That just wasn't cricket

Walthamstow Horizontals are our oldest rivals and suppliers of much drama between the two clubs over the past 20 odd years.

Sunday 8th May 2005, I feel, will eclipse all the other contests and live on in all the memories of those who played and, through folklore, enter the memories of some who didn't.

An ordinary Sunday afternoon friendly was brought to a sudden and violent halt that shocked and appalled all who witnessed the scenes at approximately 5.30pm.

Let me tell the story of the cricket that happened, until the yob culture of some other sports entered our normally tranquil arena.

Smiler won the toss and elected bat, feeling confident that we could post a total Horizontals would find a tough chase.

With V absent, chasing glory with the toffees in scouse land, the skipper and my good self donned our pads and opened up our innings.

We progressed well falling just short of a fifty partnership, when Smiler played around a ball from Arif and saw his off-stump dislodged.

Paul Cotsen, making his 2005 debut, played pat-a-cake with a half volley from Winteringham's first ball and holed out tamely to mid-off.

This brought me together with an old mate from AP, Faisal. We set about building a credible Sundown total. However one too many a lofted shot from my bat saw a neat catch at deepish mid-on by Scally. We were 68 for 3 with Smiler muttering about needing at least 150 to defend.

Our lower middle order then did an impression of the England team of the mid-nineties and collapsed. Cosgrove with two dashing boundaries, McGowan 1, Naisbitt 0, new boy Russell 0, before Pilgrim and Cattell brought some old heads to the crease and hung about with Faisal.

Faisal, after an initially scrappy start, was starting to get into free flow and departed with only a few balls left having made a much-needed 76. The last third of his innings was littered with punches and drives for boundaries through the mid-off mid-on V.

We strolled into tea feeling confident of our 174 total.

The age of our opening bowling partnership returned to the high eighties from last week's all time high of 108, with the return of our only genuine quickie Dom Pilgrim.

Dom and Ringo both bowled well without any luck. Ringo delivering a waist high full toss which Kendrick edged into his face and I suspect was a contributory factor in the later debacle.

New boy Alan Russell, a late recruit from the ranks of the Lionels, bowled a tidy spell, and Cat was his usual "Scrooge" like self, but still no wickets.

It was then, for no apparent reason, other than a small spat over whether a leg bye should have been a dead ball or not, that cricket as we know it entered another realm.

Kendrick, still smarting from his earlier self induced blow in the face turned on Mark Naisbitt at silly mid off and marched over waving his bat in a threatening manner. A cold chill blew across the ground as we watched him strike Mark a couple of times with the bat. It was a though time was standing still before we were jerked back into life and intervened before things took a more serious turn.

This mêlée was followed by some more heated moments before Kendrick finally disappeared leaving his embarrassed team mates to attempt to repair the damage inflicted by one man on a 22-year friendship between two clubs. (For a longer account of the incident go here).

Stumps were drawn and the teams headed their separate directions, to their own watering holes to contemplate the actions that we hope will never be repeated whilst we play this great game on the green outfields of London town.

Match abandoned for weather or sub-standard pitch conditions will surely be the only time the entry makes its way into our annals in future.

The winners
Well batted to Faisal

The Losers
Cricket and Mark's leg

Next week we have our first home game against another long standing oppo -- Pymmes. Hopefully the sun will shine and we will have a new batch of youngsters attending their first Specials fixture.