For a team that never tours, there was slight excitement for Nomads at crossing the border into Surrey; a county that evokes images of tranquil greens surrounded by silent conifer woods, retired stockbrokers strolling on manicured lawns or, as Emil put it, "Welcome to Surrey. Please wipe your feet." Sadly Shelton Avenue, Warlingham is not much like that - just an extension of Croydon really.
After early morning thunderstorms, we were just grateful the game was on. There were several puddles on the outfield but the pitch was ok if spongy. 35 overs a side was agreed on with the proviso from the groundsman that any further rain would see the game called off.
Like Dulwich and Morden, Woodside Green were a mixture of gnarled veterans and youngsters of 16 to 18. The most gnarled of all informed us that "their kids had come on a lot" and the team was now rated Medium rather than Weak-Medium; not good news as we usually lost to them when they were in the latter category.
Captain Emil Todorow won the toss and chose to bat, allegedly despite the home skipper's expressed fear that the game might be all over too quickly. A comment noted by Todorow.
Ben Fewson, making his first appearance for a year, took guard with Abdul Khan. The opening overs were tricky. The captain, Ramsey, was clearly a former League bowler; just above Medium and accurate with the ball doing plenty off the pitch. At the other end, the young Cave was lively and attempted to provide "chin music" though he was hooked for 4 by both batsmen, Abdul's shot narrowly evading Square Leg's fingers. Ramsey had a very close shout for LBW before having Abdul caught behind with the score on 16.
Enter debutant Jim Joyce., a regular 20-20 player who showed this pedigree with some lavish strokes. Sadly, the only one that really connected was possibly the Shot of the Season so far - an absolute tracer bullet of an off drive that a lucky/unlucky fielder somehow got a hand to. In the next over, Ramsey delivered a ball missing leg that rapped both pads before trickling back onto the stumps and Joyce departed unluckily for 2.
Ben Fewson was playing nicely through the covers as ever but on 18 he was slightly unfortunate to smack a short-ish one from the new bowler (Ramsey's son) straight to Square Leg. 30 for 3 and a lot appeared to depend on the old firm of Hassan Khan and Ajmal. They didn't disappoint. Hassan initially steadied things while Ajmal set about demoralising the young bowlers. Two sixes and two fours were the highlights and once again Ajmal outscored his partner, being bowled for 25 out of a partnership of 48. Another debut man, Amin (who guested for Touring Theatres against Nomads last week) announced his arrival with a large 6 but soon departed. Nick Lefebve strolled out with instructions to stay there and give the strike to his partner. Hassan was approaching overdrive, racing past 50 with a brutal assault on Cave; three successive short balls each despatched with aplomb to the boundary. The youngster kept his shape though. In fact all Woodside's young players had a good attitude, though one of them attempted a stern glare at the batsman (more Rory McGrath than Glenn McGrath) quite bizarrely after a rank full toss had been patted away for a dot ball.
A mid-pitch mix-up accounted for Lefebve, run out for 8 out of a partnership of 42 and, when Hassan followed him in the next over for a fine 71, the score was 143 for 7 and the match was in the balance.
8th wicket pair Chris Kennedy and Rob Jenkins rose to the occasion, and put Nomads slightly ahead on points, with a hugely enjoyable stand of 35 from 23 balls. Kennedy played a nice cover drive for 4 but Jenkins more than fulfilled the promise he had shown in the nets. Lofting it, but hard and accurately for an Ajmal-esque 30 Not out including a 6 and four 4s. Nomads wound up on 178 for 7 from the full 35. It was hard to assess the position; the pitch was tricky, bouncy and drying but the boundaries were short. Woodside Green had never made this many against us so we were hopeful.
The usual excellent tea boosted Nomads' spirits even more and we took the field on a pleasant early evening with the puddles rapidly diminishing. Rob Jenkins worked up a head of steam downhill from the Warlingham End, regularly smacking wicketkeeper John Crossland's gloves at chest height. The young opener Woodham seemed slightly disconcerted by the pace and this was perhaps confirmed when he chipped one to the waiting Fewson at short cover. Caught Hull bowled Sheffield. A wicket Made in Yorkshire.
From the Croydon End, Emil Todorow produced a series of remarkable deliveries, kicking up off a good length to neck height. Some onlookers might have put this down to the pitch but no other bowler had really done it so one would have to credit the natural sorcery of the bowler. As one batsman remarked, to the bemusement of the cerebral Sofia-born Medium pacer, "you're ****ing unplayable, mate!"
Despite this, opener Masterman and No 3 Worrall were making fair progress with a boundary in most overs. When the dangerous-looking Worrall was badly dropped on 18 (the ball went for 4) and followed up with a 6 next ball, an ominous air was developing on about 45 for 1. Happily, Ajmal had Worrall caught behind the very next ball and then ripped out numbers 4, 5 and 6 in fairly rapid succession. A couple of them just couldn't handle the young paceman's bounce, dabbing the ball tamely into the air from which it was plucked, vulture-like, by the salivating Nomads fielders.
Hassan provided a foil for Ajmal; slightly less pacy but more accurate (this mirrors their batting partnerships.) With 15 overs left, Woodside needed another 100, but with 6 wickets down, they were really looking for one of their promising youngsters to grab the initiative. Nomads didn't allow this to happen. Skipper Todorow had a steely glint in his eye - perhaps recalling the conversation at the toss - and didn't ease the pressure for a second. The only way he could have been more ruthless would have been by bringing himself back to bowl.
There was a Chris Kennedy Special to savour (a full-length diving catch at short mid-wicket off Hassan.) Ajmal completed his five-fer with a snorter to have the captain Ramsey caught behind and then provided an assist for the last wicket, delivering a pinpoint throw for Crossland who whipped the bails off to run the final man out and prompt a flurry of pads and expletives from the batsman and a wave of self-satisfaction from the Nomads as they contemplated their best result of the season so far; a 91-run win over tough opposition.
In the clubhouse afterwards, Nomads saw England record a 20-20 victory over Pakistan. The watching Emil Todorow could only admire the cricket on display but despair that his own level of ruthlessness was not matched by his England counterpart, Collingwood.
Man of the Match was Ajmal with 5 for 28, the best Nomads bowling analysis for a couple of years, 25 quick runs and good fielding.
Fielder of the Day was too close to call between Abdul Khan (2 sharp catches and yet another direct hit - that unfortunately didn't result in a wicket) and John Crossland (2 catches and no byes conceded. Yet another vintage performance from the evergreen keeper who modestly asserted repeatedly that "it was easy on a pitch like that".) He made it look easy.
NOMADS - 178 for 7 from 35 overs
Fewson, 18
A. Khan, 6
Joyce, 2
H. Khan, 71
Ajmal, 25
Amin, 7
Lefebve, 8
Kennedy, 6 Not out
Jenkins 30 Not out
WOODSIDE GREEN - 87 all out from 22 overs
Jenkins, 5-2-17-1
Todorow, 5-0-19-0
H. Khan, 6-0-21-3
Ajmal, 6-1-28-5
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