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Nice location, Great post match teas, good weather for the first 4th XI
match, shame about the performance and lack of facilities. This sums the day
up after it took an hour to travel the short distance to Richmond Green from
Kempton, due to rugby matches at the Stoop and HQ. Finding somewhere cheap
to park near the Green for the drivers being the only other negative
point about this fixture.
Having won the toss the skipper chose to field first in the 35 over per
side contest, maximum 7 overs per bowler. The first 10 overs went well with
Ken Inwood 7-0-26-1 (in two spells) and Malcolm Smith 5-1-14-0 restricting
our opponents to 30 runs for the loss of one wicket, a catch by Luke
Neville. Thereafter things headed south badly as the skip tried to give his
players a decent run out. Alfie Mekwan 6-0-43-1 (an LBW) and Luke Neville
5-0-25-0 replaced our opening attack to be followed by James Warne 5-0-31-0
and Richard Gawley 5-0-47-0.Unlucky debutant Dom Minchinton coming on at the
end with two batsmen in full flow, taking a severe battering in his 2 overs
going for 42 runs. Both batsmen coming down the track turning his deliveries
into full tosses so we didn't get a chance to see how much he could turn the
ball. Overall our fielding was competent, two difficult chances being
dropped, one behind the stumps by Charlie Welch and the other on the Long On
boundary by Richard
Gawley. The only time the ball was pouched, Malcolm Smith at Deep Square
Leg had the misfortune to fall over the boundary to concede a six. The
outfield proved to be our biggest problem, as on many occasions the ball
made a last second deviation away from our players as they went to field it.
Princes Head's innings closing at 229 for 2 after 35 overs. Fall of wickets
at 15 and 58.
After a short break between innings our reply began and soon we were
in deep trouble at 4 for 3 with openers Rukn Uddin 1 and
Luke Neville 0 departing, closely followed by Richard Gawley 1. Our
number 3 Abu 'Pali' Palekar 13 lasted a little longer in partnership with
Alfie Mekwan 34,puting on 19 runs. Alfie managing to stick around a while as
Charlie Welch 4,James Warne 0 came and went. Dom Minchinton 8 Not Out did a
fine job blocking out and trying to make our total a bit more respectable
until Alfie was dismissed with the total on 67 for 7.Malcolm Smith 33 in
sparkling form with the bat again, moved the total on to 118 before he was
out and Dom was joined for the remaining overs by Ken Inwood 10 Not Out.
Skip not required to bat, Extras 22 Byes,1 Leg Bye,13 Wides and 3 No Balls
and the Kempton Innings closed on 143 for 8 after our 35 overs. A
disappointing start to the 4th XI season with a team that on paper should
have been more competitive.
