Medlock
and McGowan make hay
On a day overshadowed by the sad passing of Specials great
friend Joe Harounoff in the early hours of the morning (see
obituary), the match took place
in an understandably eerie atmosphere.
Nevertheless the game was still played in a positive and
competitive spirit and we would like to thank Walthamstow
for their attitude and understanding.
Walthamstow
won the toss, and after eyeing up at the potential bowling
attack Specials had on offer (Pilgrim and Cattel both absent)
decided a run feast was on offer and opted to bat.
It was to prove a little more difficult than it looked but
they did manage a challenging 188 all out for us to chase
with Murrey top scoring with 48.
A miserly
opening spell by Tailor (fearsome) and Herlihy (accurate)
restricted the openers to a slow start and included Smiler’s
400th wicket for the second game in succession. Ringo took
no wickets but recorded 35 dot balls in his 7 overs. Exhausted,
he was put out to pasture but spent the rest of afternoon
chasing the results of lesser bowling.
Sian
, on debut, came on first change and bowled a tidy spell
without luck. Ferdenzi took over at the other end, and from
where this reporter was standing, gave the impression that
he had spent the whole of the 1990s at Rodney Marsh’s
Cricket Academy so reasonable was his spell. He ripped the
heart out of the Horizontals middle order with two quick
wickets.
Medlock
replaced Sian and bowled a great spell taking 5 for 18 off
his seven overs.
Naisbitt
replaced Ferdenzi.
“I,
its I, I.Naisbitt !” screamed brother Mark, a stickler
for accuracy, to the scorers as Ivan came on to bowl.
Batsmen Richardson took advantage and scored a career-first
6 in a rather loose first over . Naisbitt I. eventually
found his line and length for which he was so noted in the
early 80s, frustrating the batsmen as Medlock mopped up
at the other end.
The
bowling was backed up by some excellent fielding throughout
with J.Jani, A. Boggia and Naisbitt all taking excellent
catches.
A minutes
silence was held on the square between innings and, after
puzzling arguments about how far down the order some players
wanted to bat, we went out under orders to go for the win.
With
Verno, Jani and Sian all going cheaply it was left to Medlock
and McGowan to blaze away all afternoon as the rest of us
soaked up the sun. Coming together with the score on just
39 they put on an unbeaten 152 with a blend of masterful
stroke play and sensible judgement, to win the game with
less than two overs to go. McGowan managed a 69 followed
by a well earned gargle of tonic water.
It wasn’t
until Tony surrendered this reporting duty that I realised
what a match he’d had. 5 wickets and 88 not out. That’s
very good.
At the
end of a sad day there were only two winners : Sportsmanship
and Friendship.
Joe
would most certainly had approved.
©
Ivan Naisbitt 2003
