Parsons Green
Dodgers (177-1, 20 overs) bt Science Museum (142-6, 20 overs) by 35 runs
After the excitement of the previous week’s thriller at Chiswick, the return match against Science Museum was always in danger of anti-climax. Missing some key players Science Museum never stood a chance against some brutally effective batting from Neil Priest, who narrowly missed his second 20-over century within a week.
Winning the toss, captain Carr elected to bat on a Parsons Green pitch that never looked likely to deliver the run-fest of the week before – the conclusion of the senior batsmen was that 80 would be a good score.
For the first eight overs, this looked a reasonable prediction as Science Museum made McBarron and Priest work for their runs. But, having seen the opening attack replaced by what can best be described as utter dobbers, both Dodgers batsmen cut free, accelerating from 27 runs at the end of the seventh over to 133 at the end of the seventeenth. It would be a mistake to represent this as remotely watchable or exciting. Rank deliveries hoiked towards the boundary, often helped on their way by a staggering series of crass fielding errors. That is not to criticise the Dodgers batting, which did the job required of it and more. But turkey shoots are rarely much fun if you are not one of those waving the gun.
Retiring at a fine unbeaten 53, McBarron made way for Leach, who failed to repeat recent batting heroics, falling cheaply out to an easy catch in the covers from a mistimed and rather over eager drive. But all the action was at the other end of the wicket as Priest (to significant (and inexplicable) hissing from a number of unidentifiable Dodgers) chose to bat on in an attempt to reach his second century in successive matches. He seemed on track, as Science Museum’s dreadful fielding conceded boundary after boundary. However, with three figures in sight (if he was able to score a boundary a ball of the last three deliveries) Priest was frustrated in his ambition as finally a fielder stopped a ball before it reached the rope. The innings ended with an inordinate eight wides on the trot from joke bowler Seary, Priest carrying his bat on 97 and Carr on 1 not out.
Coming in to bat missing the fire-power of new boy Ryatt, Science Museum never looked like reaching a target of 178. Openers Pickworth and Butler made a decent start, each scoring 24 before going down to Cavanagh and Gundry respectively. But lack of penetration by Dodgers bowlers (a recurring problem this year) meant that the game dragged on for the full twenty overs, finishing in semi-darkness at the abysmally late time of 9:30pm. Of the bowlers, the pick were probably Qureshi, with a tight and aggressive 3-over spell; Gundry, who takes his Dodgers figures this season to 5-2-6-4; and Westhead, who charged in, dropping dangerous lobs from out of the night sky onto unsuspecting batsmen’s heads, despite being drunker than Henry Hilary let loose in an unguarded brewery. Dodgers swiftly changed from whites to civvies and piled off down the Duke of Cumberland for the traditional Parsons Green sausage and chips supper.
Dodgers (177-1, 20 overs) bt Science Museum (142-6, 20 overs) by 35 runs
After the excitement of the previous week’s thriller at Chiswick, the return match against Science Museum was always in danger of anti-climax. Missing some key players Science Museum never stood a chance against some brutally effective batting from Neil Priest, who narrowly missed his second 20-over century within a week.
Winning the toss, captain Carr elected to bat on a Parsons Green pitch that never looked likely to deliver the run-fest of the week before – the conclusion of the senior batsmen was that 80 would be a good score.
For the first eight overs, this looked a reasonable prediction as Science Museum made McBarron and Priest work for their runs. But, having seen the opening attack replaced by what can best be described as utter dobbers, both Dodgers batsmen cut free, accelerating from 27 runs at the end of the seventh over to 133 at the end of the seventeenth. It would be a mistake to represent this as remotely watchable or exciting. Rank deliveries hoiked towards the boundary, often helped on their way by a staggering series of crass fielding errors. That is not to criticise the Dodgers batting, which did the job required of it and more. But turkey shoots are rarely much fun if you are not one of those waving the gun.
Retiring at a fine unbeaten 53, McBarron made way for Leach, who failed to repeat recent batting heroics, falling cheaply out to an easy catch in the covers from a mistimed and rather over eager drive. But all the action was at the other end of the wicket as Priest (to significant (and inexplicable) hissing from a number of unidentifiable Dodgers) chose to bat on in an attempt to reach his second century in successive matches. He seemed on track, as Science Museum’s dreadful fielding conceded boundary after boundary. However, with three figures in sight (if he was able to score a boundary a ball of the last three deliveries) Priest was frustrated in his ambition as finally a fielder stopped a ball before it reached the rope. The innings ended with an inordinate eight wides on the trot from joke bowler Seary, Priest carrying his bat on 97 and Carr on 1 not out.
Coming in to bat missing the fire-power of new boy Ryatt, Science Museum never looked like reaching a target of 178. Openers Pickworth and Butler made a decent start, each scoring 24 before going down to Cavanagh and Gundry respectively. But lack of penetration by Dodgers bowlers (a recurring problem this year) meant that the game dragged on for the full twenty overs, finishing in semi-darkness at the abysmally late time of 9:30pm. Of the bowlers, the pick were probably Qureshi, with a tight and aggressive 3-over spell; Gundry, who takes his Dodgers figures this season to 5-2-6-4; and Westhead, who charged in, dropping dangerous lobs from out of the night sky onto unsuspecting batsmen’s heads, despite being drunker than Henry Hilary let loose in an unguarded brewery. Dodgers swiftly changed from whites to civvies and piled off down the Duke of Cumberland for the traditional Parsons Green sausage and chips supper.
Dodgers
McBarron rtd 53
Priest not out 97
Leach ct Butler b Seary 1
Carr not out 1
Extras (3b, 1lb, 19w, 2nb) 25
Total (for 1 wkt, 20 ovrs) 177
dnb Kavanagh, Gundry, Qureshi, Westhead, Cooper, Matthews, Crawford
o m r w
Woodhouse 4 1 11 0
Pickworth 4 0 23 0
Rye 4 0 41 0
Smallwood 4 0 48 0
Butler 2 0 16 0
Seary 2 0 34 1
Science Museum
Pickworth b Cavanagh 24
Butler ct Matthews b Gundry 24
Robinson ct Gundry b Cooper 5
Kerry b Gundry 1
Smallwood not out 35
Rye b Qureshi 13
Woodhouse ct Matthews b Qureshi 4
Seary not out 6
Extras (no details) 30
Total (for 6 wkts, 20 overs) 142
o m r w
Crawford 4 0 26 0
Cavanagh 4 0 31 0
Gundry 2 1 4 2
Cooper 4 0 15 1
Qureshi 3 0 31 2
Westhead 2 0 21 0
Leach 1 0 13 0
Comments