Thrilling End to a Great Game of Cricket Sees Claygate Snatch Victory

Sunday 5th June and Happy Sundays went down to Claygate. Claygate won the toss and elected to field: their skipper Craig giving the best reason I've heard yet with "we'll bowl first, it'll keep the wives happy later on."

Graham Hills opened up with Phil Lopeman for Happy Sundays. Graham (3) was undone by a good delivery and Anish went out to bat with Phil. The going was slow - the wicket not conducive to flashy drives but the lads got stuck in and made it look easy going. Anish "Chilli" Kulkarni crashed a couple of shots through covers and point and looked positive from the start, whilst Phil used his long reach to punish balls in the same region, coupled with various flicks and whips and some good running between the wickets from both. Anish was caught at point, having not quite got it over the man (who took a good catch) and the determined Matt "Dyno-Rod" Holloway walked to the crease. He and Phil dug deep before Phil tickled one behind. James "Rands Hatch" Randall came to the crease and cracked a couple of exciting drives before being caught sharply at slip, and Vandals were left 28/4. Alick Forrester, playing his first match in 20 years, joined Dyno-Rod and looked to have found his feet having settled in but was out with the score 44/5.

Happy Sundays were in a bit of trouble but today was the day that Holloway felt like he was Steve Waugh, preferring to go out to bat in a dire situation just so he can rescue his team, and that he did with Dan Fenton. The two batted beautifully: Holloway showing us an array of drives, pulls and tickles on his way to 49 and Dan stepping out to a Chinaman bowler and playing everything straight and in front of the wicket on his way to 54. When Holloway fell, having amassed 86 in partnership with Fenton, Sam "Rhino" Buckell came to the crease and felt it necessary to run Dan out, so he did. Adrian came and went quickly and so a partnership which hadn't been seen in some time - Jacob "Hoops" Hooper (21*) and Sam (27*) - set about bolstering the total. Some very good running between the wickets and shots all around the wicket meant the two put on 40 for the last 6 overs and Happy Sundays finished 190/8 from their 40.

Happy Sundays started off well in restricting the Claygate batsmen: Rands Hatch, Hoops and Rhino ripped out the top 4 to leave Claygate 34/4. Bruce "Stuart" Magill bowled well and was unfortunate to finish up with just 1-fer, and Alick's found his rhythm quickly; his first bowl in years yielded him 1/38. Chilli came on and went for just 20 in four overs whilst Rands Hatch took two further wickets to finish up with 3-fer off his 8 overs. Hoops and Sam tried to wrap up the innings at the end but it wasn't to be: Claygate's number 9 finished 59* and rescued his side from a seemingly lost cause at 154/9 to take the hosts over the line with three balls to spare.

It was incredibly close though as the last pair seemed to determined to run each other out but they just made their ground each time.
In the end, an exciting cricket match and well done to Claygate for getting over the line at the end there and for being great hosts.