Cometh the hour, cometh the man

With the Llamas going into this last league game of the season unbeaten and 20 points in front in top spot, it was down to neighbours Ashtead, sitting in 2nd place, who were the only team who could deprive the Llamas of the title outright as a 20 point win to Ashtead would see them take a share of the title along with Reigate; unless the Llamas were to gain a bonus point (150 runs/5 wickets) which would be sufficient for the Llamas to win the title outright.

Although guaranteed as at least joint winners the Llamas had their unbeaten run to protect so there was plenty for both sides to play for in front of a large crowd at Llamaland. Reigate won the toss and chose to bowl but it was Ashtead who got off to a flier with 15 runs coming from Hutch’s opening over; although it did consist of 12 balls with 4 wides and 2 no balls.

Opening partner Toby struck immediately getting ex Llama Kamran Mirza (5) lbw and by his 3rd over Hutch had his radar back on track when he removed Ashtead’s captain Tom Laudy’s (6) leg stump. From 31-2 in the 5th over Ashtead’s Harry Williams and Seb Stewart continued to score at about a run a ball and at the end of the 12th over they were 70-2, possibly heading for 200+.

Fortunes changed as Will Brewis then had Seb Stewart (18) caught behind by Ashwin Bhat for 70-3 and in his 1st over Connor Newbold grabbed a caught and bowled to dismiss Dom Venn (2) to peg the Ashtead Stags back at 73-4. It was 2.30 when the Llamas got the one point they needed to win the league outright when opener Harry Williams (41) was bowled by Connor for the 5th wicket to fall at 93-5 at the 20 over half way stage. But there was still the unbeaten run to protect.

With the run rate under control by spinners Connor Newbold and Harry McInley it was Connor who struck twice in the 26th over firstly getting Dave Sims (27) lbw at 120-6 and 2 balls later getting James Graham (0) caught by captain Jon at mid off for 120-7. Harry had bowled 5 no balls and had clearly been taking run up advice from Hutch but come the 34th over and it was Harry McInley’s turn to get two wickets in an over, firstly having Tayler Young (21) caught by a leaping Hutch at mid–on for 148-8 and then bowling Connor Caprano-Wint (0) for 149-9. Will Brewis got the final wicket with the 1st ball of the 37th over getting Oliver Hunt (10) lbw and finishing the Ashtead innings at 150.
All the bowlers got wickets; Toby and Matt one each and two each for Harry and Will Brewis (2-20 from 6.1); but the best figures belonged to Connor with 4-25 from his 8 overs.

Any expectation that 150 would be an easy target clearly hasn’t followed the fortunes of the 2nd eleven this season as close games are par for the course (remembering both the record 10th wicket stand to recover from 77-9 against Esher and the 3 run win at Wimbledon) as well as hardly a ball had got over stump height during the whole Ashtead innings.

It was (very) slow progress at the start of the Llama reply with 2 maidens and by the 7th over Reigate had only reached 17 when Rory Haughton (9) was lbw to Aaron Rose. The Llamas continued on defensive mode against some accurate bowling particularly from spinner Harry Williams (8-5-9-0) and were only on 40 after 17 overs still needing 111 from 23 overs. Ashwin Bhat (24) was then bowled by Tayler Young for 49-2. A brief spurt to the run rate from Neil Saker before he was lbw to Tayler Young for 14 from 16 balls and 81-3 became a major wobble as Tayler Young had Henry Tye (0) caught at square leg for 81-4 and then had Will Irving (1) brilliantly caught by a diving Tom Laudy for 83-5 with Smudger the not out batsman on 25 after 27 overs. At this point Ashtead’s confidence was evident in the noise (oh for the days when the sledging contained an element of wit whereas regretfully these days it’s little more than verbal diarrhea....and we’re no angels by the way....apologies rant over)

With the Llamas needing another 68 from the remaining 13 overs it was Harry McInley who gave the innings some momentum with his 24 from 32 balls before he was caught in the 37th over at 125 for 6.

Time for the Captain to take charge and Jon got 9 runs off the 39th over taking his own score beyond 50 before Hutch (5 from 7 balls) was stumped at 142-7 with just one over left and 9 required.

Smudger had been taking a lot of flak from the Ashtead fielders for his scoring rate but having got 9 from the previous over he then hit a 4 and 3 from the 1st two balls of the last over to see the Llamas close to victory on 149 with 2 required from 4 balls.

But hang on this is the Llamas and nothing is simple and Ashtead were clinging on as Toby (0) was caught off the next ball and then Smudger was run out for a patient 60 and having struggled for runs for much of the season it was “cometh the hour cometh the man” as he deserved all the applause from the large gallery for his season’s top score of 60. The Llamas went from 149-8 and then 149-9.

Will Brewis (plays for the U15’s) and Connor Newbold had 2 balls left to score 2 runs. From the record 10th wicket stand against Esher we know Connor can cope with the pressure and he got a single to tie the scores so it was young Will Brewis facing the last ball with one run needed and the question was how would Will cope with the pressure. But the Llamas were in safe hands as whatever nerves he surely had were kept in check and his cool head got bat on ball and Will and Connor scrambled the single to win the game.

Man of the Match Captain Jon.