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Following our thumping ten-wicket win in the previous match, it should have been obvious what would happen next. Correct. Presidents reduced to 4-2 mid-way through the second over. Khalid and Chris gone. Cue for a collapse all round - but no - the new winning-style Presidents buckled down to the task of retrieval.
Clive Lewis battled through to a fifty (one six, one five - surely he didn't run them - and six fours) - just as if he'd never been away. Prakash chipped in with a six and four fours in his 26. Jamie picked up from where he left off last year with a fine 62 not out (six fours) - and the much-missed Praba joined in with an elegant 30 (four fours). A total of 214 from our thirty-five overs - a very good score - but not an invincible one on the lightning-fast dry outfield of a baked and parched Haydons Road.
The Nomads took a chance or two early on - we'll gloss over the missed catches - the ones we did take were all very good. They stood at 41-0 after five overs, 84-0 after ten - and suddenly our 214 wasn't looking so good. The opening partnershp went past a hundred (well-played McKinnon and Plaistow) before Praba finally forced a breakthrough in the unlucky thirteenth over. The assault slowed, but at 120-1 after fifteen it was still odds-on the Nomads. Khalid finally joined the attack at about this point - a wicket in his second over, another in his fourth, another in his fifth - and a small doubt began to appear.
After twenty-five overs it was 171-5 - forty-four to win off ten. Five off the next over - but Prakash is back in the attack. Just two off the next. A spate of extras - but Danish takes his first wicket. Ebb and flow. A wicket-maiden from Prakash. Another wicket to Danish. Thirty overs and the score is 200-8. The scores edge closer. Another four. Another wicket.
A beautiful late afternoon - a breathless hush - 213-9 - one to tie, two to win. Splat - Danish scatters the stumps for the third time in eight balls. Late, late, in the day - the Presidents have brought it off by the very narrowest of all possible margins.
Well played Danish - wonderful stuff. Well bowled all round - three wickets to Khalid, two to Praba, frugal menace and a crucial wicket from Prakash. Some excellent catches too (those we caught). Fine and solid batting from the middle order - fifties to Clive and Jamie. Great sportsmanship too from the Nomads, who nobly played their part. Well over four hundred runs in the afternoon. Cricket the winner.
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