Dodgers v HMT @ Chiswick 05.05.11

5 May 2011
6pm
20 overs

King's School Ground, Chiswick

Dodgers 118 – 5 (18 overs)
HMT 90 – 5 (18 overs)
Dodgers win by 28 runs

MoM: Cousins - 7, Priest - 2, Hilary - 1

On a perfect spring evening, the Dodgers opened their 20/20 campaign for 2011 by taking on the bean counters from 1 Horseguards at the sporting arena formerly known as the Civil Service Sports Ground. It quickly became clear that new owners Kings School had decided to take the CSSG in a radical new direction by providing well mown, level outfields and good, even, well-maintained wickets. The urge to track down the now presumably ex-CSSG groundsman and beat him repeatedly with a single stump for years of unnecessary misery was resisted by all.

Dodgers were offered first use of the new facilities in a game reduced to 18 overs a-side thanks to the usual display of punctuality by Horseferry Road's finest. Dollin's early departure failed to shake a strong batting line up as Taylor and Radcliffe scored briskly, particularly off the wayward Manson. Batley proved much more difficult to get away, mixing his pace and length cleverly but failing to follow up his early breakthrough. After eight overs, a solid 48-1 looked like a good base with Radcliffe in particular impressing with a smooth swivel for 4 and a big biff for 6. However, his departure to the deceptive Edens was quickly followed by Qureshi. Skipper Priest, on the comeback trail after last season was curtailed with back knack was quickly back into the groove and, once Taylor had completed a run-a-ball 25 not out retirement, brought him together in a partnership with Westhead that always seemed likely to generate fun for both teams. The OBE, who like Brian O'Driscoll turned down a Royal Wedding invite to focus on his pre-match preparations, carefully blocked out an over of pies from Eden before unleashing his full rage on the unsuspecting HMT death bowlers. A hoick over the bowlers head for 4 brought the crowd to their feet in a manner not seen since Guy ended the requirement for his HMRC colleagues to stand whenever he entered the room.

Meanwhile, Priest was bowled by the only ball that Shearing swung all evening, Lee perished in a rush of blood and latter overs batting specialist McBarron accumulated carefully, displaying no sign of red mist and every sign of red ink. 118-5 was felt to be a par score but gettable with a good start.

Unfortunately for HMT, they were forced to open against a bowling pairing so miserly, they made Montgomery Burns look like Montgomery Brewster. Cousins in particular was at his niggardly best, conceding only six runs and setting himself up for a hat-trick with wickets in consecutive balls. Sadly, he ignored the advice of Lee to stick in the surprise half-tracker and his length ball was blocked out by the wonderfully named Dietz. Backed up by the excellent Hilary and a sharp catch from short cover specialist Westhead, HMT fell quickly behind the rate and after 8 overs, the game already looked beyond them. A counter-attack from Slaughter briefly raised hopes but, once he had retired on 25, tight bowling from the ageless Fox and a wicket apiece for Lee and McBarron saw Dodgers home comfortably, despite some seasonally adjusted wides adjudication.

So a good win against a side that Dodgers have traditionally struggled to beat in which solid batting was backed by excellent bowling and consistently good fielding*. The news got even better as it became apparent that the bar had reopened, and even better still when it became clear that the beer score was Real Ale 0, Quality Euro Fizz 2.

* This is not a misprint.

Scorecard

Innings of Dodgers
Dollin      ct Jinks   b Batley     4
Taylor      Not Out                25
Radcliffe   ct ?       b Edens     20
Qureshi                b Tendetter  1
Priest                 b Shearing  16
Westhead    Not Out                11
Lee         ct Dietz   b Edens      6
McBarron    Not Out                10
_____________________________________
Sub-total                          93 
Extras                             25
Total                             118 

DNB: Hilary, Fox, Cousins

Bowling 

Batley    4-1-11-1
Manson    3-0-18-0
Tendetter 3-0-30-1
Edens     4-1-21-2
Shearing  4-0-31-1 
Innings of HMT 

Neal         ct Priest    b Cousins   2
Jinks        ct Westhead  b Hilary    0
Slaughter    Not Out                 25
Shearing                  b Cousins   0
Dietz        ct Fox       b McBarron 23
Douglas      Not Out                  6
Tendetter    ct McBarron  b Lee      16
Batley       Not Out                  6
_______________________________________
Subtotal                             78
Extras                               12
Total                                90 

Bowling  

Cousins  4-0-6-2
Hilary   4-1-15-1
McBarron 4-0-30-1
Fox      4-0-23-0
Lee      2-0-12-1

Comments

Matt Taylor said…
Modesty has prevented Neil from noting that he enjoyed a bombastic return to the crease with a series of imperious boundaries before getting a good one from their left armer. He even stole a quick single when batting with me and neither of us was run out, both of which must be firsts. (Needless to say it got him on stricke for the next over).
Other highlights included good running (several Dodgers needed oxygen), a great fielding effort and a rare appearance from Guy's South African twin, who danced down the wicket to a seamer and smashed him towards the boundary.
jhilary said…
DNB = Hilary, Fox, Cousins