Seven Sports vs Frimley Green Cricket Club - Sunday 2nd June 2019, 14:00

Following back-to-back wins, FGCC ventured to Chertsey hoping to avenge last year's batting collapse against rivals Seven Sports in this 35 over-a-side game. On a day with changeable weather Jim yet again lost the toss, but luckily was invited to bat by opposition skipper Darren Childs under blue skies on a flat track. Opening with Kempton CC 1st XI bowler Walsh and perennial rival Paul Johnson, SSCC bowled a tight line which openers Mark and Tim fended off well, until Tim was adjudged LBW. With Anu slashing to slip, Lloyd - in his second game for the club - came out and immediately showed attacking intent with a glorious 4 off the previously difficult Walsh off only his second ball. Between them Mark and Lloyd put on 41 for the 3rd wicket until a mix-up for a single that was never there lead to Mark getting run out whilst well-set. After Aakaash departed, vice-captain Suresh and Lloyd peppered the boundary with some crisp hitting off Seven Sports' second-and-third-string attack, Suresh playing a marvellous shot off Child's bowling straight over long off for 6. Putting on 72 for the 5th wicket, FGCC seemed well-set in the 27th over to rack up a sizeable total, until P Johnson returned to the attack and took out both batsmen in consecutive balls. With 159 on the board the scene was set for some later-order swinging, but neither Anam or Dean could capitalise as opening bowler Walsh came back and knocked over the FGCC tail with some ease. Ending their innings with 2 overs to spare, FGCC finished on a credible 185 - about par on a track which in past years has seen teams score over 200. With FGCC spoilt for choice in the bowling department, Jim stuck with his newly established opening bowling pair of Sheshi and Dean to take the early overs. A shrewd move, as stunning opening spells by both ripped the top out of the SSCC batting order. First up was Dean, setting the scene with an exocet-like delivery to shatter D Johnson's stumps. In the next over Sheshi took two more Johnson wickets to leave Seven Sports 1-3 and facing an uphill task, made all the more difficult with Dean forcing Priestley to donate a dolly to Jim for his second wicket in the 6th over. All this carnage brought out two old foes, both with previously big scores against FGCC - Chris Clements and Paul Johnson - who between them attempted to wrestle the initiative back from the abyss. And in all fairness they did this admirably, smacking boundaries all over the shop and racing along to 72-4 in no time. With the game poised, Jim turned to new bowling sensation Pranay, who dutifully returned the captain's faith by forcing Clements to play uppishly and straight into the hands of a confident Sheshi at gully. With this partnership broken, Anu bowled a superb over to first take P. Johnson's wicket (with Sheshi snaring another catch at gully) and then knock Hill's stumps over two balls later. Following a fine run-out thanks to some sharp fielding by Dean, and despite Jim trying to steal the glory and getting spanked all over the place, Pranay carried on his fine form with a 3rd 3-fer in a row, sealing a fabulous win for FGCC in a game that not only saw an almost complete reversal score-wise from last year's encounter, but also the club's first 3-in-a-row run since a certain A.Greaves captained the club back in 2006.