Clapham Nomads v Surbiton Imperials - 28/4/13

This was a tough way to start a season, facing a very talented side against whom we have possibly over-achieved with 3 wins in the last few seasons.
As this was too early in the year to book our usual pitches, we used the old stand-by of Beverley Park in New Malden.  Although this is a perfectly serviceable venue, there is something vaguely depressing about it.  It is also very poor ground for picking out the ball, and oddly this wasn't helped by the complete lack of leaves on the trees after a freezing April.
Anyway, enough waffle.  Nomads fielded and claimed an encouraging early scalp with the very dangerous Surbiton opener Johnny caught nicely in the deep by Abbas off the bowling of Hassan Khan.  That was the high-point for Nomads.  Our bowling was respectable enough but a touch innocuous and the Away side steadily accumulated a formidable total, led by Siddique who made a chanceless half-century.  The pick of the Nomads attack was probably Riaz but this was an ordinary effort from Clapham, though slow-medium bowler Andrew Meaden, on his debut, showed some promise with 2 tidy, Todorowesque overs near the end.  Surbiton's total of 180 for 4 off 35 overs on a very slow, bowler-friendly wicket and a lush grassy outfield was worth well over 200 on a better maintained ground.
Imperials' paceman Tej struck early, having Mahesh Vyas caught behind third ball and, together with the ever-tidy Siddque, he made life tough for Nomads' top order, especially when Prasanth Pattiyil was bowled in the 5th over.  Adnan Khan had looked anything but comfortable at first but, joined by Hassan, he began to relax and play some fine shots. Hassan looked in the mood and the 50 stand came up in reasonable time but with Nomads still behind the rate and with the batting below 4 having a distinctly threadbare look.  Adnan survived an extremely confident appeal with the score in the 90s (I can't remember what it was for now, but voices were raised) but was adjudged LBW soon afterwards.  Chris Kennedy fell next ball.  Nick Lefebve supported Hassan in a stand of 29 but overs were running out.  Under pressure for quick runs, Hassan went for a massive hit but edged it to the keeper.  As John so perceptively pointed out in the scorebook; "Once Hassan was out it was game over."  The only player in the lower order to show much was Andrew Meaden who stroked a promising 10 but Nomads tailed off and were dismissed in the penultimate over - 36 runs short.
Man of the Match was Hassan on his 100th appearance for the club, which we celebrated with chocolate cake - possibly the highlight of the day.  Fielder of the Day was Abbas for his cool catch to dismiss Surbiton's danger man.
To cap a fairly unsatisfactory day, the changing rooms had mysteriously become locked at close of play - even though we finished early. The groundsman had vanished.  The only person to suffer from this was one ot the Surbiton players who said that; "My clothes are in there, but nothing really important."  I hope he got his gear back in the end.

Surbiton Imperials (180 for 4 from 35 overs) beat Clapham Nomads (144 all out from 33.4 overs) by 36 runs.

M.Vyas  - 0
P. Pattiyil  -  3
Adnan Khan  -  35
H. Khan  -  68
C. Kennedy  -  0
N. Lefebve  -  1
R. Khan  -  0
A. Meaden  -  10 not out
Abbas Khan  -  1
E. Todorow  -  1
J. Crossland  -  1

F.O.W. - 2, 8, 99, 99, 128, 128, 128, 129,  134,  144

H.  Khan  7-1-22-1
E. Todorow  5-0-24-0
R. Khan  7-0-25-2
Abbas Khan  7-0-23-1
Adnan Khan  7-0-50-0
A. Meaden  2-0-12-0