GCC v Dulwich CC XI - Match Report - 3rd June 2018

by Jamie Elliott

This Dulwich CC Development eleven was not the youngest team Gardeners have ever played - that was the Butterflies street kids on the India Tour - but it’s definitely the youngest that’s beaten us.

Most 13 year-olds boys are strapped to their Xboxes playing Fortnite on a Sunday afternoon not fronting up on the cricket pitch against a bunch of gnarly adults. So fair play to them for turning up (we’d lost our original opposition on Thursday) and fair play to them for giving us a proper playground duffing up in beating us by 60 or so runs.

The Gs had a fine first 10 overs with 5 of them maidens. Robbo found the miserly line and length he’d bowled against the Gaieties and Cunners nicked an opener early with one that cut back. Emler came in, 13 going on 25, in both stature and approach, and 70-odd were put on before Sam cleaned him up. It was slow going though thanks to Saj’s flat off-breaks and at the half-way mark they were only 79.

Opener Crawford-Khan (an adult) was looking ominous. But we had our chance. Actually, three of them in two overs when he was on about 60. We shelled them all and his 130 was match-winning. Write-out 1,000 times ‘dropping catches loses matches’.

The rest of their innings was frankly a blur and though Ed, Chris and Saj all picked up wickets the runs were piled on. Crawford-Khan finished the innings with 4 huge sixes – one clearing the pavilion.

On a slow and increasingly lifeless wicket 248 was always going to be a big ask. Batting was made considerably harder, I kid you not, by the lack of height in most of their bowlers. Low trajectory plus lifeless wicket = bloody hard to get away. Especially if they bowl straight. Which they did.

That said we got off to a decent start and were in the game at 98 for 3 at 20 overs. Phil caressed his way to 43 and Saj punched his way to 36 after Dave nicked one behind early on – hadn’t got his eyes near enough to the ball he said on his return. To which the Chancellor chirped back “well you got your bat close enough”. Who said you can’t sledge your own team.

The brakes were slammed on after the drinks break though as wickets fell at regular intervals and only 33 runs were added between the 20 and 30 over mark. Singles were turned down and dot balls joined together during the fatal period in the chase where only 6 were taken from 24 balls. The Chancellor’s quick-fire 22 was too little too late … but a pleasing knock nonetheless.

JE

Scorecard

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