Match Report

Sunday 05 July 2009, at Civil Service Sports Ground, Dukes Meadow, Chiswick - Won by 40 runs (Ref. 200913)

Debuts: Akhtar Khan, Anayat Khan

In a match of fluctuating fortunes Wealdstone Corinthians had to dig deep into their batting resources to post a decent score in this 10-a-side match in Chiswick, after starting rapidly then collapsing. They then had to bowl and field tightly throughout in order to secure their second limited overs victory in a row. A rapid 50 from debutant Akhtar Khan looked to have been wasted when seven wickets fell within 16 overs, but the visitors were rescued by sensible accumulation from last wicket pair Akshay Samarth and Steve Brown who added 38 and used up most of the 18.3 overs at their disposal. Energy Exiles made a solid start, losing just one wicket in their first 12 overs. Well directed bowling from the three Shahs and a brace of wickets for the other three bowlers used then ensured the home side would not emulate the England Women's team, who completed a successful, but narrow, run chase off the last scheduled ball of their match with Australia.

Corinthians 165 (35.2 overs), Akhtar Khan 51 (29 balls), J Shah 27 (18 balls), A Samarth 22 (59 balls), A Uttley 4-29

Steve Brown won the toss yet again, and as usual opted to take first use of a flat looking pitch. Andrew Wingfield began with a maiden to Andy Naylor and Jameel Shah opened the scoring with a boundary off Naren Patel. An eventful third over brought 12 runs and the wicket of Naylor, who cut Wingfield to the point boundary, glanced him for a single, ran 3 for a Jameel cover drive and then chipped a catch to Scott at mid off. Jameel hit the last ball for 4. Akhtar Khan began as he meant to continue, with two leg side fours off Patel, then drove Wingfield over long on for 6 and after a wide hit another 4. Jameel responded with a huge 6 over long on, off Patel, and two more boundaries off Wingfield before being bowled in the 7th over making it 57-2. Although Chris Brown was bowled in Adam Uttley's first over the scoring rate of 8 an over was maintained as Akhtar hit 4, 6 and 3 off Wingfield and 9 in Uttley's next over. He reached his 50 from 28 balls (the 10th fastest in the club's history) with another 4 through mid wicket, but was bowled next ball to make it 85-4 in the 11th over. There was plenty of time for Dharmik and Wakeel to build a big partnership, but after one boundary from each three wickets fell in consecutive overs. Wakeel was bowled by Uttley, Dharmik clipped Martin Thomas tamely to Scott at mid on and, after a powerful strike to the mid wicket boundary Chris Brosnan was caught to make it 112-7. Akshay Samarth joined Ayanat Khan, who looked in no trouble and struck fours off both Uttley and Thomas, but he played a wild shot in Uttley's last over and was bowled. Energy Exiles brought Wingfield back for his last 2 overs to try and finish off the innings, but fortunately the last pair understood the hare and tortoise fable. They blocked resolutely and picked off ones and twos from the fifth bowler, off spinner Parker-Jones, and Patel and Thomas in their second spells. Brown even cut Patel for 4, the only boundary after the 19th over other than 4 byes, before the partnership was broken when Akshay was bowled by Parker-Jones for an effective knock of 22. Brown was left 13 not out and the stand ended just short of being the best of the innings.

Energy Exiles 125 (37.4 overs), D Shah 3-20, Akhtar Khan 2-14, A Samarth 2-15, S Brown 2-18, A Wingfield 32

Akshay and Jameel began with three tight overs, before each conceded a boundary to Davies and Searle. Both openers hit a four off Jameel in the 6th over to take the score to 20-0. Then Akshay made the breakthrough with a superb inswinger that nicked Searle's leg bail, and the scoring rate slowed. Dharmik replaced Jameel and began with a maiden, though conceded 9 runs in his next over to make it 39-1 after 12, still anyone's game. Three quick wickets tilted it Corithians' way, as Chris Brosnan dived left to hold a low catch at cover and give Akshay a deserved second wicket. Without addition Davies was expertly caught behind off Dharmik after toeing what would have been a wide. Patel was bowled by a slower ball from Dharmik, who later repeated the feat to remove Scott in the 24th over, which ended on 64-5. Wakeel had replaced Akshay and would have been equally frugal in his 8 overs had it not been for three no balls, called for clipping the return crease in an attempt to avoid twisting his ankle in the dusty pit left by the delivery stride of previous bowlers. Although unrewarded he was hostile and joined Parker-Jones as the only other bowler not to concede a boundary. Wingfield and Kerrison raised the home side's hopes with their best stand of 43, but it had taken 30 overs to reach the halfway point of the target as Jameel conceded just 11 runs in his second spell of 4 overs. The last 8 overs were reserved for Akhtar Khan and Steve Brown, who finished the innings with dismissals in four consecutive overs. Kerrison was bowled by a quicker ball from Akhtar, Wingfield holed out at mid wicket off Brown the ball after Akshay had been moved there from slip, Thomas lost his middle stump to Akhtar, and Chris Brown held Patel at cover to conclude what had become the inevitable. There had, however, been passages of play when the outcome had been far from certain.