The Saints went into the West End Esher 6 a-side tournament hoping to avenge their heavy defeat of two weeks previous. A strong looking line-up was assembled, to be lead by Matthew Cock on his captaincy debut. Unfortunately the day started off on the wrong foot. Paul Kelly was a no-show due to a breakdown in communication. This lead to the last minute call up of the young Steve Jenkins.
An air of inevitable defeat swamped the young team, with an average age of 22.5, but Captain Cock did his best to raise morale as the first game approached. The Saints were drawn in a group with pre-tournament favourites West End Esher A and a group of assorted wallies in pink shirts. Gwyndath Price and Tom “Pud” Woods opened the batting, and a display of controlled hitting and exhausting running from the new flatmates, and then from James “Lurch” Pembroke, guided the side to 79-2 from 5 overs, the highest in the tournament.
The bowlers then comfortably defended the target, with Cock, Steve McCrum, Gwyndath and Pud sticking to their plan. Jenkins was absent for the team talk, however, and didn’t stick to the principle of bowling 6 inswinging yorkers per over, proving the most expensive of the Saint’s bowlers.
The final group game was then billed (by McCrum at least) as the clash of the titans. A battle between the pre-tournament favourites and the new tournament favourites. The game did not start favourably for the saints, Woods hoiking out for a golden duck. Price, however, took up the challenge with aplomb and some good running from him and Jenkins (less so from Lurch) together with some solid hits from Pembroke led the Saints to 53-3 from their 5 overs. This was definitely a below par score, and the bowling had to improve for the Saints to top the group.
Matthew Cock bowled a solid opening over, followed by an improved over from Jenkins, although the boundary count was starting to take its toll. The pressure was firmly on John Price, his first ball did not help settle the nerves, a wide that slipped past Pembroke for extras. From then on though, an exceptional over was bowled, with three dot balls. McCrum then followed suit, bowling a tight, full line (for a change) and only conceded 5 runs from the over. This took some of the heat off Woods, who had bowled well at the death in the previous game. He still needed a big over though, and some good block hole bowling left West End Esher A needing 9 to win from 2 balls. With 6 runs scored for a 4 and 10 for a 6, this was not beyond the realms of possibility. But with Woods holding his nerve it was, and the Saints had defended the lowest winning score of the tournament.
As the semi finals approached, the Saints were in high spirits. Jenkins had other ideas though, and flicked his team mates the V and boogered off to chav about with his little friends. Fortunately Paul Chaplin was on hand with his freshly pressed whites and filled in at the last minute. This move would weaken the batting, but strengthen the bowling no end. Again the Saints batted first, Woods and Price again doing most of the batting. Pembroke again contributed, and Cock and McCrum faced 3 deliveries between them at the death. A target of 64 was around par for the course and it was up to the bowlers to deliver.
Matthew Cock was again responsible for the first over. He took an early wicket, a rank long hop just dropping down onto the stumps. Controversy then struck. An apparent infringement on the 10 yard run up limit led to a no-ball being called by Shakool Rana’s twin brother. (For the ignorants out there, it is Rana of Gatting/Faislabad fame) The no-ball cost 4 runs, which would prove costly. There followed a typically economical Chaplin over, but then came the boiling point. Price was called for another no-ball. A heated debate raged, and another one was duly called. The phrase “we play by my rules” was rumoured to have been muttered by Rana. Price, however, kept his cool despite a wide ball to finish strongly.
As the penultimate over was about to be bowled by McCrum, the other umpire defended the Saints and stated that Rana was indeed out of order, having cost Westfield 12 crucial runs through his petty mindedness. Undettered, McCrum kept his cool to take 2 wickets in the over, both caught behind the wicket by Pembroke. Unfortunately, a wide ball was also delivered, to the annoyance of all concerned. It left Woods in an unenviable position of having to keep his over to under 10 runs. It proved beyond him, bowling a wide ball and then a boundary secured the win. It was later found out that Rana is the coach of the team that would have played the Saints in the final. Cheating b*stard.
At the end of the day, the team did what they do best, that is shouting abuse at anyone within earshot with a few beers. Gwyndath Price hit some monsterously big sixes, thus winning his bet in the pub the night before saying that he would hit the furthest six of the tournament. Steve McCrum picked up 3 wickets from his 3 overs without conceding a boundary, and was also the only batsman to face a ball and never get out. Credit too to Matt Cock, his last minute decision to bowl McCrum 4th rather than last paid dividends. A good day ruined by a cheating benchod.