Scorecard

Aldenham Cricket Club v White Walkers CC on Sun 26 Jun 2022 at 12.30
Aldenham Cricket Club Won by 7 wickets

Match report As in all good families, examples are set by the head of the family. The weekend started with - Sharp 0721am as you are just opening your eyes on a Saturday – Chairman sir sets the WhatsApp group rolling with wishing the Saturday boys luck and also providing for the weather update. All in few short and wise words.
Saturday did not go our way and the men will come back stronger. Sunday though, is a different ball game. Its serious stuff only for the big boys.
As always, the start was a bit edgy to the Sunday; though this time there was no usual marketing of the sleek smart wrist watch, instead there was a stern typed message (with a hashtag emphasizing the sternness and sarcasm all in one) indicating that eight wise men decided to successfully ---- be late.
One could feel the heat on the rather chilly and windy morning at the ground due to the above as you arrive late – Only kidding – our Skipper is Gold. A Teacher can only love his pupils.
The Toss on Sunday is a true mystery as it should be – no one including the opposition knows what happens in the middle as the skippers walk in and out; but definitely Barry gives us a decision on what to do. Since last two weekends it has been fielding first promoting a bit of fitness.
A Lankan heavy opposition and hence two left handers (and also the one down) to begin with as it is with the home country of Jayasurya Gurusinha and Sangakkara. We had our own Sheikh Ahmed and CT; after a decent first over CT returning back after an injury decided to follow a simple modus op·er·andi to buy a wicket which is – we provide good fodder to the lamb prior to the slaughter for best results. So, couple of sixes slogged over mid-wicket and that was enough he said ---Timberrrr on 3rd attempt. 14 for 1 the opposition. CT in the wicket’s column.
Skipper Baz decided to use everyone in short spells for the day and in came Rogers another come back hero of the ACC after a while enjoying the winter down under in Australia. In Between there was an incident with the gentle old umpire who got riled himself for not giving a decision. Which was pretty funny. Though the moment he swore and said you can’t be questioning. I had to interrupt (ACC is a competitive yet a social club) and tell him there is nothing like questioning in cricket if you over the years heard a term called “Appealing” and there isn’t any tax on how much you appeal.
Rogers though decides to hit Timberrrrr the very next over and it saved the effort on decision making for the umpire who then decides to come up and apologise as we celebrate. More fun from him is coming ahead.
The no4 unlike ours; was a proper batsman. Played a few good-looking drives and strokes including an easy as you like flicked six off Shekhyy who has been a bit shaky in the opening spells since coupla weeks.
Anyway, skipper Baz got into his elements soon. Riled him up by being super quick between deliveries and on one occasion batsman was just not ready; with a proper fast bowlers run up our skipper gets ready for the next delivery as Ravi Jadeja from India, giving no time to the batsman. Skipper let him know through few kind words about the bowler going uphill and ready for next ball surely is enough time for the batsman to take a stance and be ready. But as with is our skip anyone can feel the heat; next ball an inside edge and Timbeerrrrrr. A masterclass in how to buy a wicket with pressure as much as with skill.

In came an Arjuna Ranatunga similar geography figure; albeit right-handed and started swinging to decent effectiveness. Baz kept up to his guns too and rotated bowlers. Brought on Deepak and Andy T for short bursts. Poor Deepak Sharma would be thinking what the Fadras have against me; the younger one parried one over the rope last weekend and the senior one dropped an easier skier this weekend.
120 for 4 at Drinks & Chips; the innings was in the balance. Post drinks there were a flurry of boundaries but also the game started moving faster. Further bowling changes and skipper for his second spell had the ball curving out ala Mathew Hoggard and then hit the Timbeerrrrr with a snorter, a wonderful delivery opening up the batsmen and passing by the defences to hit the base of the stump’s.
Rogers for his second spell changed his mind or no mind to bowl something you could call fastish parabolic off spin, amazing skill that from like an angle of 37 degree run up of few steps. Guess what; it resulted in Timberrrr – Timberrrr two in a row on a hattrick.
I was in my mind at mid-off; like after 27 (read 11) drops last Sunday our bowlers have taken the fielders out of the equation and doing all by themselves. An LBW also followed. So still no fielders involved in the dismissals. Then came the funny moment again from the umpire - the batsman stands like a camel on the crease and decides to offer no shot take the ball on the pads off Sheihky and of course it’s not out. Skipper gets another one to hit the pads dead in front; a huge shout, I too could see it at fine leg that it was hitting middle of middle. But of course, not out. It was so funny that wasn’t funny anymore. But with this umpire an apology always follows – so after the over funnily enough says “I am sorry I got that wrong”!!!!! It did crack us up in the middle on a hot afternoon between overs.
Finally in the slog overs the slog was on and Andy T who would make this day his own later in the afternoon plucked one outta thin air; an athletic take at cow corner running to his left and ensuring a great catch that ripped some blood off his fingers. A tremendous effort made to look ridiculously easy. A fielder was finally involved and how. Lastly, another Timberrrrr by Deepak to close out an innings that looked like 161 overs of a 1st innings in a test, much as the detail of this dreary report, on a hot afternoon and a chase of 247 was on…….!!!
So then --- Hold your breadth. 200+ was the highest chased this season twice by ACC Sunday team with Barry getting us over the line in a tense last over finish of 217 and then Ebay and Sacho taming off 232 last weekend. So, 247 was certainly a new territory and also a further one. But nothing is out of reach for these mavericks on a humid Sunday afternoon.
Boom Boom and Ebay took charge and started off with 10 off the first 4 balls; a signature clip of the legs by Ebay got him going – in the form of his life just like James Vince who always is in form but never considered by England as a favourite or a certainty. Itty though after a customary boundary tapped one rather than BOOMing one and ended up C&B for a rare single digit entertainment. In walked Andy Tryer and all I can say is Marriage changes everyone. We were treated to a masterclass in CLEAN PURE “Strokeplay” - chanceless 135 runs of silken joy.
Ebay though was out in mysterious circumstances, stumped or runout or a mix of both of an LBW shout that was not given. He walked off but the volcano within was to erupt later. 70 for 2 in 11 overs.
In came “yours truly” the preacher of top 4 to score heavily only to last a solitary delivery. If online trolling ever had a personification. This was it. Deepak finally got even for the dropped catches by raising a finger on one that was surely high. It was a huge assertive shout and he raised the dreaded finger to pressure …….naawwhhh.. I played around a straight one.
In came the namesake at no5 Andy J – what followed was a remarkable 170 odd unbeaten partnership in a chase that could have gone sorry had another wicket fallen in the 70s.
But the 26th June afternoon belonged to one man, Andy Tryer the left-handed artist. Stretching forward for staunchly defending off straighter deliveries, to shot arm jabs off shorter stuff, to late cuts to airborne straight hits over the ropes – every shot was clean and assured. Two consecutive hits over the side screen on the forest end followed by one in the trees to a tonked hit off the legs over mid-wicket over the bushes to various on drives and cover drives to hard running between the wickets – it was an innings built as much by skill as much was by supreme confidence. Andy said it was a slight change in stance that made all the difference but we know it’s the wedding that did the trick. When into the 80s the opposition got in two decent or rather best of their bowlers. Right arm round, a full delivery homing in on off-middle peg but Andy by now was seeing it like a full moon – The bat came down straight to the angled in delivery and then the wrists took over just on contact and then left over right, just beautiful hands, and the ball went all along the carpet 80 yards down to the square leg boundary for what was to me the shot of the innings. What timing!! I had the joy of watching it umpiring. Andy himself enjoyed that one.
All wasn’t over yet. The namesake was at it too a sublime 64 unbeaten with 50% runs in the V with the signature straight swing of the bat and 50% runs in the V behind the wickets off the edges that precisely kept the score ticking and rotating the strike. A maiden 50 for the ACC and what an occasion to do it chasing a mammoth 247. A contribution worthy of remembrance for a long time.
In-between all of this, Andy T hit one of his airborne on-drives on the body of Andy J and it ricocheted on the stumps and easy as you like it was all as though that is out and Andy J must walk back as he was out of the crease. Sorry ------ is that even cricket???? Barry was out in the middle in no time and issue resolved after some schooling on the rules of the game. But this was the moment Ebay was waiting for the Volcano to let rip – upset he was sitting alone on the benches. He let it rip. Ranting on about the lack of sportsmanship and so on. It was so funny every one appreciating the good gesture of the opposition to understand the rules but Ebay was in his own world…. Finally, he calmed down. Maybe his own words got to him “It’s a Sunday friendly game” !!! ha-ha. To add on I being the Fan of Ebays batting genuinely said to Itty in the dugout that he’s the best runner between the wickets with Andy T at ACC – n the look on Ittys face was like I came from Timbaktoo or what – priceless look of disbelief if ever there was one. Haha…!! We all had a little fun at dear Ebays expense this Sunday.
With the heat on, came another moment with Andy T on 105 odds, a close run out not given by 6 time ICC umpire of the decade award winner at square leg. Eyes like an Eagle. Close call on a direct hit but it wasn’t out so no matter how good it looks the effort; if the batsman is in --- it called not out. Huge shout all 11 on the centre block 7 on the pitch desperate to see Andy T back in the hut – but Fadra junior won’t budge – it’s not out. (Buddy Deepak could learn about not succumbing to pressure 😊) The opposition dished out some South African hospitality via the Hindi language but the Fadras wear the ACC badge on the sleeve and are above the village banter and ethics. Finally in the next over the fielder apologised for the sweet words spoken and all was ok. However, the very next ball Andy J flicked a loose drive to mid wicket’s lap and was put down. Couple of easy boundaries followed and the decision had disturbed their efforts and things were falling apart of what was left in the morale already weakened off the super partnership. Suddenly three edges from the middle of the bat of Andy J followed behind point of the signature straight drive swing of the bat and 4 remained off 24 balls in no time.
The winning shot was duly played by Andy J over to long on for a single to complete an entertaining day with close to 500 runs witnessed. Setting up the next weekend with Old Minchendenians and the super Sunday with fun and frolic for the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the most warm and friendly club of the home counties in the United Kingdom.
Thank you, Andy and Andy, for the amazing Sunday – We all loved it. We yearn for more!!
P.S – Skipper had said “Expecting every detail Maj” for the match report.

White Walkers CC Batting
Player name RunsMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
 
for 10 wickets
0
246 (38.4 overs)		     
Hasala b  Taylor 11
Shah b  Letts 37
Rodrigo lbw  Letts 10
Sachin b  Fadra 1
Chandina b  Fadra 44
Bhuddi b  Letts 30
Buddika b  Fadra 0
Chirag lbw  Letts 10
Asish b  Deepak 33
Shanika ct  Tyrer b Deepak 21
Alistair Not Out  0

Aldenham Cricket Club Aldenham Cricket Club Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Sheikh Ahmed8.004700.005.88
Callum Taylor7.0055155.007.86
Basil Letts8.022546.253.12
Shafique Fadra8.0045315.005.63
Deepak Sharma5.4043221.507.59
Andy Tyrer2.002100.0010.50

Aldenham Cricket Club Aldenham Cricket Club Batting
Player Name RMB4s6sSRCatchesStumpingsRun outs
extras
TOTAL :
1nb 3w 8b 4lb 
for 3 wickets
16
247		        
Itty Haque ct  & b Buddika 5 6 1 83.33
Ubaid Khaliq st  Chandina 26 28 4 92.86
Andy Tyrer Not Out  135 117 17 5 115.38 1
Majidahmed Mohammadali lbw  Chandina 0 1 0
Andy Jackson Not Out  64 67 8 95.52
Paul Marlow  
Shafique Fadra  
Deepak Sharma  
Callum Taylor  
Basil Letts  
Sheikh Ahmed  

White Walkers CC Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Rodrigo6.004400.007.33
Buddika7.0138138.005.43
Shanika4.002200.005.50
Chandina8.001829.002.25
Alistair3.004100.0013.67
Ashish5.003700.007.40
Shah3.002800.009.33
?0.30600.0012.00