BATTING (qualification - 2 completed innings.)
Hassan Khan - Innings 15, Not out 0, Runs 692, HS 91, Average 46.13
Mark Bradshaw - Innings 13, Not out 2, Runs 397, HS 81*, Average 36.09
Jim Joyce - Innings 2, Not out 0, Runs 64, HS 51, Average 32.00
Sumith Prasanna -Innings 4, Not out 0, Runs 117, HS 64, Average 29.25
Nick Lefebve - Innings 9, Not out 4, Runs 132, HS 42*, Average 26.40
Ben Fewson - Innings 6, Not out 0, Runs 145, HS 64, Average 24.17
Amin - Innings 2, Not out 0, Runs 44, HS 43, Average 22.00
Darwin - Innings 3, Not out 1, Runs 40, HS 23*, Average 20.00
Riaz Khan - Innings 9, Not out 1, Runs 156, HS 42, Average 19.50
Bilal - Innings 2, Not out 0, Runs 32, HS 19, Average 16.00
Mahesh Vyas - Innings 10, Not out 0, Runs 158, HS 60, Average 15.80
Prasanth Pattiyil - Innings 13, Not out 0. Runs 186, HS 35, Average 14.31
Gopi Pala - Innings 14, Not out 3, Runs 149, HS 41*, Average 13.55
Abdul Khan - Innings 6, Not out 0. Runs 72, HS 26, Average 12.00
Gideon Reeve - Innings 7, Not out 5, Runs 23. HS 16*, Average 11.50
Peter Moth - Innings 3, Not out 0, Runs 34, HS 14, Average 11.33
Emil Todorow - Innings 12, Not out 4, Runs 45, HS 15*, Average 5.63
John Crossland - Innings 7, Not out 3, Runs 10, HS 6*, Average 2.50
Sohail - Innings 2, Not out 0, Runs, 4, HS 4, Average 2.00
BOWLING (Qualification 10 overs or 4 wickets)
Tahir - Overs 14, Maidens 4, Runs 28, Wkts 4 BB 2-7, Average 7.00
Hassan Khan - Overs 91.2, Maidens 13, Runs 258, Wkts 25, BB 5-14, Average 10.32
Abdul Khan - Overs 9, Maidens 0, Runs 51, Wkts 4, BB 2-18, Average 12.75
Riaz Khan - Overs 34, Maidens 4, Runs 161, Wkts 11, BB 3-12, Average 14.64
Gopi Pala - Overs 95.1, Maidens 6, Runs 446, Wkts 27, BB 7-29, Average 16.52
Emil Todorow - Overs 107, Maidens 13, Runs 382, Wkts 20, BB 4-5, Average 19.10
Prasanth Pattiyil - Overs 16, maidens 1, Runs 98, Wkts 5, BB 4-31, Average 19.60
Gideon Reeve - Overs 38, Maidens 4, Runs 209, Wkts 10, BB 3-59, Average 20.90
Terry Bruce-Mills- Overs 22.1, Maidens 2, Runs 75, Wkts 2, BB 1-0, Average 37.50
CATCHES (Qualification 2 catches)
9 - Hassan Khan
7- John Crossland (all as wicketkeeper)
3 - Abdul Khan, Gideon Reeve, Gopi Pala
2- Amin, Ben Fewson (both as wicketkeeper), Mark Bradshaw, Riaz Khan, Prasanth Pattiyil
STUMPINGS
2 - John Crossland
PARTNERSHIP RECORDS FOR 2010
1st wicket - 93 - Mark Bradshaw & Mahesh Vyas - 22/8/10 v Touring Theatres
2nd wicket - 64 - Ben Fewson & Prasanth Pattiyil - 20/6/10 v Energy Exiles
3rd wicket - 133 - Mark Bradshaw & Hassan Khan - 12/9/10 v Surbiton Imperials
4th wicket - 75 - Hassan Khan & Jim Joyce - 30/5/10 v Touring Theatres
5th wicket - 48 - Prasanth Pattiyil & Nick Lefebve - 29/8/10 v Bec Old Boys
6th wicket - 62 - Hassan Khan & Abdul Khan - 4/7/10 v Caribbean Mix
7th wicket - 46 - Hassan Khan & Riaz Khan - 4/7/10 v Caribbean Mix
8th wicket - 45 - Riaz Khan & Emil Todorow - 23/5/10 v Energy Exiles
9th wicket - 33* - Gopi Pala & Emil Todorow - 4/7/10 v Caribbean Mix
10th wicket - 3 - Nick Lefebve & John Crossland - 25/7/10 v Chalfont St Peter
OVERALL RESULTS RECORD - 2010
Played - 16
Won - 8
Drawn - 1
Lost - 6
Other - 1 (This was the game against Kempton in May where rain prevented any further play halfway through the second innings. At the time, I claimed a victory under the Duckworth Lewis Formula but perhaps this was a bit petty. Maybe we should decide at the Annual Meeting whether this game should count as a win on D/L, a win on faster scoring rate, or a No Result.)
Update - 10/12/2010;
We didn't get round to discussing this at the meeting so I will just put it down as a win.
AMENDED OVERALL RESULTS RECORD - 2010
Played - 16
Won - 9
Drawn - 1
Lost - 6
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Friday, 17 September 2010
Goodbye Gopi
As there is no match on Sunday 19th, it seems that, very sadly, Gopi has played his last match for the club. He made his debut for the Nomads in the very eventful game against Morden on 12th July 2009, taking 3 vital wickets. The incidents and aggravation in that game did not put him off and he has only missed one game since then.
Even in his first match, he was calling out encouragement to the other players and he has kept this enthusiasm going all the way. He really has been a great pleasure to play with and has been one of the most popular players Clapham Nomads have had. Even opposition players have enjoyed playing with him as we saw by the massive cheer that Southall Eagles gave him when he came out to bat against them this season.
He took 25 wickets last season at an incredible average of 5.88. He had so many tricks up his sleeve and batsmen just fell for them time after time. He got several wickets with bouncers which were always enjoyable but my favourite was the slower ball which a Kingston Lefthanders batsman made 3 attempts to hit before the ball rolled onto the stumps.
It was always going to be difficult to follow that but, by bowling more orthodox Medium Pace this season, he has still had great success and is the highest wicket taker of the season with 27 (Hassan is next with 25.) His hat-trick against Chalfont St. Peter was a moment of pure joy and don't forget he took 7 for 29 that day - even the opposition wrote his name as "The Mighty Gopi" in their scorebook.
Perhaps his best point as a bowler is that he is such a consistent wicket-taker. He has bowled in all his Nomads appearances and on only one occasion has he failed to take a wicket.
He has shown this season that he is a good middle order batsman and has earned the right to be called an all-rounder. His 41 not out against West One in August was a particularly entertaining innings and I'm sure he would have made 50 if we had not run out of overs. His pace in the field meant that everyone in the club nicknamed him "Speedy."
We all enjoyed playing with you, Gopi, and hope you get to play some cricket in India. Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.
Gopi's career statistics for Clapham Nomads;
25 appearances.
Man of the Match 4 times
Fielder of the Day 3 times
9 catches
BATTING - Innings 17; Not out 3 times; Runs scored 182; High score 41 not out; Average 13.00
BOWLING- Overs 135.5; Maidens 12; Runs conceded 593; Best bowling 7-29; Wickets 52; Bowling Average 11.40
Strike rate - A wicket every 15.67 balls
Economy rate - 4.37 per over
Top of the bowling Averages in 2009 with 5.88
Highest wicket-taker in 2010 with 27
CLUB RECORDS; Only man to take 2 hat-tricks in Nomads history.
Fastest player to take 50 wickets for the club
Even in his first match, he was calling out encouragement to the other players and he has kept this enthusiasm going all the way. He really has been a great pleasure to play with and has been one of the most popular players Clapham Nomads have had. Even opposition players have enjoyed playing with him as we saw by the massive cheer that Southall Eagles gave him when he came out to bat against them this season.
He took 25 wickets last season at an incredible average of 5.88. He had so many tricks up his sleeve and batsmen just fell for them time after time. He got several wickets with bouncers which were always enjoyable but my favourite was the slower ball which a Kingston Lefthanders batsman made 3 attempts to hit before the ball rolled onto the stumps.
It was always going to be difficult to follow that but, by bowling more orthodox Medium Pace this season, he has still had great success and is the highest wicket taker of the season with 27 (Hassan is next with 25.) His hat-trick against Chalfont St. Peter was a moment of pure joy and don't forget he took 7 for 29 that day - even the opposition wrote his name as "The Mighty Gopi" in their scorebook.
Perhaps his best point as a bowler is that he is such a consistent wicket-taker. He has bowled in all his Nomads appearances and on only one occasion has he failed to take a wicket.
He has shown this season that he is a good middle order batsman and has earned the right to be called an all-rounder. His 41 not out against West One in August was a particularly entertaining innings and I'm sure he would have made 50 if we had not run out of overs. His pace in the field meant that everyone in the club nicknamed him "Speedy."
We all enjoyed playing with you, Gopi, and hope you get to play some cricket in India. Keep in touch and let us know how you get on.
Gopi's career statistics for Clapham Nomads;
25 appearances.
Man of the Match 4 times
Fielder of the Day 3 times
9 catches
BATTING - Innings 17; Not out 3 times; Runs scored 182; High score 41 not out; Average 13.00
BOWLING- Overs 135.5; Maidens 12; Runs conceded 593; Best bowling 7-29; Wickets 52; Bowling Average 11.40
Strike rate - A wicket every 15.67 balls
Economy rate - 4.37 per over
Top of the bowling Averages in 2009 with 5.88
Highest wicket-taker in 2010 with 27
CLUB RECORDS; Only man to take 2 hat-tricks in Nomads history.
Fastest player to take 50 wickets for the club
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Clapham Nomads v Surbiton Imperials - 12/9/10
The 4-week Raynes Park Festival concluded with a visit from Surbiton Imperials, a team that hammered us in our one previous meeting but really should become regular opponents, given that they play several of the teams that we play; Energy Exiles, Barnes Occasionals etc.
A 12-man Nomads squad lent Mahesh Vyas to the 9-man opposition and Nomads looked powerful on paper, with enough bowling strength to have a shot at subduing a Surbiton side that have won two-thirds of their matches this season. Andrew West finally made his first appearance of the season in a Nomads shirt. A white one.
Openers Mark Bradshaw and Prasanth Pattiyil have been in good form lately - Bradshaw especially - and it was soon clear that this form would be needed against the lively medium-fast left-arm swing bowler Siddique who was shaping it it into the bat threateningly and finding a little irregular bounce. Several balls kept a touch low and another one spat like a llama and found the splice of Prasanth's bat, just looping to safety. A good contest ensued with several decent LBW shouts from Siddique but the usual off-side blows and sharp singles from our pair. The other left-arm opener, Dan, posed little threat until he switched to round the wicket in the 8th over and angled one in to Pattiyil's pads in front. A possible inside edge saved our man who looked in the mood to take advantage with a cracking straight drive for 4 off Siddique in the next over. Unfortunately the bowler exacted quick revenge for this with a somewhat debatable caught behind decision 2 balls later. 24 for 1.
No. 3 Bilal had decided that his first ball really ought to go for 6. He failed by a yard, but continued in this vein, showing a desire to "clear his left leg." A few more lusty blows followed before he edged one straight up vertically as high as I have seen a cricket ball hit and the keeper held onto a real glove-stinger.
Hassan Khan strode out and Dan was inexplicably taken off. He had 2 overs to go and had just bowled the Ball of the Day. I doubt he could have removed Bradshaw, who was looking rock-solid by now, but he might just have had a shot at prising out H. Khan early which, on current form, is a bowler's only real chance against the increasingly Bradmanesque postal worker.
This pair put on 80 last week and, having played out Siddique's remaining over conservatively, and played first-changer Tom with ease, looked in with a chance of at least matching this.
Drinks were taken at around 80 for 2 off 18 overs but didn't disrupt our batsmen's rhythm. What followed was an exhibition by two fine players on top form. The second change bowler was Geoff, who once bowled an 18-ball over against Energy Exiles that yielded 31 runs. There was nothing like that on Sunday but there was plenty of sound play and class shots; likewise against spinners Eric and Kit who could have been awkward had the pitch played up but, as so often at Raynes Park, the track looked tough but was really just a big softie. Leg-spinner Kit caused Bradshaw some problems with his googly but once Mark began to pick it - the bowler cocks his head to one side for the googly (sorry to give away your secrets on the internet, Kit) - he reverted to the leg break, which sat up nicely outside off stump, with predictable results.
There was so much good batting that I will just give the highlights as a murderous stright drive from H. Khan and a textbook off / cover drive from Bradshaw right out of the screws. Imperials began to call anxiously for regular score updates. After one over Crossland called out 112 and then six balls later (and distracted by incessant questioning and badinage from Andrew West) he called out 160 in error. The fielders were so demoralised that they didn't really question him.
The batsmen reached 49 together and Khan was first to the half-century, his 6th of the season. The following over, Bradshaw notched his third successive 50 which was also his 50th half-century in competitive cricket; a brilliant achievement from a fine and consistent player, and a feat which, at current rates, would take me another 980 years to match.
A stand of 133 was finally broken when Geoff bowled Hassan for 78. Nomads had some capable hitters straining at the leash; 2 quick boundaries from Sumith Prasanna were followed by a cameo 11 not out from Tahir as fingers were kept firmly on the jugular right up to the final ball with Nomads closing on an imposing 220 for 4 off the full 35.
Tea was enlivened by a pleasant pasta-based milky dessert supplied by Hassan to celebrate Eid. Emil Todorow was certainly licking his lips in anticipation of juggling his strongest bowling line-up of the season, starring the unique talents of Nomads' 3rd highest all-time wicket-taker, Andrew West.
For a horrible moment early in Surbiton's innings it looked as if we would be deprived of our star medium pacer as West stopped a firm pull with his shin bone. He hopped several times before falling to earth with an impressive thud. Fortunately, Sunday Cricket's Most Injury-Prone Player soon staggered to his feet, skipped in a circle, swore vigorously and resumed fielding as if nothing had happened.
Our very own Mahesh Vyas was opening for Imperials together with Siddique in an awkward left-hand / right-hand pairing. Todorow fed Vyas one of his favourite leg-side full tosses before sensibly concentrating on an off-side line. Ominously though, Vyas began to play nicely on the off side. He always seems to bat well against the Nomads. Left-handed Siddique looked classy and pushed for regular ones and twos. The batsmen had a good understanding for men who had never met before and some quick singles were taken. Hassan Khan bowled accurately but Siddique took a liking to his slower ball with two 4s through long-off which kept Imperials in touch with the scoring rate.
A double bowling change after 10 overs brought on Tahir, our quickest bowler, and Gopi, in sadly possibly his last game for the Nomads. Mahesh Vyas rather ran out of steam against Tahir and, after narrowly avoiding being out LBW and bowled in successive balls, did a little dance to the big paceman on the third ball and was bowled for 13.
Gopi, our top wicket taker of the season so far, took a while to get into his rhythm and bowled a bit short at first but Tahir soon claimed his second wicket with a sharp, low caught and bowled. No. 4 Steve Parratt looked awkward at first but soon began to spank it around quite effectively. Drinks were taken after 18 overs and at 75 for 2, Surbiton needed above 8.5 an over. Their fine record this season indicated that they might just have the men to achieve this.
Gopi was a different bowler after the break and soon rattled the stumps twice. Siddique had been taking a few quick singles to Lefebve at mid-off but, attempting another, his partner failed to back up and Lefebve lobbed a throw over the jogging non-striker's head into John Crossland's gloves. The keeper whipped off the bails with glee.
From this point, 90-ish for 5, Tahir kept the lid firmly on the scoring rate and the target climbed above 10 an over.
With victory almost in the bag, skipper Todorow revealed his master plan. Andrew West would star from the bottom end, with a succession of support acts - who had 2 overs each left - from the top end. West trotted up but Imperials immediately took a massive liking to him. Several big hits took Siddique past his 50 but West got the Surbiton star halfway through his spell with a crafty dipper which lured the batsman forward. Crossland grabbed the ball and had the stumps down in one feline movement. Their celebratory hug demonstrated the great affection these 2 men feel for each other.
Imperials' wicketkeeper/captain Johnny proved an even cleaner hitter and basically put West to the sword with a series of brutal blows - a 6 halfway up the poplar trees was the pick. A couple of his batting partners joined in the carnage. It is so difficult to hear anthing on Pitch 3 that I didn't catch the score until there were 3 overs left and it was a distinct relief to find 55 were still needed. Johnny had one more hoik at a West half-volley and the ball soared over the bowler's head. Long-on Lefebve made good ground to get under it but merely succeeded in not only dropping the chance but "tipping it over the bar" for 6. I didn't dare look at West; Bilal said he was crying but I don't believe that for a second; Bilal is a comedian and also, as 10cc pointed out, "Big Boys don't Cry."
Imperials closed on 186 for 8 and West on 1 for 68 off 6 which really should have been 2 for 62. To be fair, West didn't really bowl that badly at all. To me, he shouldn't really bowl at the death as he can be a little predictable. He has done a fine job for Nomads many times as 1st changer or opener.
This was rather a good victory against a side with many fine players. I can see that they would be a formidable proposition with a full-strength team. We may well find out next season.
Classy stroke play from Hassan Khan took our total away from Surbiton's reach but Man of the Match goes to Mark Bradshaw whose chanceless 81 not out underpinned the innings and was set up by negotiating a testing opening spell from Siddique. He also fielded well. Elsewhere in the field Lefebve provided a good moment - and a shocking one, Crossland was sharp, West was entertaining but the skipper's vote for Fielder of the Day went to Bilal.
CLAPHAM NOMADS - 220 for 4 from 35 overs
M. Bradshaw 81 not out
P. Pattiyil 12
Bilal 13
H. Khan 78
S. Prasanna 8
Tahir 13 not out
F.O.W. - 24, 38, 171, 183
SURBITON IMPERIALS - 186 for 8
H. Khan 7-1-22-1
E. Todorow 7-0-37-1
Tahir 7-0-21-2
G. Pala 7-0-33-2
A. West 6-0-68-1
Bilal 1-0-5-0
Clapham Nomads won by 34 runs
A 12-man Nomads squad lent Mahesh Vyas to the 9-man opposition and Nomads looked powerful on paper, with enough bowling strength to have a shot at subduing a Surbiton side that have won two-thirds of their matches this season. Andrew West finally made his first appearance of the season in a Nomads shirt. A white one.
Openers Mark Bradshaw and Prasanth Pattiyil have been in good form lately - Bradshaw especially - and it was soon clear that this form would be needed against the lively medium-fast left-arm swing bowler Siddique who was shaping it it into the bat threateningly and finding a little irregular bounce. Several balls kept a touch low and another one spat like a llama and found the splice of Prasanth's bat, just looping to safety. A good contest ensued with several decent LBW shouts from Siddique but the usual off-side blows and sharp singles from our pair. The other left-arm opener, Dan, posed little threat until he switched to round the wicket in the 8th over and angled one in to Pattiyil's pads in front. A possible inside edge saved our man who looked in the mood to take advantage with a cracking straight drive for 4 off Siddique in the next over. Unfortunately the bowler exacted quick revenge for this with a somewhat debatable caught behind decision 2 balls later. 24 for 1.
No. 3 Bilal had decided that his first ball really ought to go for 6. He failed by a yard, but continued in this vein, showing a desire to "clear his left leg." A few more lusty blows followed before he edged one straight up vertically as high as I have seen a cricket ball hit and the keeper held onto a real glove-stinger.
Hassan Khan strode out and Dan was inexplicably taken off. He had 2 overs to go and had just bowled the Ball of the Day. I doubt he could have removed Bradshaw, who was looking rock-solid by now, but he might just have had a shot at prising out H. Khan early which, on current form, is a bowler's only real chance against the increasingly Bradmanesque postal worker.
This pair put on 80 last week and, having played out Siddique's remaining over conservatively, and played first-changer Tom with ease, looked in with a chance of at least matching this.
Drinks were taken at around 80 for 2 off 18 overs but didn't disrupt our batsmen's rhythm. What followed was an exhibition by two fine players on top form. The second change bowler was Geoff, who once bowled an 18-ball over against Energy Exiles that yielded 31 runs. There was nothing like that on Sunday but there was plenty of sound play and class shots; likewise against spinners Eric and Kit who could have been awkward had the pitch played up but, as so often at Raynes Park, the track looked tough but was really just a big softie. Leg-spinner Kit caused Bradshaw some problems with his googly but once Mark began to pick it - the bowler cocks his head to one side for the googly (sorry to give away your secrets on the internet, Kit) - he reverted to the leg break, which sat up nicely outside off stump, with predictable results.
There was so much good batting that I will just give the highlights as a murderous stright drive from H. Khan and a textbook off / cover drive from Bradshaw right out of the screws. Imperials began to call anxiously for regular score updates. After one over Crossland called out 112 and then six balls later (and distracted by incessant questioning and badinage from Andrew West) he called out 160 in error. The fielders were so demoralised that they didn't really question him.
The batsmen reached 49 together and Khan was first to the half-century, his 6th of the season. The following over, Bradshaw notched his third successive 50 which was also his 50th half-century in competitive cricket; a brilliant achievement from a fine and consistent player, and a feat which, at current rates, would take me another 980 years to match.
A stand of 133 was finally broken when Geoff bowled Hassan for 78. Nomads had some capable hitters straining at the leash; 2 quick boundaries from Sumith Prasanna were followed by a cameo 11 not out from Tahir as fingers were kept firmly on the jugular right up to the final ball with Nomads closing on an imposing 220 for 4 off the full 35.
Tea was enlivened by a pleasant pasta-based milky dessert supplied by Hassan to celebrate Eid. Emil Todorow was certainly licking his lips in anticipation of juggling his strongest bowling line-up of the season, starring the unique talents of Nomads' 3rd highest all-time wicket-taker, Andrew West.
For a horrible moment early in Surbiton's innings it looked as if we would be deprived of our star medium pacer as West stopped a firm pull with his shin bone. He hopped several times before falling to earth with an impressive thud. Fortunately, Sunday Cricket's Most Injury-Prone Player soon staggered to his feet, skipped in a circle, swore vigorously and resumed fielding as if nothing had happened.
Our very own Mahesh Vyas was opening for Imperials together with Siddique in an awkward left-hand / right-hand pairing. Todorow fed Vyas one of his favourite leg-side full tosses before sensibly concentrating on an off-side line. Ominously though, Vyas began to play nicely on the off side. He always seems to bat well against the Nomads. Left-handed Siddique looked classy and pushed for regular ones and twos. The batsmen had a good understanding for men who had never met before and some quick singles were taken. Hassan Khan bowled accurately but Siddique took a liking to his slower ball with two 4s through long-off which kept Imperials in touch with the scoring rate.
A double bowling change after 10 overs brought on Tahir, our quickest bowler, and Gopi, in sadly possibly his last game for the Nomads. Mahesh Vyas rather ran out of steam against Tahir and, after narrowly avoiding being out LBW and bowled in successive balls, did a little dance to the big paceman on the third ball and was bowled for 13.
Gopi, our top wicket taker of the season so far, took a while to get into his rhythm and bowled a bit short at first but Tahir soon claimed his second wicket with a sharp, low caught and bowled. No. 4 Steve Parratt looked awkward at first but soon began to spank it around quite effectively. Drinks were taken after 18 overs and at 75 for 2, Surbiton needed above 8.5 an over. Their fine record this season indicated that they might just have the men to achieve this.
Gopi was a different bowler after the break and soon rattled the stumps twice. Siddique had been taking a few quick singles to Lefebve at mid-off but, attempting another, his partner failed to back up and Lefebve lobbed a throw over the jogging non-striker's head into John Crossland's gloves. The keeper whipped off the bails with glee.
From this point, 90-ish for 5, Tahir kept the lid firmly on the scoring rate and the target climbed above 10 an over.
With victory almost in the bag, skipper Todorow revealed his master plan. Andrew West would star from the bottom end, with a succession of support acts - who had 2 overs each left - from the top end. West trotted up but Imperials immediately took a massive liking to him. Several big hits took Siddique past his 50 but West got the Surbiton star halfway through his spell with a crafty dipper which lured the batsman forward. Crossland grabbed the ball and had the stumps down in one feline movement. Their celebratory hug demonstrated the great affection these 2 men feel for each other.
Imperials' wicketkeeper/captain Johnny proved an even cleaner hitter and basically put West to the sword with a series of brutal blows - a 6 halfway up the poplar trees was the pick. A couple of his batting partners joined in the carnage. It is so difficult to hear anthing on Pitch 3 that I didn't catch the score until there were 3 overs left and it was a distinct relief to find 55 were still needed. Johnny had one more hoik at a West half-volley and the ball soared over the bowler's head. Long-on Lefebve made good ground to get under it but merely succeeded in not only dropping the chance but "tipping it over the bar" for 6. I didn't dare look at West; Bilal said he was crying but I don't believe that for a second; Bilal is a comedian and also, as 10cc pointed out, "Big Boys don't Cry."
Imperials closed on 186 for 8 and West on 1 for 68 off 6 which really should have been 2 for 62. To be fair, West didn't really bowl that badly at all. To me, he shouldn't really bowl at the death as he can be a little predictable. He has done a fine job for Nomads many times as 1st changer or opener.
This was rather a good victory against a side with many fine players. I can see that they would be a formidable proposition with a full-strength team. We may well find out next season.
Classy stroke play from Hassan Khan took our total away from Surbiton's reach but Man of the Match goes to Mark Bradshaw whose chanceless 81 not out underpinned the innings and was set up by negotiating a testing opening spell from Siddique. He also fielded well. Elsewhere in the field Lefebve provided a good moment - and a shocking one, Crossland was sharp, West was entertaining but the skipper's vote for Fielder of the Day went to Bilal.
CLAPHAM NOMADS - 220 for 4 from 35 overs
M. Bradshaw 81 not out
P. Pattiyil 12
Bilal 13
H. Khan 78
S. Prasanna 8
Tahir 13 not out
F.O.W. - 24, 38, 171, 183
SURBITON IMPERIALS - 186 for 8
H. Khan 7-1-22-1
E. Todorow 7-0-37-1
Tahir 7-0-21-2
G. Pala 7-0-33-2
A. West 6-0-68-1
Bilal 1-0-5-0
Clapham Nomads won by 34 runs
Monday, 6 September 2010
Clapham Nomads v Dulwich - 5/9/10
A report by Mark Bradshaw.
This match took place on the middle pitch at Raynes Park and it was pretty dry and bare and looked likely to disintegrate as the match continued. Dulwich won the toss and elected to field. Sumith Prasanna and Mark Bradshaw opened the batting against a tall, young left-armer from one end and an older chap bowling tidy medium-pace off-cutters from the bottom end. Sumith played some fine shots including a huge six over mid-wicket before he chipped a catch to mid-off for 32 as the opening stand put on 49.
Debutant Bilal off-drove his first ball for four and made a breezy 19 before he was bowled by a flighted, turning ball from canny Dulwich spinner Ebert. There followed the biggest stand of the innings between Bradshaw (53) and Hassan Khan (63). Darwin and Emil Todorow chipped in with some late runs and we finished on 195 for 6 from our 35 overs, which we felt was probably enough as the pitch was showing signs of wear.
During the Nomads innings, Andrew West turned up (in his purple top), but unlike previous weeks, both sides had enough players so his playing services were not required. However, he amused himself by feeding the birds.
Hassan took 3 wickets in his opening spell as Dulwich declined to 30 for 3. Todorow bowled a tidy spell and was unlucky not to take a wicket. The Dulwich 4th wicket partnership hit back and needed 7 per over from the last 15 overs. The Nomads were starting to look a little ragged in the field but we were rescued by Terry Bruce-Mills who took a vital catch at cover off Gopi's bowling to dismiss the Dulwich top-scorer for a well-made 50. Terry then bowled an outstanding spell of accurate medium pace, restricting the Dulwich batsmen who could not get him away for boundaries. Bilal had a bowl and took a wicket with his medium pace, as did Sumith as Dulwich closed on 166 for 6.
Man of the Match was Hassan Khan, who was also Fielder of the Day with 3 catches.
CLAPHAM NOMADS - 195 for 6 from 35 overs
M. Bradshaw 53 not out
S. Prasanna 32
Bilal 19
H. Khan 63
P. Pattiyil 1
Darwin 7
G. Pala 0
E. Todorow 3
Did not bat; G. Reeve, T. Bruce-Mills, J. Crossland
F.O.W. - 49, 75, 155, 161, 179, 182
DULWICH - 166 for 6 from 35 overs
H. Khan 7-3-12-3
E. Todorow 7-1-25-0
G. Reeve 3-0-30-0
G. Pala 7-1-26-1
T. Bruce-Mills 7-0-28-0
Bilal 3-0-26-1
S. Prasanna 1-0-12-1
Clapham Nomads won by 29 runs
This match took place on the middle pitch at Raynes Park and it was pretty dry and bare and looked likely to disintegrate as the match continued. Dulwich won the toss and elected to field. Sumith Prasanna and Mark Bradshaw opened the batting against a tall, young left-armer from one end and an older chap bowling tidy medium-pace off-cutters from the bottom end. Sumith played some fine shots including a huge six over mid-wicket before he chipped a catch to mid-off for 32 as the opening stand put on 49.
Debutant Bilal off-drove his first ball for four and made a breezy 19 before he was bowled by a flighted, turning ball from canny Dulwich spinner Ebert. There followed the biggest stand of the innings between Bradshaw (53) and Hassan Khan (63). Darwin and Emil Todorow chipped in with some late runs and we finished on 195 for 6 from our 35 overs, which we felt was probably enough as the pitch was showing signs of wear.
During the Nomads innings, Andrew West turned up (in his purple top), but unlike previous weeks, both sides had enough players so his playing services were not required. However, he amused himself by feeding the birds.
Hassan took 3 wickets in his opening spell as Dulwich declined to 30 for 3. Todorow bowled a tidy spell and was unlucky not to take a wicket. The Dulwich 4th wicket partnership hit back and needed 7 per over from the last 15 overs. The Nomads were starting to look a little ragged in the field but we were rescued by Terry Bruce-Mills who took a vital catch at cover off Gopi's bowling to dismiss the Dulwich top-scorer for a well-made 50. Terry then bowled an outstanding spell of accurate medium pace, restricting the Dulwich batsmen who could not get him away for boundaries. Bilal had a bowl and took a wicket with his medium pace, as did Sumith as Dulwich closed on 166 for 6.
Man of the Match was Hassan Khan, who was also Fielder of the Day with 3 catches.
CLAPHAM NOMADS - 195 for 6 from 35 overs
M. Bradshaw 53 not out
S. Prasanna 32
Bilal 19
H. Khan 63
P. Pattiyil 1
Darwin 7
G. Pala 0
E. Todorow 3
Did not bat; G. Reeve, T. Bruce-Mills, J. Crossland
F.O.W. - 49, 75, 155, 161, 179, 182
DULWICH - 166 for 6 from 35 overs
H. Khan 7-3-12-3
E. Todorow 7-1-25-0
G. Reeve 3-0-30-0
G. Pala 7-1-26-1
T. Bruce-Mills 7-0-28-0
Bilal 3-0-26-1
S. Prasanna 1-0-12-1
Clapham Nomads won by 29 runs
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Clapham Nomads v Bec Old Boys - 29/8/10
This was not a match we have had high hopes of winning since Bec's brilliant batting display in the Away game in June, so it was a shock when their skipper phoned at 12.15 to say they only had 8 men but would turn up anyway, and even more so when he told Emil Todorow at the ground that it would be better if Nomads batted first, in order to make a game of it.
Nomads did bat first by agreement (the only piece of match-fixing that occurred to my knowledge) but it soon looked like being a very short game after all as 2 wickets fell for 9 runs to shocking shooters from Bec medium pacer R. Anthony. Mahesh Vyas departed for 1 and then Mark Milnes, who had played a nice off-side shot for 3, fell to a pea-roller which shaved leg stump.
No. 4 Hassan Khan dug out a further shooter, but the pitch then seemed to improve somewhat and Khan began to turn the tables with some fine straight drives. Opener Sumith Prasanna also upped the tempo with a baseball-style straight hit for 4 and a big hit through mid-wicket. Bec's other bowler, the youngster Adam Freeman, floated the ball in nicely on the stiff breeze but didn't quite present the same threat as his partner. Nomads cruised into the 40s at around 4 an over. Nomads had agreed to lend Old Boys a fielder and this came back to bite us as Hassan, who was approaching his best form, cracked a firm cut straight to cover point where it was well held by Mark Milnes. When Sumith chipped Freeman up to gully 1 run later things began to look grim again.
Nick Lefebve joined Prasanth Pattiyil in the 12th over on 45 for 4 under a massive grey cloud and the pair had 2 immediate tasks; to see off R. Anthony's final over and to play through to the inevitable rain storm. A few runs were milked from 14-year-old leg spinner Sean Mason before a pleasant autumnal day turned sub-Arctic with gale force winds bearing horizontal rain and bits of twig from the thorn bushes surrounding pitch 3. An early tea was taken which lasted about an hour.
When play resumed it was almost impossible to stand upright on the soaked, skiddy pitch, but thankfully this affected the bowlers as much as the batsmen. Our pair survived and began to play with something approaching confidence. Lefebve connected with a few more leg-side blows off Mason, while Prasanth negotiated paceman Nav Jaswel and skipper Ches Brown with increasing authority and began to play some fine straight and leg-side strokes. At 93, Nomads had, at the very least, guaranteed a contest but Prasanth was caught for a useful 26 with the partnership just 2 short of the half-century.
Acceleration was needed and No. 7 Gopi had shown he is capable of this with his fine 41 against West One 2 weeks ago, but unfortunately he flicked Mason up to Backward Point and departed early. No. 8 Tahir was playing his first game for the club and had told Todorow that he was more of a bowler than a batsman. He was arguably our last real hope of quick, substantial runs and he didn't disappoint, carting the bowling quite classily to all parts of the ground - a large six over mid-wicket being the highlight - and dominating (an understatement) a stand of 38 with Nick Lefebve - Lefebve contributed 1. During this stand, with about 10 overs to go, Andrew West turned up and Todorow lent him to the opposition, but adding the proviso that he would be allowed to field and bat but not bowl - quite a crafty deal when you think about it, though there are those who would say that the Man in Purple is becoming more of a specialist batsman these days anyway.
The wily Ches Browne accounted for Tahir for 36 and followed up by getting one to spit and kick at Emil Todorow and find the glove of Nomads' Mr Reliable.
133 for 8 and John Crossland joined Lefebve with 4 and a half overs to go. After a couple of balls Crossland, wearing a deep frown, called his partner for an urgent mid-pitch conference. It looked serious. "Whatever you do," growled the wicketkeeper, "don't throw it away." The veteran pair did ok by sticking to a rigid plan - charging down the pitch and flicking the ball to the leg side for scampered singles. It wouldn't have won the X Factor but it did realise 13 runs. The highlight was a gorgeous straight drive from Crossland back over the bowler's head which only the recent monsoon rains prevented from reaching the boundary it deserved. Nomads closed on 146 for 8, which looked half-decent on this pitch. Lefebve was left on a useful / turgid 24 not out off 23 overs.
After a quick turnaround, The familiar pairing of Hassan Khan and Emil Todorow prepared to apply the pressure. Bec's openers. Nav Jaswel and Ches Browne looked fairly accomplished, with some good off-side shots played. We were unsure quite how depleted they were, though we suspected they would have few specialist batsmen below Andrew West at 7. This pair cracked along at a reasonable rate and it was quite a relief when Todorow was slightly fortunate to find the stumps via the inside edge of Jaswel's bat to break the stand on 27. No. 3 tried to slog Todorow out of the ground straight away and paid the customary penalty - bowled. There was a further wicket apiece for these bowlers, the more memorable was an LBW for Todorow which the skipper secured with a quite bizarre high-pitched, elongated appeal which sounded a bit like a large farm animal in distress (but in a dignified way, of course.) It frightened me and I have known Todorow for years, it must have terrified the umpire.
Gopi was first-change and, once he switched to bowling round the wicket, bowled an accurate spell, using the breeze well and claiming a wicket, bowled. Tahir was the pick of the bowlers, though, showing accuracy and reasonable pace in a fine spell of 2 for 7 from his 7 overs. Wickets were falling steadily but this spell put Bec so far behind the run rate that any hopes of victory were extinguished.
Of course, Bec's real batting star was Andrew West who made an eventful 4, getting off the mark by playing a firm on drive with his thumb, then spanking 2 through mid-wicket and rounding off with a thunderous, acrobatic dive to reach his ground on a risky single. Tahir eventually produced one of his best deliveries to bowl West.
Everything else was an anti-climax, though the last-wicket stand produced about 20 with G. Mason playing well for 19 but by then the required rate was up around 14 an over. Terry Bruce-Mills eventually administered the last rites and victory was secured, albeit over a team that was severely depleted, particularly in their batting.
Anyway, we are grateful to the opposition for showing up for a match they could easily have cancelled. Man of the Match is Tahir for a brilliant all-round performance. Our best fielder was Mark Milnes, but he did his best work fielding for the opposition. There wasn't that much fielding for us to do in Bec's innings but I would say Fielder of the Day was John Crossland, his second successive match without conceding a bye, this time on a difficult track.
Clapham Nomads 146 for 8 from 35 overs
M. Vyas 1
S. Prasanna 13
M. Milnes 3
H. Khan 25
P. Pattiyil 26
N. Lefebve 24 not out
G. Pala 0
Tahir 36
E. Todorow 0
J. Crossland 6 not out
F.O.W. - 2, 9, 44, 45, 93, 95, 133, 133
Bec Old Boys 71 all out from 29.1 overs
H. Khan 7-1-15-1
E. Todorow 7-0-21-3
Tahir 7-3-7-2
G. Pala 7-0-26-1
T. Bruce-Mills 1.1-1-0-1
Clapham Nomads won by 75 runs
Nomads did bat first by agreement (the only piece of match-fixing that occurred to my knowledge) but it soon looked like being a very short game after all as 2 wickets fell for 9 runs to shocking shooters from Bec medium pacer R. Anthony. Mahesh Vyas departed for 1 and then Mark Milnes, who had played a nice off-side shot for 3, fell to a pea-roller which shaved leg stump.
No. 4 Hassan Khan dug out a further shooter, but the pitch then seemed to improve somewhat and Khan began to turn the tables with some fine straight drives. Opener Sumith Prasanna also upped the tempo with a baseball-style straight hit for 4 and a big hit through mid-wicket. Bec's other bowler, the youngster Adam Freeman, floated the ball in nicely on the stiff breeze but didn't quite present the same threat as his partner. Nomads cruised into the 40s at around 4 an over. Nomads had agreed to lend Old Boys a fielder and this came back to bite us as Hassan, who was approaching his best form, cracked a firm cut straight to cover point where it was well held by Mark Milnes. When Sumith chipped Freeman up to gully 1 run later things began to look grim again.
Nick Lefebve joined Prasanth Pattiyil in the 12th over on 45 for 4 under a massive grey cloud and the pair had 2 immediate tasks; to see off R. Anthony's final over and to play through to the inevitable rain storm. A few runs were milked from 14-year-old leg spinner Sean Mason before a pleasant autumnal day turned sub-Arctic with gale force winds bearing horizontal rain and bits of twig from the thorn bushes surrounding pitch 3. An early tea was taken which lasted about an hour.
When play resumed it was almost impossible to stand upright on the soaked, skiddy pitch, but thankfully this affected the bowlers as much as the batsmen. Our pair survived and began to play with something approaching confidence. Lefebve connected with a few more leg-side blows off Mason, while Prasanth negotiated paceman Nav Jaswel and skipper Ches Brown with increasing authority and began to play some fine straight and leg-side strokes. At 93, Nomads had, at the very least, guaranteed a contest but Prasanth was caught for a useful 26 with the partnership just 2 short of the half-century.
Acceleration was needed and No. 7 Gopi had shown he is capable of this with his fine 41 against West One 2 weeks ago, but unfortunately he flicked Mason up to Backward Point and departed early. No. 8 Tahir was playing his first game for the club and had told Todorow that he was more of a bowler than a batsman. He was arguably our last real hope of quick, substantial runs and he didn't disappoint, carting the bowling quite classily to all parts of the ground - a large six over mid-wicket being the highlight - and dominating (an understatement) a stand of 38 with Nick Lefebve - Lefebve contributed 1. During this stand, with about 10 overs to go, Andrew West turned up and Todorow lent him to the opposition, but adding the proviso that he would be allowed to field and bat but not bowl - quite a crafty deal when you think about it, though there are those who would say that the Man in Purple is becoming more of a specialist batsman these days anyway.
The wily Ches Browne accounted for Tahir for 36 and followed up by getting one to spit and kick at Emil Todorow and find the glove of Nomads' Mr Reliable.
133 for 8 and John Crossland joined Lefebve with 4 and a half overs to go. After a couple of balls Crossland, wearing a deep frown, called his partner for an urgent mid-pitch conference. It looked serious. "Whatever you do," growled the wicketkeeper, "don't throw it away." The veteran pair did ok by sticking to a rigid plan - charging down the pitch and flicking the ball to the leg side for scampered singles. It wouldn't have won the X Factor but it did realise 13 runs. The highlight was a gorgeous straight drive from Crossland back over the bowler's head which only the recent monsoon rains prevented from reaching the boundary it deserved. Nomads closed on 146 for 8, which looked half-decent on this pitch. Lefebve was left on a useful / turgid 24 not out off 23 overs.
After a quick turnaround, The familiar pairing of Hassan Khan and Emil Todorow prepared to apply the pressure. Bec's openers. Nav Jaswel and Ches Browne looked fairly accomplished, with some good off-side shots played. We were unsure quite how depleted they were, though we suspected they would have few specialist batsmen below Andrew West at 7. This pair cracked along at a reasonable rate and it was quite a relief when Todorow was slightly fortunate to find the stumps via the inside edge of Jaswel's bat to break the stand on 27. No. 3 tried to slog Todorow out of the ground straight away and paid the customary penalty - bowled. There was a further wicket apiece for these bowlers, the more memorable was an LBW for Todorow which the skipper secured with a quite bizarre high-pitched, elongated appeal which sounded a bit like a large farm animal in distress (but in a dignified way, of course.) It frightened me and I have known Todorow for years, it must have terrified the umpire.
Gopi was first-change and, once he switched to bowling round the wicket, bowled an accurate spell, using the breeze well and claiming a wicket, bowled. Tahir was the pick of the bowlers, though, showing accuracy and reasonable pace in a fine spell of 2 for 7 from his 7 overs. Wickets were falling steadily but this spell put Bec so far behind the run rate that any hopes of victory were extinguished.
Of course, Bec's real batting star was Andrew West who made an eventful 4, getting off the mark by playing a firm on drive with his thumb, then spanking 2 through mid-wicket and rounding off with a thunderous, acrobatic dive to reach his ground on a risky single. Tahir eventually produced one of his best deliveries to bowl West.
Everything else was an anti-climax, though the last-wicket stand produced about 20 with G. Mason playing well for 19 but by then the required rate was up around 14 an over. Terry Bruce-Mills eventually administered the last rites and victory was secured, albeit over a team that was severely depleted, particularly in their batting.
Anyway, we are grateful to the opposition for showing up for a match they could easily have cancelled. Man of the Match is Tahir for a brilliant all-round performance. Our best fielder was Mark Milnes, but he did his best work fielding for the opposition. There wasn't that much fielding for us to do in Bec's innings but I would say Fielder of the Day was John Crossland, his second successive match without conceding a bye, this time on a difficult track.
Clapham Nomads 146 for 8 from 35 overs
M. Vyas 1
S. Prasanna 13
M. Milnes 3
H. Khan 25
P. Pattiyil 26
N. Lefebve 24 not out
G. Pala 0
Tahir 36
E. Todorow 0
J. Crossland 6 not out
F.O.W. - 2, 9, 44, 45, 93, 95, 133, 133
Bec Old Boys 71 all out from 29.1 overs
H. Khan 7-1-15-1
E. Todorow 7-0-21-3
Tahir 7-3-7-2
G. Pala 7-0-26-1
T. Bruce-Mills 1.1-1-0-1
Clapham Nomads won by 75 runs
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Clapham Nomads v Touring Theatre XI - 22/8/10
Our old friends the Touring Theatres turned up at Raynes Park with only 8 players. Fortunately, Nomads had 12 and so we lent the away side Terry Bruce-Mills (who has played a few games for Theatres recently anyway) and, most generously of all, the elusive medium pace bowling genius Andrew West.
West was wearing his famous tight-fitting purple top but, to the disappointment of many, got changed into a white cricket shirt.
A 35-over per innings, 10-a-side match was agreed on. Emil Todorow won yet another toss and Nomads batted first on a dry, patchy wicket, typical of Merton Council this year. Mark Bradshaw and Mahesh Vyas made good early progress in decent time against new ball pairing Wilson and Fieldhouse. The introduction of Bruce-Mills slowed things down a little as he extracted some bounce from the pitch. Terry made the first breakthrough, hitting the top of Vyas' off-stump as Mahesh played across the line for a well-made 38. The opening stand realised 93, Nomads' best 1st wicket partnership of the season so far.
Prasanth top-edged his first ball straight to Deep Square Leg, but a difficult chance was put down and Prasanth settled down to play solidly before he was LBW for 35 to the medium pace of Danny (who bowled very tidily to take 3 for 40.)
Hassan fell cheaply and Sumith Prasanna came in for his first match in nearly two years. The big Sri Lankan hit his third ball, from John Warnaby, for 6. The Nomads were all a little surprised that Theatres had not yet called upon the bowling skills of Andrew West, who had fielded stoutly at Mid-Wicket, stopping one very hard shot with his foot much to umpire Todorow's amusement. Before the game, Andrew had told Hassan Khan that he would get him out and this looked a possibility as his first ball reared alarmingly from just short of a length. It looked as though he would make things very difficult for the Nomads' batsmen. However, this was about as good as it got as Bradshaw and Sumith took 14 from his first over. Sumith hit 3 big sixes off Andrew's bowling as the Nomads legend was retired from the attack having bowled 3 overs for 45 runs.
In the meantime, Mark Bradshaw had fallen to Danny for 64. Sumith Prasanna raced on and I noticed that he uses a "BDM NS Sidhu" bat. I am sure that the former India opener would have approved of his mighty hitting and especially his calculated assault on the opposition's most dangerous bowler, Andrew West.
Sumith was finally bowled by Dirk Fieldhouse for 64. Darwin made a brisk unbeaten 23 and Mark Milnes opened his batting account for the team with 4 not out as Nomads finished on 259 for 5. A special mention should be made of the fielding of Milton for the Touring Theatres - he fielded absolutely magnificantly, stopping everything that came his way, throwing well and taking the very important catch to dismiss Hassan.
In reply, Theatres lost both their openers - Wilson and the usually obdurate Roger Daltrey lookalike John Whitham - in the first 2 overs. There followed a steady fall of wickets as Hassan took 5 for 14, moving the ball both ways and throwing in the occasional leg-spinner. At 27 for 7 only a heroic partnership could restore some pride to the Thespians and up stepped 2 unlikely heroes in the form of the 72-year-old Anthony "Chick" Fowles - who has written several well-received Sports books and a Crime novel, Chinamen, based around South London club cricket, and has recovered from very serious knee surgery - and our very own Andrew West, who has not written any best-selling books to my knowledge but has certainly had a lot written about him. The pair performed admirably with Fowles, the fitter of the 2, defending stoutly and deploying a one-handed sweep to excellent effect. Many present feared that Andrew West was having an off day and would be dismissed for 0, but the Nomads legend dispelled these fears by whacking his first delivery through mid-wicket for a couple of runs. He followed up with a boundary to cow corner and showed some good defence too. Mark Milnes eventually prised out Andrew with a well-directed yorker. Gopi took the final 2 wickets, rounding it off with a clever low full toss which was difficult to pick up from the A3 end as Nomads sealed a comfortable win against these very pleasant opponents.
After the game, Andrew sought solace in looking at the scorebook and reciting some of his previous glories to those present. I am sure he will be back with a vengeance in the next game.
Several candidates for Man of the Match; Mark Bradshaw with a fine 64, Hassan Khan with his season's best figures of 5 for 14 but Sumith Prasanna takes it with a very entertaining 64. His 50 came up in just 22 balls, only 2 more than the club record. It was good to have him back. Fielder of the Day was Darwin, who had the most to do and did it well. MB / NL
CLAPHAM NOMADS - 259 for 5 from 35 overs
M. Bradshaw 64
M. Vyas 38
P. Pattiyil 35
H. Khan 4
S. Prasanna 64
Darwin 23 not out
M. Milnes 4 not out
F.O.W. - 93, 139, 146, 207, 239
TOURING THEATRE XI - 56 all out from 21 overs
J. Whitham 0
Wilson 0
D. Fieldhouse 1
Stephenson 8
T. Bruce-Mills 1
D. Counihan 4
A. Fowles 15
C. Robertson 2
A. West 7
J. Warnaby 4
F.O.W. - 0, 0, 8, 9, 11, 12, 27, 47, 56
Clapham Nomads won by 203 runs
West was wearing his famous tight-fitting purple top but, to the disappointment of many, got changed into a white cricket shirt.
A 35-over per innings, 10-a-side match was agreed on. Emil Todorow won yet another toss and Nomads batted first on a dry, patchy wicket, typical of Merton Council this year. Mark Bradshaw and Mahesh Vyas made good early progress in decent time against new ball pairing Wilson and Fieldhouse. The introduction of Bruce-Mills slowed things down a little as he extracted some bounce from the pitch. Terry made the first breakthrough, hitting the top of Vyas' off-stump as Mahesh played across the line for a well-made 38. The opening stand realised 93, Nomads' best 1st wicket partnership of the season so far.
Prasanth top-edged his first ball straight to Deep Square Leg, but a difficult chance was put down and Prasanth settled down to play solidly before he was LBW for 35 to the medium pace of Danny (who bowled very tidily to take 3 for 40.)
Hassan fell cheaply and Sumith Prasanna came in for his first match in nearly two years. The big Sri Lankan hit his third ball, from John Warnaby, for 6. The Nomads were all a little surprised that Theatres had not yet called upon the bowling skills of Andrew West, who had fielded stoutly at Mid-Wicket, stopping one very hard shot with his foot much to umpire Todorow's amusement. Before the game, Andrew had told Hassan Khan that he would get him out and this looked a possibility as his first ball reared alarmingly from just short of a length. It looked as though he would make things very difficult for the Nomads' batsmen. However, this was about as good as it got as Bradshaw and Sumith took 14 from his first over. Sumith hit 3 big sixes off Andrew's bowling as the Nomads legend was retired from the attack having bowled 3 overs for 45 runs.
In the meantime, Mark Bradshaw had fallen to Danny for 64. Sumith Prasanna raced on and I noticed that he uses a "BDM NS Sidhu" bat. I am sure that the former India opener would have approved of his mighty hitting and especially his calculated assault on the opposition's most dangerous bowler, Andrew West.
Sumith was finally bowled by Dirk Fieldhouse for 64. Darwin made a brisk unbeaten 23 and Mark Milnes opened his batting account for the team with 4 not out as Nomads finished on 259 for 5. A special mention should be made of the fielding of Milton for the Touring Theatres - he fielded absolutely magnificantly, stopping everything that came his way, throwing well and taking the very important catch to dismiss Hassan.
In reply, Theatres lost both their openers - Wilson and the usually obdurate Roger Daltrey lookalike John Whitham - in the first 2 overs. There followed a steady fall of wickets as Hassan took 5 for 14, moving the ball both ways and throwing in the occasional leg-spinner. At 27 for 7 only a heroic partnership could restore some pride to the Thespians and up stepped 2 unlikely heroes in the form of the 72-year-old Anthony "Chick" Fowles - who has written several well-received Sports books and a Crime novel, Chinamen, based around South London club cricket, and has recovered from very serious knee surgery - and our very own Andrew West, who has not written any best-selling books to my knowledge but has certainly had a lot written about him. The pair performed admirably with Fowles, the fitter of the 2, defending stoutly and deploying a one-handed sweep to excellent effect. Many present feared that Andrew West was having an off day and would be dismissed for 0, but the Nomads legend dispelled these fears by whacking his first delivery through mid-wicket for a couple of runs. He followed up with a boundary to cow corner and showed some good defence too. Mark Milnes eventually prised out Andrew with a well-directed yorker. Gopi took the final 2 wickets, rounding it off with a clever low full toss which was difficult to pick up from the A3 end as Nomads sealed a comfortable win against these very pleasant opponents.
After the game, Andrew sought solace in looking at the scorebook and reciting some of his previous glories to those present. I am sure he will be back with a vengeance in the next game.
Several candidates for Man of the Match; Mark Bradshaw with a fine 64, Hassan Khan with his season's best figures of 5 for 14 but Sumith Prasanna takes it with a very entertaining 64. His 50 came up in just 22 balls, only 2 more than the club record. It was good to have him back. Fielder of the Day was Darwin, who had the most to do and did it well. MB / NL
CLAPHAM NOMADS - 259 for 5 from 35 overs
M. Bradshaw 64
M. Vyas 38
P. Pattiyil 35
H. Khan 4
S. Prasanna 64
Darwin 23 not out
M. Milnes 4 not out
F.O.W. - 93, 139, 146, 207, 239
TOURING THEATRE XI - 56 all out from 21 overs
J. Whitham 0
Wilson 0
D. Fieldhouse 1
Stephenson 8
T. Bruce-Mills 1
D. Counihan 4
A. Fowles 15
C. Robertson 2
A. West 7
J. Warnaby 4
F.O.W. - 0, 0, 8, 9, 11, 12, 27, 47, 56
Clapham Nomads won by 203 runs
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Emil Todorow 150 Not Out
Not words that I ever thought I would write in a cricket report but they refer not to an innings, but to the magnificent feat achieved by the Nomads' skipper in playing 150 successive games for the club, not missing a match since September 2002 - and even then he was in Bulgaria and didn't know there was a game on. The Blogspot is therefore honoured to present "Todorow - A Tribute."
Emil Todorow was born in Bulgaria but he soon realised that cricketing opportunities were likely to be limited there and left the country for the Home of Cricket - Clapham.
He was initially baffled by cricket and confined his games-playing to chess, which he plays to a very high level - he is believed to have been in the top 1,000 players in the country. I can assure you that he is just as lethal with a bishop in his hand as he is with a ball.
He first tried cricket in 1985. Being a sociable person, he wanted to go for a drink with John Crossland, Nick Lefebve and Joe Chance but was disturbed to hear that they were going to play that tedious, incomprehensible game he had seen on TV, briefly, before switching off. Clapham Common used to have 3 excellent artificial pitches and the 4 friends pitched stumps. Todorow asked Lefebve what was the point of the game and the youngster replied "Try to hit it in the road. Not that road....Lavender Hill" (about 1/2 a mile away.) Todorow nodded in understanding and, taking a diagonal guard, attempted the feat. He had such a mighty slog that, had he connected, I think he would have managed it.
They ended up playing every week for the next few summers, along with Simon Sparssis, Chris Holland, Bob Aspin, Peter Morris and Gerry Blackwood; most of whom went on to play for Open University or for the Nomads. Chance and, unbelievably, Lefebve were quite quick in those days and Emil often found himself bruised but he was willing to fight fire with fire. "For every bouncer I receive," he told Chance, "you will receive 3." His action was not the free-flowing thing of beauty you see today; in fact it was a chuck, but he started to get more accurate and also became a fan of the game, being particularly devoted to Richard Hadlee.
He first played a competitive match in 1987 when local character Paul Riche assembled a scratch eleven including Lefebve, Todorow, several Open University players, a women's hockey international and a guy who was sunbathing nearby. The opposition was a fairly strong team called Wandsworth Gods. Todorow batted number 3 and soon struck a mighty off-side blow which fell just short of the rope. "Where's that bloke from?" one of the Riche XI asked. "Bulgaria, eh? I bet they've got some dodgy pitches out there. Goats nibbling the outfield." Thankfully Todorow didn't hear him and he thoroughly enjoyed the match, taking a wicket and not being called for no-ball, which increased his confidence as a bowler.
In 1990, Todorow and Crossland heard that the Open University CC were looking for players and, remembering the nice, quiet guys from the Gods match, they turned up at Lillie Road nets in Fulham, only to be greeted by the sound of several hang-dog cricketers being ruthlessly bossed about by a man with a harsh Dublin accent. Crossland nearly turned and fled remembering the man, Dave Hunter, as his former football captain from Balham Celtic.
Todorow began to play regularly for the OU and, though it is fair to say that Dave Hunter never really rated Todorow as a bowler, and certainly not as a batsman, the two men had a grudging respect for each other as forceful characters. I often sat in the pub listening to them arguing, each taking points of view they didn't really hold, just to wind the other one up. Emil began to bowl regularly; his first bowl was in a game in August 1990 on a day when the all-time record high temperature was set. Two rotund men, Peter Price and Alan Cotter (known to Emil as "The Pack Pair") were toiling away and getting carted and I noticed Todorow pacing up and down restlessly. He confirmed that, had he not been brought on to bowl, he would have quit cricket. Hunter must have sensed this and a quick wicket for our hero was the result.
Deep down, D. Hunter was a great guy and appreciated the competitiveness Todorow brought to the side, but that didn't stop him - a football captain to his bones - from berating the Bulgarian's bowling. "Emil, for Christ's sake, bowl on the off-stump to this one and leg-stump to his partner," the Irish skipper yelled. "It's a secret," Emil replied, "and I wish I had your level of control." I also recall Emil straying down leg side one over and being hit for 4 successive fours though an acre of unguarded space behind square. When Emil protested after the first ball, Hunter replied "You don't deserve a Fine Leg."
We had some good times in the OU and there was usually something going on, such as when, on tour in Stroud, some local yobs took a dislike to Todorow in a curry house and threatened to make him "eat dog." He informed them that, if he encountered them again, they would need to be accompanied by the army. The trouble was, the team was either losing, or recording a losing draw (50 for 8 in reply to 200) almost every week and inevitably there were murmurings of discontent. (4-hour-long, weekly murmurings.) In 1994 Todorow, along with Nick Lefebve, John Crossland, Joe Chance and John Chance, formed the Clapham Nomads.
At this stage, Open University would probably have collapsed without these 5 and so they carried on playing for both clubs. Todorow must have played in well over 30 matches in 1994 and the constant bowling that he got through seemed to be the making of him as a bowler. His action smoothed out, he became more accurate and he introduced such variations as the BY Special (Balkan Yorker,) the Remarkable Delivery, which kicks up to neck height at slow medium pace off a good length and the Accidental Leg Spinner. He can also bowl a deadly deliberate Leg Spinner, but rarely uses it outside the nets. He still cherished dreams of being a fast bowler at this stage; "this summer....you will see some pace," he repeated every April.
Todorow continued playing 2 games a weekend regularly as OU and Nomads carried on a strange on-off romance for several years, finally coming to an acrimonious divorce in a game against the Energy Exiles at Tolworth in September 1998. I still have a letter from the OU regretting any upset the split caused us. Todorow laughed at that one.
Nomads had gradually ceased to be a "Friends and Friends of Friends" side and starting building a decent team, even joining the All London League in 2000. Around this time, there was an article in Wisden Cricket Monthly by cricket journalist Peter Roebuck saying that cricket is not a game played in the darkness, in rain, sleet, snow, or in Bulgaria. Todorow, by now a cricket die-hard, took offence at this and wrote to the journalist but didn't receive a reply. We were also thinking of submitting a piece to "The Cricketer" when Todorow captained Nomads to the top of the League after 3 games. Sadly, Nomads lost all their remaining League matches and sank to last place, and the moment passed. There have been at least 2 mentions of Todorow in a cricketing context, however, in the National Press. Occasionally he can be rather put out if people imply there is something strange about a Balkan-born man being so devoted to cricket, but surely there is merit in the fact that he has achieved a decent standard without, obviously, playing the game as a child. Occasionally he is taken for a South African by people confused by his interest in the game. Once he was watching a Test Match on TV in a pub in Clapham Junction and England were being peppered by bouncers from Curtley Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. "Yeessss, " some West Indians cried, turning to Todorow. "Your lot are going to mash 'em up next." "What do you mean?" replied Todorow, placing his pipe on the table, "my lot." The West Indians looked at each other and tutted indignantly, "Your lot....South Africa, man!"
Nomads left the League in a hurry and Todorow was the prime mover behind this. The League was plagued by sledging, bad sportsmanship, over-competitiveness and dodgy umpiring - and that was just the Nomads, you should have seen the other teams - though there was some good cricket played. Todorow was becoming a cricket purist and felt that Sunday games should, above all, be played in a good spirit. As regards the professional game, he is staunchly in favour of traditional forms of cricket, and traditional clothing, and decries 20-20 and "The Pyjama Game," as he terms it. He is passionately opposed to Sky's monopoly on Test match coverage, advocating that it should be available free to people of limited means. and that widespread Terrestrial TV coverage is the only way cricket will retain a sufficiently broad fan-base to continue as England's National Sport.
For most of the past 25 years, he appeared particularly obsessed with Graeme Hick. Any mention of Hick, or Worcestershire, or Zimbabwe or even just Africa, would lead to an impassioned diatribe; either that Hick should be rushed into the England side (ignoring the residential qualification,) or later that he should be brought back into the side, or that he should always bat at 3 for England and the team should be built around him. We began to wonder how any man could love another man so much, but I have come to realise that it was largely one of his famous wind-ups. He has always been willing to talk cricket at great length with anyone and his late night discussions with John Crossland and Joe Chance were legendary. (All Night Bull, Crossland dubbed them.)
After Nomads left the League, we began to acquire some seriously good players, such as Rafi, Hassan and Kabir. It was around this time that Todorow took over the bulk of the captaincy, which had previously been shared around the 5 founder members. It has always been a strength of Emil's captaincy that even players who have more talent than him still respect him as a skipper, and this has, with occasional spectacular exceptions, prevented the team from descending into cliqueyness and acrimony.
For the past 8 or 9 years, Nomads have been winning more than they lose. Todorow has plugged away with his bowling, usually getting his 20 wickets a season. He has perhaps underused himself as a batsman, although he has opened many times as this used to be a bit of a problem position in the days before Mark Bradshaw and Ben Fewson. He can play some really fine shots on occasions and claims to relish pace. I recall him being rapped on the hand once by a South African bowler at Kenley, who was bowling at 80 mph. Todorow shook his paw carefully, glared at the big Saffer, and absolutely crucified the next ball with a text book cut that must have crossed the Point boundary in under a second. I went to the indoor nets last winter with Emil and Mark. Emil was playing some fine shots against a bowling machine set to well over 80 mph. "Up..." he cried, "More." We turned it up to 93 and he was hit on the hand. He played the next ball with no problem though and looked disappointed to be told that machine couldn't bowl any faster.
He really showed what he could do in a game against Battersea Spinners in 2000. Chasing 105 to win, Todorow went in at No. 3 at 5 for 1 against some good bowling. Joined by his favourite batting partner, the left-handed Gaurang Vyas on 29 for 2, Todorow played brilliantly with shots all around the wicket and the pair saw Nomads home with Emil stranded on 36 not out. I am convinced he would have made 50 that day had we not passed the Spinners' total. His best bowling came in a game against Crete Sports, a really strong Guyanese-run side, when he took 6 for 37. He is unfortunate that this performance is remembered not for his running through a fine batting line-up, but for the absolutely massive six hit off him by a bald, 60-year-old Barbadian.
This is starting to sound like an Oscar winner's acceptance speech but I must mention he has done lots of good work off the field too, doing the team selection for the past 4 seasons and handling the banning of a certain well-known Nomads player with skilful diplomacy. Thanking him for his considerable contribution in a well-worded letter, he went on to advise the player that unfortunately there would be no opportunity for this contribution to be continued. He has also put in many thousands of miles of driving for the team (or acting as a C-Cab, as Todorow would put it.) Using his original car, The Bullmobile, and a series of other quality, value-for-money vehicles, he has been willing to transport Nomads' rancid and malodorous kit bag and sometimes equally rancid and malodorous players. He has put up with some terrible back seat driving and routefinding, being sent the wrong way up countless one way streets and culs-de-sac and once nearly ending up in the Thames. I should mention, though, the time he protested indignantly "We are lost. I can see the sea." (We were on the Swindon by-pass at the time.)
To sum up, Emil Todorow has become probably the most legendary figure in South London cricket and I can summarise the club's appreciation in 4 simple words - BETTER THAN DEL BALLARD.
Career Summary;
Appearances for Clapham Nomads - To be added
Total Competitive matches - approximately 400
Total runs scored for Clapham Nomads - 1,013 at an average of 7.08
Highest score - 36 not out v Battersea Spinners on 16/9/00 - also scored 36 for Open University v Nutley Hall in August 1990.
Total wickets taken for Clapham Nomads - 298 at an average of 17.97
Best Bowling - 6 for 37 v Crete Sports in May 1997. He did take 6 for 34 in an Open University match v Whitton Wanderers in 1994 but this was a 12-a-side match and Todorow took the 11th wicket.
Most wickets for Clapham Nomads in a season - 32 in 2003
Records.
Most appearances for Clapham Nomads.
Most appearances for the club as captain.
Most successive appearances for the club - 151 as at 25/8/10
Most wickets for the club
9th in list of all-time run-scorers.
Emil Todorow was born in Bulgaria but he soon realised that cricketing opportunities were likely to be limited there and left the country for the Home of Cricket - Clapham.
He was initially baffled by cricket and confined his games-playing to chess, which he plays to a very high level - he is believed to have been in the top 1,000 players in the country. I can assure you that he is just as lethal with a bishop in his hand as he is with a ball.
He first tried cricket in 1985. Being a sociable person, he wanted to go for a drink with John Crossland, Nick Lefebve and Joe Chance but was disturbed to hear that they were going to play that tedious, incomprehensible game he had seen on TV, briefly, before switching off. Clapham Common used to have 3 excellent artificial pitches and the 4 friends pitched stumps. Todorow asked Lefebve what was the point of the game and the youngster replied "Try to hit it in the road. Not that road....Lavender Hill" (about 1/2 a mile away.) Todorow nodded in understanding and, taking a diagonal guard, attempted the feat. He had such a mighty slog that, had he connected, I think he would have managed it.
They ended up playing every week for the next few summers, along with Simon Sparssis, Chris Holland, Bob Aspin, Peter Morris and Gerry Blackwood; most of whom went on to play for Open University or for the Nomads. Chance and, unbelievably, Lefebve were quite quick in those days and Emil often found himself bruised but he was willing to fight fire with fire. "For every bouncer I receive," he told Chance, "you will receive 3." His action was not the free-flowing thing of beauty you see today; in fact it was a chuck, but he started to get more accurate and also became a fan of the game, being particularly devoted to Richard Hadlee.
He first played a competitive match in 1987 when local character Paul Riche assembled a scratch eleven including Lefebve, Todorow, several Open University players, a women's hockey international and a guy who was sunbathing nearby. The opposition was a fairly strong team called Wandsworth Gods. Todorow batted number 3 and soon struck a mighty off-side blow which fell just short of the rope. "Where's that bloke from?" one of the Riche XI asked. "Bulgaria, eh? I bet they've got some dodgy pitches out there. Goats nibbling the outfield." Thankfully Todorow didn't hear him and he thoroughly enjoyed the match, taking a wicket and not being called for no-ball, which increased his confidence as a bowler.
In 1990, Todorow and Crossland heard that the Open University CC were looking for players and, remembering the nice, quiet guys from the Gods match, they turned up at Lillie Road nets in Fulham, only to be greeted by the sound of several hang-dog cricketers being ruthlessly bossed about by a man with a harsh Dublin accent. Crossland nearly turned and fled remembering the man, Dave Hunter, as his former football captain from Balham Celtic.
Todorow began to play regularly for the OU and, though it is fair to say that Dave Hunter never really rated Todorow as a bowler, and certainly not as a batsman, the two men had a grudging respect for each other as forceful characters. I often sat in the pub listening to them arguing, each taking points of view they didn't really hold, just to wind the other one up. Emil began to bowl regularly; his first bowl was in a game in August 1990 on a day when the all-time record high temperature was set. Two rotund men, Peter Price and Alan Cotter (known to Emil as "The Pack Pair") were toiling away and getting carted and I noticed Todorow pacing up and down restlessly. He confirmed that, had he not been brought on to bowl, he would have quit cricket. Hunter must have sensed this and a quick wicket for our hero was the result.
Deep down, D. Hunter was a great guy and appreciated the competitiveness Todorow brought to the side, but that didn't stop him - a football captain to his bones - from berating the Bulgarian's bowling. "Emil, for Christ's sake, bowl on the off-stump to this one and leg-stump to his partner," the Irish skipper yelled. "It's a secret," Emil replied, "and I wish I had your level of control." I also recall Emil straying down leg side one over and being hit for 4 successive fours though an acre of unguarded space behind square. When Emil protested after the first ball, Hunter replied "You don't deserve a Fine Leg."
We had some good times in the OU and there was usually something going on, such as when, on tour in Stroud, some local yobs took a dislike to Todorow in a curry house and threatened to make him "eat dog." He informed them that, if he encountered them again, they would need to be accompanied by the army. The trouble was, the team was either losing, or recording a losing draw (50 for 8 in reply to 200) almost every week and inevitably there were murmurings of discontent. (4-hour-long, weekly murmurings.) In 1994 Todorow, along with Nick Lefebve, John Crossland, Joe Chance and John Chance, formed the Clapham Nomads.
At this stage, Open University would probably have collapsed without these 5 and so they carried on playing for both clubs. Todorow must have played in well over 30 matches in 1994 and the constant bowling that he got through seemed to be the making of him as a bowler. His action smoothed out, he became more accurate and he introduced such variations as the BY Special (Balkan Yorker,) the Remarkable Delivery, which kicks up to neck height at slow medium pace off a good length and the Accidental Leg Spinner. He can also bowl a deadly deliberate Leg Spinner, but rarely uses it outside the nets. He still cherished dreams of being a fast bowler at this stage; "this summer....you will see some pace," he repeated every April.
Todorow continued playing 2 games a weekend regularly as OU and Nomads carried on a strange on-off romance for several years, finally coming to an acrimonious divorce in a game against the Energy Exiles at Tolworth in September 1998. I still have a letter from the OU regretting any upset the split caused us. Todorow laughed at that one.
Nomads had gradually ceased to be a "Friends and Friends of Friends" side and starting building a decent team, even joining the All London League in 2000. Around this time, there was an article in Wisden Cricket Monthly by cricket journalist Peter Roebuck saying that cricket is not a game played in the darkness, in rain, sleet, snow, or in Bulgaria. Todorow, by now a cricket die-hard, took offence at this and wrote to the journalist but didn't receive a reply. We were also thinking of submitting a piece to "The Cricketer" when Todorow captained Nomads to the top of the League after 3 games. Sadly, Nomads lost all their remaining League matches and sank to last place, and the moment passed. There have been at least 2 mentions of Todorow in a cricketing context, however, in the National Press. Occasionally he can be rather put out if people imply there is something strange about a Balkan-born man being so devoted to cricket, but surely there is merit in the fact that he has achieved a decent standard without, obviously, playing the game as a child. Occasionally he is taken for a South African by people confused by his interest in the game. Once he was watching a Test Match on TV in a pub in Clapham Junction and England were being peppered by bouncers from Curtley Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. "Yeessss, " some West Indians cried, turning to Todorow. "Your lot are going to mash 'em up next." "What do you mean?" replied Todorow, placing his pipe on the table, "my lot." The West Indians looked at each other and tutted indignantly, "Your lot....South Africa, man!"
Nomads left the League in a hurry and Todorow was the prime mover behind this. The League was plagued by sledging, bad sportsmanship, over-competitiveness and dodgy umpiring - and that was just the Nomads, you should have seen the other teams - though there was some good cricket played. Todorow was becoming a cricket purist and felt that Sunday games should, above all, be played in a good spirit. As regards the professional game, he is staunchly in favour of traditional forms of cricket, and traditional clothing, and decries 20-20 and "The Pyjama Game," as he terms it. He is passionately opposed to Sky's monopoly on Test match coverage, advocating that it should be available free to people of limited means. and that widespread Terrestrial TV coverage is the only way cricket will retain a sufficiently broad fan-base to continue as England's National Sport.
For most of the past 25 years, he appeared particularly obsessed with Graeme Hick. Any mention of Hick, or Worcestershire, or Zimbabwe or even just Africa, would lead to an impassioned diatribe; either that Hick should be rushed into the England side (ignoring the residential qualification,) or later that he should be brought back into the side, or that he should always bat at 3 for England and the team should be built around him. We began to wonder how any man could love another man so much, but I have come to realise that it was largely one of his famous wind-ups. He has always been willing to talk cricket at great length with anyone and his late night discussions with John Crossland and Joe Chance were legendary. (All Night Bull, Crossland dubbed them.)
After Nomads left the League, we began to acquire some seriously good players, such as Rafi, Hassan and Kabir. It was around this time that Todorow took over the bulk of the captaincy, which had previously been shared around the 5 founder members. It has always been a strength of Emil's captaincy that even players who have more talent than him still respect him as a skipper, and this has, with occasional spectacular exceptions, prevented the team from descending into cliqueyness and acrimony.
For the past 8 or 9 years, Nomads have been winning more than they lose. Todorow has plugged away with his bowling, usually getting his 20 wickets a season. He has perhaps underused himself as a batsman, although he has opened many times as this used to be a bit of a problem position in the days before Mark Bradshaw and Ben Fewson. He can play some really fine shots on occasions and claims to relish pace. I recall him being rapped on the hand once by a South African bowler at Kenley, who was bowling at 80 mph. Todorow shook his paw carefully, glared at the big Saffer, and absolutely crucified the next ball with a text book cut that must have crossed the Point boundary in under a second. I went to the indoor nets last winter with Emil and Mark. Emil was playing some fine shots against a bowling machine set to well over 80 mph. "Up..." he cried, "More." We turned it up to 93 and he was hit on the hand. He played the next ball with no problem though and looked disappointed to be told that machine couldn't bowl any faster.
He really showed what he could do in a game against Battersea Spinners in 2000. Chasing 105 to win, Todorow went in at No. 3 at 5 for 1 against some good bowling. Joined by his favourite batting partner, the left-handed Gaurang Vyas on 29 for 2, Todorow played brilliantly with shots all around the wicket and the pair saw Nomads home with Emil stranded on 36 not out. I am convinced he would have made 50 that day had we not passed the Spinners' total. His best bowling came in a game against Crete Sports, a really strong Guyanese-run side, when he took 6 for 37. He is unfortunate that this performance is remembered not for his running through a fine batting line-up, but for the absolutely massive six hit off him by a bald, 60-year-old Barbadian.
This is starting to sound like an Oscar winner's acceptance speech but I must mention he has done lots of good work off the field too, doing the team selection for the past 4 seasons and handling the banning of a certain well-known Nomads player with skilful diplomacy. Thanking him for his considerable contribution in a well-worded letter, he went on to advise the player that unfortunately there would be no opportunity for this contribution to be continued. He has also put in many thousands of miles of driving for the team (or acting as a C-Cab, as Todorow would put it.) Using his original car, The Bullmobile, and a series of other quality, value-for-money vehicles, he has been willing to transport Nomads' rancid and malodorous kit bag and sometimes equally rancid and malodorous players. He has put up with some terrible back seat driving and routefinding, being sent the wrong way up countless one way streets and culs-de-sac and once nearly ending up in the Thames. I should mention, though, the time he protested indignantly "We are lost. I can see the sea." (We were on the Swindon by-pass at the time.)
To sum up, Emil Todorow has become probably the most legendary figure in South London cricket and I can summarise the club's appreciation in 4 simple words - BETTER THAN DEL BALLARD.
Career Summary;
Appearances for Clapham Nomads - To be added
Total Competitive matches - approximately 400
Total runs scored for Clapham Nomads - 1,013 at an average of 7.08
Highest score - 36 not out v Battersea Spinners on 16/9/00 - also scored 36 for Open University v Nutley Hall in August 1990.
Total wickets taken for Clapham Nomads - 298 at an average of 17.97
Best Bowling - 6 for 37 v Crete Sports in May 1997. He did take 6 for 34 in an Open University match v Whitton Wanderers in 1994 but this was a 12-a-side match and Todorow took the 11th wicket.
Most wickets for Clapham Nomads in a season - 32 in 2003
Records.
Most appearances for Clapham Nomads.
Most appearances for the club as captain.
Most successive appearances for the club - 151 as at 25/8/10
Most wickets for the club
9th in list of all-time run-scorers.
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