Quokkas CC 240-9 (Haider 59, Rashid 55, Umair 30, Skip 19no) lost to Coldharbour CC 264 all out (Skip 2-13, Seagull 2-19, Conor 2-34)
After an emphatic and crushing victory last summer, with a century from Rashid and several others having their best days, we almost fell off the Coldharbour calendar this year. After a decade of fixtures between the two teams, that would have been a shame. Missing out on the home-made sausage rolls and cakes, not to mention the cream scones would not have been offset by the reduced wear to the car suspension.
Skip was at the helm this time and he smoothed things over with the promise of old men with hip replacements, has been’s, never were’s and kids playing for the first time. He didn’t mention that the kid was Conor and was our best bowler, but they seemed happy enough. We put our opponents into bat. Evil Dave and Conor opened the bowling. Conor took a wicket with his very first ball. He continued to cause problems and grabbed a second during a fine spell. Evil also got a wicket. I wouldn’t call his spell ‘fine’.
Skip, playing for the first time since the addition of a go-go gadget leg, took two wickets during a nice spell of his own. That can’t really be said of Professor, Jatin, D.O.C. and Seagull, who all got some tap from a former British Lions star on his way to a blistering half century. Seagull eventually bowled him, but a lot of damage had been done. It was great to have D.O.C. back after many years in the wilderness, something about bringing up kids… and we even got a few overs of ‘spin’ out of him. Don’t give up the day care job.
Lunch was its usual high standard. There was one complaint: plates too small.
In reply, D.O.C. and Rashid opened the batting. Both looked assured. Slightly different styles. Rashid obviously loves this ground and once again smashed the ball into the woods numerous times on his way to a fifty. Their bowling was very strong this year, so it was a very good knock. Umair and Professor continued the chase, with some fine stroke play. Professor is a different man now he has some real wood in his hands. Just as we were starting to get behind the run rate, Haider smashed a brilliant fifty. We looked likely winners until the loss of five wickets in no time at all
gave our opponents hope, and Skip and Seagull scratching around couldn’t see us home.
As is traditional, we left some important stuff (scorebook) at the ground, and I passed Rashid going back up the hill to retrieve a forgotten bat (been there, done that). Perhaps it’s the altitude and being 853m above sea level that makes people forget things?
Seagull