"The Longest Day" was the subtitle assigned to this 21st June fixture against old rivals the Energy Exiles. Images were evoked of bitter adversaries locked in mortal combat under a blazing sun but these images were false; firstly the temperature never climbed above average and secondly we really like the Exiles and we hope they like us too.
The only true whiff of danger was provided by the Nursery Road pitch, one of Merton Council's worst; under-prepared, with a green strip resembling a mini-runway just outside off stump on a good length. Having said that, the danger was to the batsmen's averages rather than to their health, though there was one injury, more of which later.
There had been rumours of 45 overs a side but eventually 40 each was settled on and Nomads were inserted by Exiles' skipper Phil Ling. Exiles had numerous bowling options but stuck to the same formula as in the previous game. Andy Wingfield was lively and more accurate than last month, while Naren Patel began from the Pavilion End with a Todorow-esque mixture of wides and deadly deliveries. Patel produced his deadliest with the penultimate ball of the first over and it provided the wicket the Exiles wanted most. Mark Bradshaw was undone by a ball which hit the green strip, diverted sharply inwards and hit the stumps low down. With Bradshaw's departure, some of the spice was removed from the contest but he still averages 55 in 3 innings for the Nomads against his former team.
Jim Joyce came in and consolidated for 3 overs before starting to launch his T20-honed shots. He hit one particularly nice off-drive against Wingfield but hearts were in mouths at times as he only just got the bat down to Patel on several occasions. In the 10th over Patel finally got his man bowled - another one that kept a bit low. Worse was to follow in the next over; Hassan got a leading edge to a straightener from Andy Wingfield and the ball was pouched with a roar of delight from the bowler who realised the importance of this wicket. 30 for 3 and three men in the pavilion whom you would back to score 100 between them. Ben Fewson was beginning to resemble General Custer and he cracked 3 boundaries in 8 balls to prompt a double bowling change.
Phil Ling's first ball had the umpire's arms twitching in readiness to call an off-side wide when the Reader cherry suddenly arced in quite beautifully and clipped Ajmal's leg bail. Four balls later, Ben Fewson looped a short ball up into the leg side and we were suddenly 48 for 5 with the last 2 of Nomads' much-vaunted Top 7 at the wicket. Amin and Abdul provided much-needed stabilisation. The left-hander Amin hit 5 boundaries in this partnership while Abdul was steadier before being caught off Ling for 6 out of a partnership of 29 in 33 balls. Nick Lefebve aimed to continue the Anchor Man role and was just beginning to settle when Uttley got one to straighten and lift a bit and Lefebve was snapped up at short Cover Point by his former Battersea Spinners 2nd XI captain and former Nomads team-mate Martin Thomas.
92 for 7 and a lot now depended on Amin. Nissar Khan provided further support before Amin himself was adjudged leg before off the bowling of Gwyn Thomas, out for a valuable 45 including eight 4s. Nissar fell 2 overs later. 118 for 9 and it was Entertainment Time with John Crossland joining Emil Todorow at the crease. Incident inevitably ensued but it was not the type for which we were hoping. Simon Gundry, after bowling an over of spin, "greeted" Todorow with a bouncer. The wicketkeeper duly retreated a few yards but a few deliveries later the ball popped up alarmingly on its second bounce just in front of the wicketkeeper resulting in a deep cut just below the eye. A crowd of players including "Club Doctor" Todorow dispensed advice, water, ice and toilet tissue before the keeper was driven to hospital by Naren Patel where we trust he was patched up with no problems.
Nomads lent Exiles 2 fielders and they sledged Todorow gleefully, but this cannot be blamed for the final wicket; a good 'un from Martin Thomas.
128 all out and Exiles were favourites but, thanks largely to Amin, they would have to bat well.
It didn't appear to be Exiles' strongest-ever batting line-up and hopes were quickly raised when Hassan Khan had Martin Thomas LBW early on. Opener Keith Roberts was joined by John Tither and this pair dug in. Opening bowlers H. Khan and Emil Todorow continued for 12 overs at which stage Hassan's figures were 6-6-0-1. A few shots were played off Todorow but the skipper was only costing about 3 an over. If this had been any other opposition it might have been felt that they were going just a little too slowly but most Nomads were aware that Exiles are one of the canniest teams around and wickets were paramount.
Ajmal replaced Hassan but Exiles' left-hand / right-hand combination made his radar a bit more elusive than usual and acceleration occurred. Amin looked tight from the Pavilion End though.
A breakthrough finally came with the score on around 60. Ajmal held a sharp catch off Keith Roberts who "hit the ball straight to cover" off the bowling of Amin. No.4 was bowled first ball and, with Simon Gundry at No.5, we were in amongst Exiles' hitters. Gundry played a couple of nice shots but was bowled by a pea-roller from Amin.
Andy Wingfield came in looking to up the tempo and he twice rattled the trees on the tramline side. John Tither also joined in with a 6 and continued to play admirably; defending stoutly, not giving a chance that I can recall, but increasingly picking off the bad balls. With 10 overs to go, 48 was still required and, for perhaps the only point in the game, Nomads' hopes were high. Wingfield was out played on but, even with re-introduction of Hassan, the scoreboard never jammed totally. Four an over was the requirement with 24 balls left. An over from Todorow went for 9 but yielded the wicket of Uttley. Todorow struck again when, on the advice of Mark Bradshaw (in one of the tactical interventions of the season so far), he bowled one full and straight at Ling; the umpire's raised finger was the reward.
5 were needed off 12 balls and, amid scenes of buttock-clenching tension, only 2 came from the penultimate over. Nissar Khan bowled the final over. A dot ball was followed by a firm off-drive from Tither for a single. With only Gwyn Thomas still to bat, Naren faced ball No. 3; the edge was found but the ball dropped short of deep slip and a single was scampered to level the scores. Surrounded on all sides by Nomads in variety of crouching poses, John Tither picked a gap and struck the short-ish ball though the covers for 4 to complete a truly excellent 50 and the Exiles' victory.
This was at least the 4th time Exiles have passed our total in the final over and it was hard to evade the feeling that they had scripted the entire match to end this way, and had toyed with us from ball one. Well done though, Exiles, on a good victory. We'll have to do whatever necessary to beat them next season. Rafi? Benny? Dave Hunter? Australian ringers? Are you out there?
Man of the Match was Amin - 45 and 3 for 19, a fine all-round performance. Fielder of the Day was a share between Ajmal (sharp catch, quick around the outfield) and Jim Joyce (several good stops close up, got in the batsmen's faces.) Notable bowling from Hassan; one of the most economical analyses in Nomads; history.
Result- Energy Exiles won by 3 wickets. Match stats to follow soon. NL
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