Badshot Lea vs Frimley Green Cricket Club - Monday 26th August 2019, 13:00

Having had a great win over Old Leightonians the day before, FGCC were ready to reverse the loss to Badshot Lea earlier in the season, which had seen 443 runs scored between the 2 teams. FGCC had a very different team to the day before, with only 4 players (Mark, Anam, Sheshi and Kaarthav) playing both games and with Pavan agreeing to do the scoring. FGCC had not visited Badshot Lea for just over 4 years and were greeted with some new high nets protecting houses on what was another very hot day. Captain Mark won the toss and chose to bat, with Badshot Lea captain immediately showing his disappointment at having to field. FGCC had been loaned 2 players one of which (Dean) opened with Mark and went straight after the bowling, but after escaping on LBW decision, being dropped and getting one 4 he was bowled in the third over with the score on 8 for 1. Gurmehar (Kaarthav’s mate) came out to join Mark on his FGCC debut, he had a slow start but soon joined Mark in scoring boundaries in a quick 65 run partnership, until Mark was bowled on 33. In came Ross and he quickly carried on where Mark had left off, also scoring at a good rate, but soon Gurmehar was caught on 31 and in came the returning Vamsi. The runs kept coming and when Vamsi was caught behind FGCC were on 134 for 4 in the 22nd over. In came Anam and after a slow careful start joined Ross in a boundary hitting frenzy, including a straight 6 into the new netting. These 2 put together a great partnership, with thoughts of the team making 300 (306 being the highest FGCC have ever scored), but after a partnership of 103 in 11 overs both fell in the same over having scored 50s (69 for Ross, his first 50 for FGCC and 59 for Anam), the score was now 237 for 6 in the 33rd over. With runs from Kaarthav and Sheshi the innings finished on 299 with Seshi and Johnny not out. This is the 2nd highest score made by FGCC just falling short of the 306 made in 2003. After a fairly decent tea FGCC came out with a very good total to defend. However, Badshot Lea started well with their number 1 batsman hitting Anam for 4 and 6 in the first three balls. He carried on scoring on his own and passed 50 whilst being dropped twice, first at long on by Kaarthav and then at long off by Anam (causing him to injure his hand). It was looking like FGCC had maybe missed their chance, then with a bleeding hand Anam got batsman 2 for 9 and batsman 3 in the 13th over. With an inspired bowling change from captain Mark (not that he's modest or anything... ed), Ross stepped up to bowl and bowled the opening batsman with his second ball for 72 (probably the best batsman we have faced). FGCC were now back in the game with Badshot Lea on 90 for 3 in the 14th over. Unfortunately Badshot Lea continued scoring at a good rate helped by FGCC gifting runs from misfields (despite some good stops by Aakaash), but with FGCC picking up the odd wicket in between the scoring (with Kaarthav taking a great catch in the deep over his shoulder) both teams were in the game. After 30 overs Badshot Lea were 235 for 6 and the game was on a knife edge, then next over Kaarthav took 2 wickets in a row both caught behind by Mark. However, their captain was still scoring well passing a century having earlier been unfortunately dropped by Ross (sorry to mention this Ross, but this is now the second time in 15 days a player dropped by Ross has gone on to make a century ?). Then Ross was to make amends, he was brought on to bowl and with his second ball bowled their captain on 101, with Badshot Lea now on 273 for 9 and needing 27 off 18 balls the game was firmly back in FGCC’s hands, especially with batsman 11 coming out to bat one handed. Next over the last wicket fell with Badshot Lea on 276 and FGCC win a memorable game by 23 runs, with wickets from Kaarthav (3), Tom from oppo (3), Anam (2) and Ross (2) . The second highest ever total for FGCC (299), most runs ever scored in an FGCC game (575) and a total of 1018 runs scored in the 2 games this year against Badshot Lea. An excellent result and the 8th win of the season for FGCC, who'll be going for 3 in a row on Sunday