Match Report

Saturday 18 April 2009, at Redbridge Sports Centre, Forest Road, Fairlop - Drawn (Ref. 200901)

It is to be hoped that Wealdstone Corinthians haven't begun the season as they mean to go on. They struggled to raise enough players for the trip to Essex, then squandered a useful position in each innings to lose by 5 wickets. Some soft dismissals led to a collapse that saw 7 wickets go down for 40 runs, and after reducing Old Parkonians to 41-5 the chances of victory receded when Wakeel Shah and Chris Clark each conceded 15 runs in their first over.

Corinthians 95 (30.1 overs), A Barrons 24, J Wakeling 19, P Cundy 13, V Barton 5-21

Although the day itself was sunny, rain on the previous two days meant a damp pitch and uncut outfield. It was no surprise that Corinthians were inserted after Steve Brown lost the toss. The new opening pairing of Barrons and Naylor made an 'andy start, reaching 11-0 after 4 overs. The promising position was then undone when Barrons pushed Bharuchi to mid wicket and called for what turned out to be an unwise quick single as Naylor was run out by a yard with a direct hit. Only two partnerships would be bigger than this, including one of 33 for the next wicket from 11 overs. John Wakeling drove both Gambleton and Bharuchi for boundaries, and a double bowling change brought Barrons a sweet four off Vijayanathan through the covers. At the other end Barton took a wicket with his first ball, when Wakeling scooped him to point, and ended with the possibly flattering return of 5 wickets in 5 overs. Chris Brown hit one boundary before being caught at mid wicket, Andy Clark's dismissal was a clone of Wakeling's, and Barrons holed out at mid off after a patient 24. Akshay Samarth, Wakeel Shah and Phil Cundy, who hit the season's first 6 over long off, all scored a boundary before being bowled by Barton. Seven wickets had perished in under 9 overs, and it was left to the Captain and Vice Captain to eke out 11 runs for the last wicket. The innings ended when Chris Clark was caught off a skier, some 25 runs short of what might have been a useful target for the home side.

Old Parkonians 98-5 (26.1 overs), A Samarth 4-23

Corinthians could have made an early breakthrough as both Steve Brown and Akshay Samarth had Bhatia edge to slip, where Andy Barrons couldn't hold on to either of these difficult chances. It was Akshay who took the first wicket of the season, when Bhatia was held at mid on by Chris Brown, and he went on to take three more wickets. The other opener Vijayanathan edged low to keeper Naylor, and Khan went the same way via the glove trying to leave one that bounced. Next ball Thorpe tried to slam the ball over mid off but holed out to a fine catch by Andy Clark, and 36-2 had become 36-4. Nutt, who later hit some aggressive shots, put his side under more pressure by calling Patel for an ambitious run and he was run out by a throw from Wakeel to the keeper. Phil Cundy replaced Brown and bowled 7 tight overs without reward, whilst after a great spell of 10 overs Akshay was replaced by Wakeel. He bowled much too short for the conditions and was easily put away through mid wicket for three boundaries. His second over was much better, and almost produced the 6th wicket but Andy Clark couldn't hold a difficult chance at deep mid off. Nutt and Bharuchi brought up their 50 partnership when Chris Clark's radar went AWOL, and the game ended when Andy Barrons (who had bowled well in pre-season nets) saw his first ball cut for four.