It was one of the most chaotic pre-match build-ups anyone could recall which, for Clapham Nomads, is saying something. Most players were late, one car almost ended up in the Thames, there was a major controversy about parking; in the end it was a relief to take the field, even though the pitch was surrounded by hushed players, gazing at it rather in the manner of Junior Doctors witnessing some horrific skin condition for the first time.
The late start necessitated a 30-over game. Chalfont's skipper eagerly inserted Nomads and Mark Bradshaw was joined on the parched, bumpy-looking strip by a new opening partner in Gideon Reeve. Disaster struck in the first over with the pacy Dorman finding the edge of Bradshaw's bat; 1 for 1. Reeve followed in the next over when Watson cut in a ball that also kept a little low, but by that time the score had raced to 12 courtesy of a classy cut from Prasanth Pattiyil and six wides from Dorman.
Hassan Khan came out and soon showed the pitch was playable with a series of boundaries, at least one in each over, with Watson being the chief victim. 14-year-old spinner Dunn replaced Dorman and initially impressed, but he wilted rather in the face of an onslaught from Hassan, a glorious cover drive being the highlight. The score raced past 50 in the 11th over and it looked rosy for Nomads with our battery of bowlers who specialize in bowling on dodgy pitches - though at this stage the track was looking half-decent.
That theory took a knock, as did Nomads' chances, in the next over with the arrival of the tall left-arm quickie Noot. His first two balls got up sharply on off-stump and Hassan did well to keep them down. The third ball pitched similarly, Hassan shaped to cut but the ball bounced no more than nine inches and took out the off stump.
Prasanth took centre stage but No. 5 Sohail soon departed. A new bowler, Murphy, seemed temptingly driveable but took 3 important wickets in a 4-over burst. Prasanth fell for a most valuable 26 to a fine running catch deep in the covers and Abdul Khan and Riaz Khan were also caught in the deep. Abdul had played particularly well in keeping out some threatening bowling from Noot and some variable bounce. Riaz inevitably managed one of his trademark straight fours before departing for 8.
Nick Lefebve and Gopi Pala came together at a rather worrying 109 for 7 and, with the fastest and the slowest Nomad in partnership, there was definite Run Out potential. The pair played well though; Lefebve mostly blocking while Gopi produced one of his best Nomads innings with some hearty leg-side blows, a 4 and a big 6 over mid-wicket in one over from the wilting spinner Dunn being the highlight.
Gopi was finally caught for 29 off the returning Dorman with 13 balls remaining and Emil Todorow soon followed, bowled by a complete pea-roller which didn't bounce at all. It was down to Lefebve and John Crossland to unleash some fury at the death. Lefebve did unleash a massive swipe, but not particularly near the ball, and he was trapped in front LBW to end the innings in the final over on 145 - which we would certainly have settled for after 2 overs, or probably even at the start of the game.
Chalfont were a very pleasant bunch of young guys and we sensed that their batting was likely to have some class, but also that they would be more used to the lush greens of South Buckinghamshire than the Council-prepared deserts of North Richmond. It was hard to guess how things were going to pan out. There was a low-key start with Hassan Khan and Emil Todorow sending down their usual tight, probing, stuff but Chalfont coping comfortably. Todorow produced several of the B.Y. Specials (Balkan Yorkers) which were a feature of the earlier part of his career and claimed many a head-scratching victim. The closest we came to a wicket was another excellent direct hit from the golden arm of Abdul Khan - it would have been a fourth umpire referral and I think it would have been just out.
For the seventh over, H. Khan was replaced by Gopi who gradually eased himself into a truly devastating spell of medium-pace bowling. In his second over, John Crossland leapt like a salmon to prevent 4 byes and keep the pressure on and then, the following ball, the evergreen keeper pounced like a vulture to glove a sharp chance and end a threatening opening stand of 31. Todorow kept the pressure on at the other end and then the Hyderabad Hurricane just blew St Peter apart - and left Nomads at the gates of heaven; No. 3 I. Cottam was comprehensively bowled, Ben scooped the next ball, a rare long-hop, up to Gideon Reeve at Short Cover Point and, with No. 5 McHale encircled by Nomads who were hungry for the hat-trick like a pack of ravenous hounds, the youngster clipped it straight to Short Square leg where Riaz Khan took an excellent pressure catch to spark off scenes of joy.
Gopi completed his five-fer with another bowled in the next over and, at that stage, looked like he might claim all ten. Riaz Khan bowled the potentially dangerous Noot in his first over to end the chances of a ten-wicket haul but Gopi took a wicket in each of his last two overs to finish with figures of 7 for 29 which is the best Nomads analysis for 7 or 8 years. This left the score at 66 for 8 and, with the opener O. Cottam still at the crease, Dorman on his way out and Gopi having finished his overs, there was at least some chance that St Peter could score the required 80 from the last 14 overs. The Khans did a professional job though; a wicket apiece for Abdul and Riaz - and a sporting LBW decision from the umpire for the 10th wicket - ended the visitors' innings on 82 with O. Cottam carrying his bat for 40 Not Out. A day that had started badly ended brilliantly with a much-needed victory over a side that had a lot of talent.
To award Gopi Man of the Match is not a difficult decision. What a spell of bowling. Some captains would have claimed credit for Tactical Intervention in making the early bowling change but Todorow sportingly admitted that Hassan asked to be taken off as he was tired. Fielding wasn't too bad and catching was excellent for the 2nd week in a row. Fielder of the Day must be Riaz Khan for clinching Gopi's hat-trick with a sharp catch.
CLAPHAM NOMADS - 145 from 29.2 overs
M. Bradshaw 0
G. Reeve 0
P. Pattiyil 26
H. Khan 36
Sohail 0
A. Khan 11
R. Khan 8
N. Lefebve 8
G. Pala 29
E. Todorow 0
J. Crossland 1 not out
F.O.W. - 1, 12, 53, 67, 75, 102, 109, 141, 142, 145
CHALFONT St PETER 82 from 20 overs
O. Cottam not out 40
Ben c Crossland b G. Pala 16
I. Cottam b G. Pala 7
Ben c G. Reeve b G. Pala 0
C. McHale c R.Khan 0
Pomarenke b G. Pala 0
Noot b R. Khan b G. Pala 0
Jake c M Bradshaw b G. Pala 0
Dorman b G. Pala 6
Dunn b A. Khan 8
Tom lbw R. Khan 0
Nomads' bowling;
H. Khan 3-1-8-0
E. Todorow 6-0-24-0
G. Pala 6-1-29-7
R. Khan 4-0-17-2
A. Khan 1-0-6-1
F.O.W. - 31, 40, 40, 40, 47, 54, 66, 66, 77, 82
Clapham Nomads won by 63 runs
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