Clapham Nomads v Surbiton Imperials - 2/9/12

Clapham Nomads got their season back on track with an excellent, if slightly controversial, 8-wicket victory over a strong Surbiton side.  Nomads, boosted by pace bowling legend Rafi, managed to restrict Imperials to 150 on a really excellent track at Abbey Rec.
Nomads beefed up our side for this tough-looking fixture by drafting in Rafi, probably Nomads' finest ever regular player, for his first game for the club for a few years. 
As usual, skipper Todorow won the toss and, after 2 low scores batting first, elected to field.
A back injury to Todorow, caused by playing tennis with a much younger man, meant that Abdul Khan continued his successful new ball link-up with Hassan Khan.  An early wicket for Hassan, tight and probing as ever, helped to keep Surbiton's rate down early on and the 18-over drinks break saw the score on around 55 for 2.  Ominously, the away side's star batsman, the intense, explosive, Mini Cooper-driving teacher Johnny was still there having survived half chances to catch him and to run him out.
Rafi was first change and there was the almost tangible excitement that only a high class paceman can provide as he steamed in.  Wicketkeeper John Crossland thought Rafi had lost just a tiny fraction of his pace but the custodian's gloves were still being rapped very hard indeed.  Crossland purred with pleasure at how much he enjoyed keeping to Rafi and I have a suspicion it was the hand pain, rather than the accuracy and consequent lack of diving, that John enjoyed.
Rafi soon caused a batsman to back away markedly, bowling him 2 balls later, but Johnny coped well with the pace, milking a few runs from our star, and he also began to take a heavy toll on Abbas and debutant spinner Syed.  At around the 24-over mark, Nomads appeared to be running short of bowling options and in danger of conceding close to 200. 
Bravely, Emil Todorow, who on the Friday had looked in danger of missing his first Nomads game for 10 years, took up the reins and overcame considerable discomfort to send down 5 valuable overs, taking 1 for 25.  Somehow this spell, something different for Imperials to consider, combined with excellent Nomads fielding and 3 late wickets for Rafi to wrest back the initiative for Nomads.  Highlights of the last 10 overs were excellent direct hits from Prasanth and Abdul (one stump to aim at for Abdul but that's all the Wizard of the Infield needs) and a difficult low catch by Hassan to remove the dangerous Khalid Harris who had smacked Rafi for a resounding straight 4.  Hassan responded to the acclaim by declaring that he was, in fact, Shahid Afridi.  Nomads dismissed Surbiton for 150 on the last ball of the 35 overs.  Johnny starred with 73.
So, a medium-sized target on a good pitch against a tough bowling line-up full of variety and accuracy (who had dismissed us for 83 in June.)  This was a situation tailor-made for Mark Bradshaw to steer us to, or close to, victory with a crafted 40 or 50.  However, still missing our star opener and with a predominantly attacking early and middle order, this had the potential to go spectacularly wrong or right.
Mahesh Vyas and Darwin did well to see off the opening salvoes, particularly the former England Deaf international Siddique.  The pair carved out 27 valuable runs before Vyas played across to be bowled leg stump in House's first over.  Darwin followed 2 overs later and, when Prasanth Pattiyil appeared run out by a yard or 2 shortly afterwards, doom was closing in.  Surprisingly to just about everyone, Umpire Todorow ruled Not Out.  In Todorow's defence, the turf by the crease was churned up and his own mobility was very restricted, so he might not have got the best view of this incident.
After that, things couldn't have gone much better for Nomads as Prasanth and Hassan just grew and grew in confidence.  There were a couple of shouts for LBW but no other chances that I can recall.  At one stage, Hassan was just effortlessly tapping the ball out between cover and long-off for 1s and 2s and I don't think I have ever seen such effortless batting at this level - against a very decent bowling side you must remember.  Prasanth's innings was a mixture of mighty blows straight and over square leg, and a period when he made it look almost as easy as Hassan, just flicking ball after ball wide of Mid-Wicket for a run or two.  Prasanth actually outscored Hassan for most of the stand as he was on 1 when the all-rounder came in, and he was first to his half-century.  It was great to watch this from the umpiring position and it made up for some of this season's misery.  The pair secured an unexpectedly comfortable victory by 8 wickets with almost 7 overs to spare - just as well as we would have been playing in pitch darkness if the innings had lasted 35 overs.
Man of the Match was Prasanth for outscoring Hassan and for a generally brilliant all-round performance including a catch and a direct hit.   Fielder of the Day was Hassan who didn't put a foot wrong in the field that I can recall and took the catch of the day.

Surbiton Imperials  - 150 from 35 overs

H. Khan  7-1-11-2
Abdul Khan  7-0-34-0
Rafi  7-1-27-4
Abbas Khan  7-0-41-1
Syed  2-0-12-0
E. Todorow  5-0-25-1

Clapham Nomads  -  151 for 2 from 28.1 overs

M. Vyas  6
Darwin  14
P. Pattiyil  not out 53
H. Khan  not out 53

F.O.W. - 27, 31

Clapham Nomads won by 8 wickets