Underneath The Arches

Where you wouldn’t find Bud Flanagan’s Crazy Gang (younger readers may need to refer to Google) but you would have found (thanks to the overworked Sat Nav’s) the Llama 2nd team at Dulwich’s Giant Arches Road ground.

Having gone from the prospect of the entire fixture list being cancelled to a point where some play would be possible; it seemed the Crazy Gang had been at the ground after all because on arrival we found one half of the wicket was wet, as were the bowlers take off areas.

Many differences of many opinions in and between both teams and umpires meant that we would leave a decision for an hour or so to let the wind (no sun until the last couple of overs) dry the wicket. An hour later and little had changed. For future reference law 2.7 says “It is solely for the Umpires together to decide.....whether it would be dangerous or unreasonable for play to take place” but then goes on to say “the fact that the grass and the ball are wet does not warrant the ground conditions being regarded as unreasonable or dangerous”. It was decided to start a game and if the bowlers couldn’t run in as normal or if the wicket cut up too badly, only at that point would the umpires intervene to call off the game.

So a 3.15 start with a 28 over a side game. Dulwich won the toss and with doubts about how long the pitch would last, they decided to bat. Ed Russ (4 overs 0-20) produced a couple of unplayable early deliveries but it was fellow opening bowler Toby Briggs (4 overs 1-17) who got the 1st wicket when opener Moin Khan (3) edged to be caught behind by Jordan Bunyan. Score 8-1 in the 3rd over.

1st change bowler Will Brewis (6 overs 0-24) kept things tight without breaking through but Connor Newbold (6 overs 2-12) did break through when finding the edge of Robbie Catling’s (16) bat for Jordan to take a catch behind to have Dulwich 54-2 in the 12th over; and Connor again in his next over had the Dulwich opener Lachlan Skinner (36) caught in the deep by Will Brewis and Dulwich were 64-3 at the 14 over halfway stage.

Nick Rotsey (4 overs 1-22) into the attack in the 21st over and he struck immediately when he hit the stumps to dismiss George Pearson (14) for 75-4. Nick was also involved in the next wicket to fall when he deflected a straight drive by Nick Gunning back onto the stumps to leave Kazi Elias (12) stranded out of his ground and Dulwich were 107-5 after 27 overs.

With one over and 5 wickets remaining a last over slog could be expected but Harry MacInley (4 overs 3-14) had other ideas as he took 3wickets in the one over all caught by Henry Tye; not quite the traditional hat trick but unusual nonetheless. Final score 111-8 containing no free-hits/no balls and 8 wides.

Any thoughts the Llamas would find this target easy were quickly put to bed as Dulwich opening bowler Afghan born Crawford-Khan had Jon Smith (0) caught behind and then Dulwich captain Zach Brown had Nick Rotsey (0) caught to see the Llamas at 1 run (a wide) for 2 wickets in the 2nd over. Jordan Bunyan in at 3 and Henry Tye in at 4 proceeded to steady the innings. But Dulwich struck again when off spinner Jaffa Kazmi bowled a jaffa (couldn’t resist !) to get one through the gate to dismiss Jordan Bunyan (10) and leave Reigate at 27-3 after 8 overs.

With the target of 112 looking a long way off and after surviving a run out off the 1st ball Rory Haughton joined Henry and both set about rebuilding the innings with Henry’s almost run a ball 41 off 45 balls changing the tempo of the game in Reigate’s favour. Henry departed bowled in the 17th over with the score 70 for 4 and Rory (34 n.o.) was joined at the crease by David Gent (24 n.o.) and the pair with some quick running between the wickets together with some boundaries, eased the Llamas to their target after 24.5 overs with just over 3 overs to spare.

A good all round team performance with the wickets shared between Harry (3), Connor (2), Toby (1) and Nick Rotsey (1 and a run out); and Henry, with 3 catches and 41 runs, was the pick of the batting; well supported by Rory’s 34 and Genty’s 24.

Having made the difficult journey the decision to play was vindicated when even though the wicket never dried out completely it didn’t cut up either and didn’t materially affect the game.

A good start but a sterner test awaits next week when Spencer, who always provide strong opposition, are the visitors.