Nomads just lost out yet again to those run-chase specialists the Energy Exiles in an exciting and pretty good-tempered match. Nomads scored 163 for 7 from 30 overs with some entertaining pinch-hitting from Mahesh and Bilal early on, followed by something of a slump to 129 for 6, though Mahesh did complete a useful 28 and top-scorer Abdul and Khalid added 48 for the 4th wicket. Some quick, late runs from Hassan helped us up to a respectable-sounding total of 163 for 7 at the interval. Perennial thorn in the side Simon Gundry starred with 3 for 20 at good pace; we even gave him an LBW decision. He also recorded his 100th wicket for the Exiles - congratulations to the big man.
The only moment of real controversy was a very confident caught behind shout against Khalid Harris (who was playing his first Nomads game for 3 years.) The appeal was turned down and Khalid wandered out of his crease, only for his bails to be whipped off. Only diplomacy kept him at the crease but it was a brief stay of execution as he was bowled the next ball.
Exiles fielded their 5 most regular bowlers against us and all bowled well. If there was a bowler we could perhaps have scored more off it was Gwyn Thomas. Thomas is slower than the other 4 but is still a canny performer who has taken nearly 200 wickets for Exiles. Batsmen can sometimes get after him but they have to read him first, and I heard a couple of our guys refer to him as "The Spinner", which shows they hadn't really worked him out. To me, Thomas is more of a slow-medium bowler who was drifting it away from the batsman in this game.
Anyway, with our strongest bowling line-up in ages, and Exiles missing one or two batsmen, we were by no means disheartened at tea.
Justin Lamprecht led Exiles' counter attack with some big shots and, crucially, Exiles kept their momentum up better than we did in the middle 10 overs. John Parker-Jones anchored the innings and John Tither looked classy for his 30-odd runs but Matt Winkle top-scored with 42 and some excellent running between the wickets, particularly when Barry Whiteman was at the crease. Whiteman had scored 80 plus in his previous game but confidential sources had revealed he might be vulnerable to something quick-ish and straight. Sure enough, Tahir did the job with a stinging caught and bowled.
58 were needed from the last 10 but some leg-side hitting from Mike Phillips put Exiles back in command. Nomads' hopes revived when Abdul set up the run out of Phillips on 149 and Khalid took a great catch to dismiss S. Gundry on the same score. 10 were needed off 2 overs in autumnal gloom but Andy Wingfield took advantage of the last of the light and finished it in the penultimate over.
So Exiles win the series 2-1. We are pleased for them...of course we are. Any consolations? Well it seems we are all friends again. Also, there were emotional scenes as we celebrated Andrew West's 100 wickets for the Nomads. Finally, Nomads may be ahead on run rate over the three games. I'll definitely check on that at some point.
Man of the Match is tricky but I would go for Tahir who took 2 wickets in the most economical spell by any bowler from either side and also managed 12 quick runs and a fine catch. Fielder of the Day was Khalid with his 2 catches including the excellent late one that accounted for Mr Gundry and gave us fleeting hope. Quote of the Day came from Exiles' skipper Martin Thomas at the conclusion of an early Andy Wingfield over in which stand-in opener Bilal had taken wild swings at every ball and connected , after a fashion, with one. "He's not exactly Bradshaw", the skipper observed.
So Andrew West and Simon Gundry both celebrated 100 wickets for their teams. I really think a joint lap of honour around Nursery Road would have been in order, but instead John Crossland and West shared champagne and reminiscences until late in the night and apparently became quite merry. I wish I'd been there.
Clapham Nomads - 163 for 7 from 35 overs
M. Vyas b Patel 28
Bilal c and b M.Thomas 11
P. Pattiyil c Wingfield b G. Thomas 8
A. Khan b Gundry 32
K. Harris b Wingfield 20
Tahir b Gundry 12
N. Lefebve lbw Gundry 9
H. Khan not out 25
E. Todorow (capt.) - not out 2
did not bat; J. Crossland (wkt), A. West
Bowling
A. Wingfield 7-2-42-1
M. Thomas 7-0-25-1
N. Patel 7-1-25-1
G. Thomas 7-1-28-1
S. Gundry 6-1-20-3
J. Lamprecht 1-0-15-0
F. O.W. - 22, 56, 60, 108, 126, 129, 160
Energy Exiles 164 for 6 from 34 overs
Nomads bowling;
H. Khan 7-1-32-1
E. Todorow 7-0-41-1
Tahir 6-1-16-2
A. Khan 7-1-33-1
A. West 4-0-17-0
K. Harris 1-0-12-0
Bilal 2-0-8-0
Energy Exiles won by 4 wickets
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