2012

Sun 10 June                                Blindley Heath             Abandoned (rain)   

We    173/6 in 38 overs       (Al Naser Regan 78, Neeraj Nayar 27, San Gore 26, Hayward 2/34)
They   90/2 in 22 overs      (Burchett 46, Hayward 21*, Sunil Amar 2/10)

Note to all unsuspecting match managers – should you ever suffer the privilege of having Neeraj Nayar selected in your team, beware the whims and wiles of our esteemed Committee member:

• The week before the match – Neeraj emails to say that a sore shoulder means he can’t bowl and same sore shoulder demands that he bat UP THE ORDER.
• 45 minutes before the start of the match – Neeraj, already in his whites, greets skipper David Behar as he arrives at the ground and is immediately in his ear to ensure that he does indeed OPEN THE BATTING.
• After tea (KCC having batted first and the skipper having cravenly ceded to Neeraj’s request to open the batting) – Neeraj, having already taken up his customary position at first slip/short third man without instruction from the skipper, can be seen wildly windmilling his arms – same sore shoulder has undergone apparently miraculous recovery – and very conspicuously going through a routine of BOWLING RELATED STETCHES.  On an overcast day, we chose not to hand the fresh cherry to a SPINNER!

Neej’s antics apart, highlights of the game included a typically hurricane Regan innings with lots of playing and missing,  but this time surviving to crash 2 sixes and eight fours in his 78 and no chances given.  Heath’s opening bowler Evans showed good control with the ball.  After tea, Neil Burchett would have got a 50 on a drier day when the outfield was less sodden.  Bharat took a couple of sharp chances before the incessant rain rendered further play impossible and the drenched fielders thankfully raced back into the dry.

Regan heaves another over the fence

OOPS, Neej!

2011

Sun  6 June                                Blindley Heath                      Abandoned (rain)

We    101/4 in 20.2 overs    (Azam 38, Gore 24*, Kidwai 21, Oppe 10*, Eden 3/35)

They    –

A sharp shower (and a drizzly aftermath) on the uncovered wicket midway into our innings put paid to any hope of continuing the match.  Furquan Kidwai and Usman Azam started like an express train scoring 47 in 6 overs before Furqui was bowled.  Usman’s enterprising innings of 38 in 29 balls ended when he too had his stumps shattered this time by Eden, who then took two further wickets.  Skipper San Gore and Mark Oppe kept the momentum going until the heavens opened.  Bags were packed, Cobras opened, and that was that.