All Things Bright and Beautiful

What a difference a win makes! Followers of this regular column might have noticed by now that when we lose, we don't tend to get round to writing a match report. Sometimes this is simply down to a lack of time and/or creativity, other times it is because I have fallen into a slough of despond and simply am too depressed for the words to flow.

But today, two days after our sublime victory against Woking and Horsell, the words have begun to flow again. Suddenly the trials, tribulations and general despondency of the last few weeks as we failed even to get a team out against Dulwich and suffered badly at the hands of 13 year olds at Reigate, all our woes evaporated at selection last Tuesday as we had choices, yes choices!

And what choices. Jack Parkinson, cruelly rejected by Lenny for the 3's after years of stalwart service and dedication to the club, was in the team. Well he was until Culff mini-minor dropped out of the 2's and Lenny re-selected Jack before he had even the chance to confirm for the 4's. Having said that, Jack was the only one who hadn't confirmed three days after being de-selected from the 3's so I had images of Jack having a fit of pique being a prima donna'ring hissy-fitting refusenik. It had almost got to the stage when I was expecting a call from his mother to explain why little Jacky had been dropped! It is clear that Jack will just have to wait a little longer to play for the elite that is the 4's.

But did we need him anyway - simply no.

Saturday dawned sunny and bright but this belied the weather forecast which suggested that the heavens where due to open at about 4 o'clock and not stop until mid-August. Never have weather maps and radar being so extensively consulted before the toss. Oh yes, that reminds me: the toss! Well, we didn't have one as only 4 Woking players had arrived by 1pm due to traffic issues and the rule book had to be consulted for only the second time this season. Woking forfeited the toss and we decided to bat (totally contrary this week to Andy Storey's recommendation to put them in and chase - he must have been ill as this is contrary to his life's mantra of ROTB - see previous match reports for more explanation).

So at 1.25pm, Messrs Gale and Wint took to the field to set about the Woking attack. It all seemed very easy as we cruised to 62-0 after 13. Then Wint on 27 lobbed a full toss to mid off bringing the imperious Tom Reed to the wicket. As the club's in-form batsman, we expected extraordinary things, and I suppose his dismissal for 6 was in many ways an extraordinary thing indeed. The scorebook says LBW Sharpless, which really does not do his departure justice. The reality was that he was out not playing a shot. It is, however, not customary to plant your front foot three foot down the wicket and then let the ball hit your back leg in front of the stumps. In his own words: "when the ball was half way down, I realised that perhaps that leaving it was not such a good idea!".

With Sam Gale departing for a classy 37 immediately after advising the even more youthful Ben Sidwell that they should be both be hanging around for a while, Messrs Sudell and Whiteley D had completed a short perambulation to the crease and back, both comprehensively yorked in the same over by the clearly underrated Sheri Khan, the Stags score had become a sickly 79-5.

Connor C-W and Will Bishop could have had their moment in the sun but clearly have had too much recently so opted to return to the shade of the boundary as the score progressed to 94-7.

By this stage, the skipper was beginning to slide back into his trough of despair as we once again were struggling to reach triple figures even with what was on paper as good a side as he could hope for (save obviously for the missing Parky). At this stage, we were praying for rain to be our saviour and surely enough the first dark clouds were approaching from the south.

By this stage, Ben Sidwell had been watching his teammates come and go and on 10 not out at 94-7 in the 30th over, it could have all ended quite quickly given the usual strength of the Stags tail this season. However, with Matt Whiteley scoring a useful 10 and then George Willis staying with Ben for almost 10 overs for his 2, Ben batted patiently, belying his years and with no little panache reaching his first senior 50 just before Paul Williams was clean bowled and last man out on 155.

Having already had tea during a rain break twenty minutes earlier, Ashtead had batted for their maximum 46 overs and a score of 155 was certainly defendable if considerably below par.

But what of the promised rain? Well, by this stage radar was suggesting an ETA nearer 7pm, so the Woking innings began with only faint hopes of a positive result.

Will Bishop had Stephen Wernberg, the Woking skipper, caught by Sam Gale in the gully in the first over with the score on 0, but a short while later at 45-1 in the 13th, the Stags needed to change things round. Paul Williams left arm slow straight ones gave way to Connor C-W's pitch ripping leggies with immediate success as Sam Gale took his second catch at mid-on this time. With David Whiteley replacing Bishop, the change in attack reaped its rewards as the score soon became 66-6 in the 24th over with all the wickets bar one being caught at mid on or mid off.

Even with Connor extracting no small amount of turn and lift, the Woking batsmen continued to chase down their target and a threatening partnership between Omar and Sheri Khan ensued, with the short boundaries being exploited as the score passed 100 in 32nd over without any further loss.

So with 10 overs potentially to go, two batsmen well set and the clouds gathering once more, the game was anyone's. With Ben Sidwell having replaced Dave Whiteley, it was at the other that Connor broke the partnership with Sheri Khan finally skying one to short extra cover where Paul Williams gave no-one any confidence whatsoever that he was going to catch it before moving forward at the last moment and with outstretched arms pouching it safely. With a lot more money on the ball than on the catcher, the bookies were saved a fortune.

So with the danger man out, and Connor soon picking up his first senior 5-for with Sam Gale taking his fourth catch of the day at mid-on again, the question was did we have time to snaffle the last two Woking batsmen before the rain came.

With ball often going aerial, Matt Whiteley did astonishingy well even to each one attempted catch at cover off Ben Sidwell but it was time for the wise old stager, Paul Williams to return and trap the number 10 LBW plumb in front and the Stags we sniffing an unexpected victory.

The rain was now falling and despite a frankly desperate attempt from the Woking skipper to get his players off the pitch (seen off with some strong but pertinent words from Tom Reed on the boundary) Paul Williams stepped up in the drizzle and failing light to bowl the 39th over of Woking's innings. The first ball caught an edge and looped up agonisingly close to the full length dive of Pete Sudell (note to the groundsman that that part of the wicket won't need to be rolled again in the next week or so). Second ball - dot. The rain was beginning to fall more heavily now and by this stage the skipper was doubting whether we would be able to have another over after this one. Third ball - defensive shot pops up in the air towards midwicket but short of any fielder. Two short legs now posted as the fielders begin to crowd the bat. Ball four - same flight, ball comes off the bat and never reaches more than 12 inches off the ground before Matt Whiteley swoops to his left at short leg and plucks the ball inches off the ground to secure a sweet sweet victory for the Stags as the rain now begins to pour down.

Ben Sidwell with 51no, Connor 13 overs 5-29, George Willis batting for 10 overs keeping Ben company and Sam Gale with four catches were the true match winners.

A great victory for the team and a great performance in the field. Given that Woking had turned up 25 minutes late, perhaps it was poetic justice that we won just before the rain came. So, we're out of the relegation zone and with Epsom, Normandy and Guildford to come in the next three weeks - all sides we have already beaten - our destiny is in our hands once again.

The only downside was that, due to our late finish, Tom Reed was unfortunately unable to participate in an evening of amateur dramatics with his companion of choice for which we can only apologise. At least he had consolation in knowing that she had left him a meal of poached salmon when he got home. What more can a man want or indeed get from a summer Saturday than a victorious game of cricket, a few pints in the bar and a fish dish when you get home!