Sunday June 17, 2018: 1.30pm. 40 Overs
Toss: Nepotists, Bat
Nepotists: 9-228, 39.2 Overs (Hoar 96, Price 29, Culley 23)
Chingford: 10-152, 35.3 Overs (Mason 3-13, Sparrow 2-17, Dale 2-24)
Result: Win
Scorecard: Here
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With much conjecture over the postcode of North Enfield (E2, EN4 or EN2), typo’s in the ‘TEAM’ email and ‘Directions to North Enfield’ email that preceded this return fixture should not exclude any Nepo from confirming by their own means the correct location of the ground. Typo’s aside, you were asked to follow these ‘directions to North Enfield’ and not asked to follow the wrong postcode at the bottom of the email.
For the record, apologies to all for misleading information, in part!
Had the link been clicked you would see we were playing North Enfield Cricket Club in EN2 and not Chingford Cricket Club in E4 or E2 or anywhere closer to Heathrow for a better plane-spotting fixture (can’t wait for Royal Household!). When all else fails, full and correct ‘directions’ to all opposition ground are on the Nepo’s website for this very good reason but let me digress.
With less than 11 Nepo’s present (some still biking or hiking from E2) we lost the toss and were invited to bat and in the 14th over, James Culley (NZ / NY*) was castled by the Bomber Dale of North Enfield for a fine 23 off 39 in his first match for the Nepo’s in 2 years, with a fine opening stand of 63 on the cards.
Thank you for helping us make up the playing 10 James, see you next year?!
Steve Werren (AUS) padded up at 3 and as he did last week in E4, joined Carl Hoar (ENG) for a reckless and disrespectful 8 off 9 balls, calling Time Hardy to the crease on his way back to the shed after being castled by the Bomber Dale of North Enfield, Nepo’s now 2-77. Time too made 8 before he was knocked over by the North Enfield Colt off 28 patient deliveries, but not after adding 75 runs for the 3rdwicket. In the context of the game, that wasn’t good enough as we won by 76!
Rich Price (NZ) came looking to run plenty of singles but had to settle for boundaries that included the Nepo’s first six since Carl smashed one into the church at Kew to bring up his century 4 weeks ago; a long time between glories. As it was Carl need 4 of those 6 runs today as he was sadly stumped for a very-Carl-Like 96, sprawled across the deck, the Nepo’s 4-169, bringing Nick Grieve (NZ) to the crease.
Nick is often ‘always looking good’ until he gets out. This time, his 16 amid a 42runs stand with Rich was seemed a lot more by the time he was dubiously stumped. I think given out because Steve earlier in the inning, wasn’t. This is where it all went pear-shaped (template portion of the match report in use now).
Jim Mason (AUS) gone first ball. Surviving the Hattrick ball (but not his 2nd ball) Kahuna (AUS / POL) bowled for 0, bringing Bomber to the crease, and whom duly had Rich caught! Unlike Rich, Bomber didn’t want to run singles and subsequently left Rich on strike to be caught for 29 off 28. With Kiso (SL) still trying to negotiate his way from Harrow to North Enfield via Chingford, I was the last man in to partner Bomber through the final 6 overs.
We saw through a couple of maiden overs, a few boundaries, and a three, before I was bowled for 12 off 19 in the 40th, leaving Bomber stranded on 4 and the Nepo’s a competitive 228 before tea yielding 6.5 on the ‘RichTea Scale’. How it got 6.5 compared with last week 9.5 I will never know. Actually, I know why it was 6.5, I still can’t believe last week was 9.5.
Invited to maximise his contribution in his only game this season James Culley opened the bowling with myself and together we rolled through 16 overs outstanding overs; certainly the best both of us have bowled this season. We almost put the game out of reach for North Enfield there and then, if not for only taking two wickets, myself ending 8-3-17-2 and James 8-0-14-0.
Nick replaced myself and got carted but importantly claimed a wicket in his first over with Bomber Dale standing at mid-on between the batsman and a six. Somehow, Bomber held on to this tracer that wasn’t even juggled. Straight in, and straight up in celebration! Unbelievable scenes!
Rich replaced James to continue the tight bowling, including a wicket to end his first over, taking out the stubborn opening batsman and ending 5-2-18-1. Nick on the other hand, though claiming another wicket, that of a child, spilled claret all over the park as he went for plenty with 6-0-60-2. North Enfield at one end were looking good, but I had to drag Rich to keep him as a back-up if required later in the inning with Bomber replacing Nick, and Jim doing the same for Rich.
Like Nick’s batting, Jim’s bowling blows hot and cold. Thankfully today was cold as the Nepo sweaters (even worn by several North Enfield players) kept Jim hot and the Nepo’s in the game with a blistering 3 step spell of 5-0-12-3. This included the match winning dismissal of their 1st XI number 3 whom could single handed get the hosts over the line… if he wasn’t bowled before taking to Bomber, whom too was well amongst the championship points.
Replacing Nick, Bomber put the brakes on the scoring with a fine spell of line and dros, coercing the batsman into false shots and big boundaries and a mixture of the two which brought Bomber a spell of 4-0-26-2. With points for his catch and red-ink, in one match Bomber passes many regular Nepo’s on the 2018 points table, as perhaps inspiration to play more.
Bicycling to Chingford before reaching North Enfield doesn’t earn any bonus points this year but the destination is saved for next year and a reminder of where not to go next week.
With 76 runs the greater,
Yours in Nepotism,
Sparrow
SCHWIM MOMENT: Rich Price for hitting our first 6 in one month!
NACA: Bomber Dale for bringing the Nepo’s into disrepute by wearing his circa 1980 moth-eaten Nepos sweater and believing the postcode in the email was not there as a joke to mis-direct him!
*North Yorkshire