30.5 degrees celsius was the recorded temperature down at the Rec this Sunday arvo. Stinking hot day when the tail of FGCC wagged but not quite enough to chase down the Roehampton total.
Fantastic opening spells from the reliable duo Nick and Nug had left the scoreboard ticking over at around only 2 an over. Then new star Rich Loosely backed up by Sam Acres on debut came in and started taking wickets leading to a mini-collapse and the score at 30 for 3 off 15 overs. The drinks break seemed to refresh the batting side as from then on although wickets fell from time to time the scoreboard started ticking over at a much improved rate. The batsmen seemed to take a particular shine to the full tosses served up by the waiter Alan Greaves. P Ball was the backbone of the Roehampton total striking some fine fours to end with a total of 64 of the 161 scored by the away team. Rich had once again been the pick of the FGCC bowlers ending up with four wickets following on from his five-for last Sunday. Of course it can be argued that taking four wickets is jug or glamorous shindig avoidance but there'll be no complaints from the skipper if this form continues. Honourable mention also for Nick Gates who bowled eight overs including four maidens from two miserly spells for a total of only fourteen runs. Top glove work from JP behind the stumps too.
The innings of FGCC like that of the opposition also got off to a cautious start in the face of some tight bowling from Roehampton's opening pair. The first six overs only yielding eleven runs. Alas between overs 7 and 18 Frimley Green collapsed with only Sam Acres from the first five batsmen making it into double figures. When JP joined his teammates Jim and Greavsie by not troubling the scorers FGCC were left in a state of disarray at 51 for 6 off 18 overs. All was not lost though as Rich Loosley and Amit Gupta began to put together a fine partnership that took the home side into three figures and less than fifty away from a miraculous comeback. The pair had combined beautifully with the technically correct play of Rich working well in tandem with the swashbuckling scoring of Amit. Alas within the space of a couple of overs both had departed with Amit being bowled and Rich being unlucky to play on. That left the opening bowling pair of Nick and Nug to end the game as the final batting pair with a big ask to bring FGCC an unlikely victory in the last five overs. It was not to be as Nick holed out trying to keep up with the increasing run rate required. A deserved win for Roehampton. Excellent cricket match played in a great spirit in glorious sunshine.
: Amit making up a lot of ground to take a fine low catch in the deep.
: Rich Loosley
