2012

Sun 24 June                               Antelopians                                Cancelled – rain

2011

Sun 19 June                               Antelopians                                 Lost by 18 runs

They 212/10 in 39.3 overs  (Gilmore 62, MacPherson 48, Gloag 45, Abbas Quettawala 5/23, Akhi Shailendra 2/41)

We    194/10 in 35.3 overs  (Tim Keleher 38, James Pickles 37, Khush Khan 16, Extras 41, Gilmore 3/55, McCarney 2/12, Lees 2/13)

Braving the showers, KCC took on Antelopians to contest the new trophy commissioned by Steve Thomas to commemorate this annual 40 overs fixture.  Steve’s own allegiances were divided – appearing for Kensington on this occasion, presumably to encourage sledging.  David Behar lost the toss and Antelopians opted to bat on a surface dampened by a sharp shower just before the start.

An attacking opening partnership of 37 in just five overs was ended by a direct hit from the skipper.  Opener Macpherson went on to compile an aggressive 48 before Akhi comprehensively yorked him with the last ball of his spell.  With Gabriel tying the batsmen in knots with the ball and taking a sharp slip chance in the field, Antelopians were soon teetering at 81/4 after 15 overs.  The 85-run partnership between Gilmore and Gloag pulled the innings back, with Gilmore hitting ferociously, including three massive sixes.  Abbas Quettawala made the crucial breakthrough, having Gilmore caught behind on 62.  He then proceeded to mop up the tail claiming a well deserved 5 for 23 with his whippy medium-pace and showing the virtue of getting the ball up to the bat on a slow pitch.  Antelopians were all out for 212 in the 40th over.

KCC were content to have restricted Antelopians to a gettable total when they’d seemed on course for something a lot larger.  Sure enough, the re-start confirmed KCC’s confidence with the opening pair of Tim Keleher and James Pickles getting us off to a flyer, reaching 50 off 5 overs.  Credit to the Antelopians’ skipper for ringing the changes, using no fewer than nine bowlers to find a breakthrough.  Wickets suddenly came in a rush.  First James was castled, Steve triggered and then Furquan suckered into a 3rd consecutive pull shot – but only the first 2 went for 4. When Tim departed shortly after, Kensington were wobbling.  81 for 1 had become 112 for 4.  In true Kensington fashion, a tricky situation turned into a desperate one when skipper David and keeper Ben also threw their wickets away in quick succession.  Could the bowlers dig the batsmen out of trouble?  Khush and Abbas then put on 44 for the 7th wicket and the momentum was turning.  But a calamitous run out brought an end to Khush’s defiance and KCC folded soon after 18 runs short.

A game we should have won, but how many times has that been said over the years? Steve presented Shane, the winning skipper, with the beer-filled trophy enabling Antelopians to crown their victory with a well-earned draught.  Whisky, beer and rum flowed after the game with Steve waxing particularly eloquent.  In vino veritas!