ball - and Allan looks in the mood. Or does until Andrew Swan clean bowls him - and then takes out Vickery with the very next ball. The match has turned - and decisively. Nikesh nips out the patient Cotter and number ten Sharling - and Praba returns to take revenge on Luis with the first ball of his second spell. It's all over and the Presidents have begun their 2005 campaign with a well-crafted win. They retire in some jollity (and not a little sun-burnt) to the bar.

Laurence Worms

PRESIDENT'S XI

PRABA THANGARAJAH

...

b. LUIS

17

TOM WORMS

...

b. ALLAN

0

MIKE EDWARDS

...

b. LUIS

33

ROBERT FREW

...

b. PINKNEY

13

CHRIS LEWIS

...

b. PINKNEY

4

RAVI MUTHIAH

...

b. ALLAN

31

ANDREW SWAN

st.

b. PINKNEY

6

NIKESH

ct.

b. HAMMOND

0

RAHEEL

...

not out

33

RICHARD SWAN

run out

...

0

TONY BRUGGEMANN

...

not out

3

EXTRAS

...

...

30

TOTAL 170-9 (40 OVERS)

ALLAN

8

1

25

2

SHARLING

7

1

24

0

LUIS

8

0

31

2

PINKNEY

8

1

25

3

HAMMOND

4

0

33

1

O'NEILL

5

-

23

0

MORDEN CORINTHIANS

BARTRAM

...

b. PRABA THANGARAJAH

0

RADA

ct. CHRIS LEWIS

b. RAHEEL

30

O'NEILL

...

b. PRABA THANGARAJAH

11

FLETCHER

ct. TONY BRUGGEMANN

b. RAHEEL

32

COTTER

...

b. NIKESH

6

HAMMOND

ct. NIKESH

b. RAHEEL

6

ALLAN

...

b. ANDREW SWAN

12

VICKERY

ct. CHRIS LEWIS

b. ANDREW SWAN

0

LUIS

...

b. PRABA THANGARAJAH

4

SHARLING

ct. ANDREW SWAN

b. NIKESH

0

PINKNEY

...

not out

4

EXTRAS

...

...

20

TOTAL 126 ALL OUT (35.1 OVERS)

ANDREW SWAN

8

1

37

2

PRABA THANGARAJAH

5.1

1

10

3

RAVI MUTHIAH

8

0

22

0

TONY BRUGGEMANN

3

0

15

0

RAHEEL

6

0

23

3

NIKESH

5

1

14

2

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