Clapham Nomads v Phoenix Epsom Liberal - 9/5/10

The 2010 season finally got started on a chilly day at Raynes Park against Phoenix Epsom Liberal, a strong side but one that we had managed to beat with good performances in the past 2 seasons.
Phoenix out-Nomaded the Nomads by turning up 45 minutes late and were asked to bat against a Clapham side reduced to ten men by the last-minute emigration of Amin - more of which later.
Mark Bradshaw took guard and was joined at the crease by Peter Moth; a welcome return for a player who last featured in the opening match of the 2009 season.
Bradshaw flicked a nice 4 to leg in the first over but the former Rutland Schools player then settled into obdurate mode, doing well to keep out some lively bowling on an awkward track. Moth was equally solid and played some rather nice straight drives at times. D'Razio found some movement and low bounce from the Bypass End while Gooding, the quicker of the two, was generally a tricky proposition. D'Razio had a good early Leg Before shout against Bradshaw turned down which produced a series of rather amusing protests from Phoenix's second slip. This included sledging, cap throwing and slightly scary staring. In the fielder's defence though, he had drunk quite a lot of whisky - to keep out the cold - and was in a good position to judge the LBW shout, though not as good a position as the umpire.
There was a bowling change after 10 overs with the score on 27 and Carl soon broke the deadlock, having Moth unluckily bowled for 13 with a skidder that bounced at least twice. Bradshaw followed three overs later, also unluckily, bottom-edging a delivery from new bowler Ray onto his bails.
Ben Fewson was now at the crease and the man who it has been revealed was voted Mr Hull 2003 and 2004 in a nightclub in the Yorkshire port city underlined this pedigree with some attractive shots. Hassan Khan began shakily, dropped on the boundary on 3, but a dance down the pitch to smack 4 turned the tempo and Khan began to dominate the bowling, exacting a particularly harsh toll from spinner Ray Ffrench. Fewson departed to a thin edge with the total on 63 but Prasanth provided Hassan with equally valuable support and a fine partnership of 7o put Nomads right back in the game. Ffrench finally took his revenge by bowling Khan for an excellent 70. 133 for 4 from 29 of the 35 overs seemed a reasonable position but a devastating final over from Carl disposed of Nomads' middle order; Prasanth was adjudged LBW for a well-crafted 14, Gopi and Todorow fell on the 4th and 5th balls and the bowler was denied his hat-trick when the keeper put down a sharp chance on the leg-side.
Mahesh Vyas and Nick Lefebve poked around a bit with 9 runs in 5 overs and the 12-year-old Medium Pacer Sofiane showed wisdom beyond his years by floating it up on off-stump to the veteran batsmen, both lovers of the leg side. The returning D'Razio wrapped up the innings in the final over and, with 143 needed to win, it seemed that Epsom Liberal held the balance of power.
Nomads appeared rather short of bowling options, with only Gopi, Hassan Khan and Emil Todorow having been regular bowlers last year. Khan and Todorow opened and, despite good pace and clever use of the slower ball from Khan, P.E.L. were untroubled. One of their openers was particularly accomplished and raced to 50 with the score in the early 70s. Gopi was first change and showed his usual good variety but the star opener managed to hit last season's Best Bowling Average winner for several shots over square leg. Prasanth replaced Todorow and soon showed that we were not so short of bowling options after all with a fine spell of Slow Medium bowling with a hint of turn. He removed the more defensive opener and followed up with 3 further wickets, the highlight being a smart stumping by glovesman John Crossland - sharp as a needle.
At 90 for 4, there was just a sniff of a chance for Nomads but Liberal had plenty of seasoned campaigners still to bat. In the event only one of them was needed, a fine catch on the boundary by Peter Moth only delayed the inevitable and with Nightshift work commitments reducing Nomads to 9 men, the away side reached their target with 6.5 overs to spare - the opener finishing on 85 Not Out.
All in all, it wasn't a bad performance from Nomads - the top 5 batsmen all played well (the total could have been 30 higher but for some high-class fielding and captaincy from Phoenix) and the bowling was better than the stats indicate. It was an enjoyable enough match, though slightly muted by disappointment at the loss of Amin and by the freezing conditions.
Man of the Match is Hassan Khan for his high-quality 70 and for being by far the most economical bowler. Prasanth Pattiyil is a close second with 4 wickets and good batting. Every John Crossland stumping is a moment to savour and this smart piece of work earns him Fielder of the Day.

CLAPHAM NOMADS 142 All Out from 34.2 overs

M. Bradshaw - 12
P. Moth - 13
B. Fewson - 14
H. Khan - 70
P. Pattiyil - 14
M. Vyas - 4
G. Pala - 0
E. Todorow - 0
N. Lefebve - 2 Not out
J. Crossland - 0

F.O.W. - 27, 29, 63, 133, 133, 133, 133, 142, 142

PHOENIX EPSOM LIBERAL 143 for 5 from 28.1 overs

H. Khan 7-2-14-0
E. Todorow 7-0-46-1
G. Pala - 7-1-47-0
P. Pattiyil 7-1-31-4
B. Fewson 0.1-0-1-0

Nomads lost by 5 wickets