Eversley vs Frimley Green Cricket Club - Sunday 11th June 2017, 13:30

A third tight run chase in a row was alas too much for FGCC in this closely-contested match against Eversley. Winning the toss and electing to bowl, Cap'n Jim tried to re-create last week's 'pace and guile' pincer-attack by again opening up with former Eversley player Anam and himself. This however didn't reap any reward with balls running off to the boundary far too easily, with Jim trudging back to fine leg and electing to throw Rich on before he was lynched. Not that it made a huge amount of difference to start with, as Eversley openers Ford and Martin helped themselves to 90-odd runs in the first 16 overs before the former was bowled by El Presidente Nick for 25. At drinks, FGCC were up against it with Eversley at 114-1. However, whatever was in the (quite strong) orange squash must have made a heck of a difference because from then on it was all one-way traffic, as with the first ball after refreshments Nick got rid of top scorer Martin for a well-made 61 after being well caught by Anam at mid-off. FGCC's tails were up, runs suddenly dried up for Eversley, and champagne moments were coming in from all angles. A well-taken one-handed catch by wicket-keeper and vice captain Mark to get rid of Fletcher, Anu knocking Powers' middle stump clean out the ground, a quick pick up and direct hit from Anam to run out Brooks, and the cat-like Greaves pouncing on the ball (which resembled an egg at this point) to take a blinder at gully to remove Webb. With all the razzmatazz happening around him it was Nick Gates who took all the plaudits - another 5-fer for El Prez after a year off with injury. With Rich coming back to clear up the last two wickets, and with a paltry 58 scored off their last 20 overs compared to their electric start, Eversley's innings finished one ball early on 172. After a smashing tea (9 or 9.5, depending on what side of the fence you sit on these things) Anam and Anu came out to open, facing some tight bowling on an ever-slowing track. Despite some early set-backs (both openers departing cheaply - for them at least - and Mark top-edging his first ball to slip) FGCC were bobbing along quite nicely at the required rate, thanks in no small part to a couple of big 6s from Rich and Suresh. In fact it was Suresh, along with a patient Ants who provided the bedrock for the innings, giving the middle order some semblance of rigidity before the inevitable (mini) collapse ensued trying to chase down a target which proved ever harder to reach thanks to Eversley's talented bowling line-up. With 25 needed off two overs Nick and Kanavel set up a grandstand finish, the 39th over going for 12 runs. 3 boundaries needed off 6 balls. But t'was not meant to be, as Nick skied the first ball of the final over to deep mid-wicket to end a game which had the result gone the other way would have seen FGCC win their 3rd game on the bounce for the first time since a certain A.Greaves captained the side in 2006. The wait goes on...