Elstead vs Frimley Green Cricket Club - Sunday 5th September 2021, 13:00

Playing against their ever-hospitable Elstead hosts in this 35 over game, FGCC's early innings collapse ultimately left them with not enough runs to defend in the late Summer sunshine. Once again agreeing to bat first (helpful as it turned out due to accidents and road closures preventing a few of the team from arriving on time), Mark had another new opening partner, this time in the shape of Manoj. However, after 5 balls Manoj was back in the hutch, and when Hafiz shortly followed FGCC were 20-2 after 6, Elstead opening bowlers Bird and Lewis doing the damage. Mark and Dave - thankfully without Suresh trying to run him out at the other end - put on 5 before Mark was cleaned up, and when Suresh holed out and Jonny got bowled FGCC were in tatters at 34-5. Dave and Ajay restored some solidity, but when Dave was caught the score had only crept onto 65-6. Thankfully a 35 run partnership in the face of some friendly bowling by Ajay and Amol brought up 3 figures, and when Jim - ably assisted by debutant Ajay Chauhan and Sheshi - played sensibly with determination to bat through the overs, the tail wagged to see FGCC to a total of 153-9. Special note for Jim's first-ever left-handed shot for the club, which was skied to square leg off the talented leggie Stephenson only to be dropped like a slippery olive. Elstead's reply was rapid - Kyo Lewis was in no mood to hang around, and blasted 32 before falling to a well-disguised looping full ball from Hafiz. Manoj - unluckly not to pick up a wicket - bowled tidily, and when Sheshi came into the attack at first change both results seemed possible. However, some aggressive batting by Seb Harrower, who smacked both Ajay C and Jim around - and a couple of dropped catches sealed FGCC's fate. Despite the captain nipping in with two wickets at the end, FGCC ran out of runs to play with, Elstead bringing up their victory with plenty of overs to spare when Suresh's 2nd ball - a comical short-pitched effort that deserved exactly what it got - was thumped to the boundary,