Stragglers of Asia CC v Harrow Wanderers – 25 August 2019 at Harrow School

30 overs a side.

Result: Lost by 6 wickets

Report:

Having assembled a full side several weeks in advance, it came as something as a shock to the match manager when less than a week before the game he was down to a side of 8. To add to the match manager’s burden, the Wanderers asked to bring the start time forward and for the game to be 30 overs a side. Such upheaval would cause most match managers to pull their hair out and vow never to try and raise a Stragglers side again. Fortunately, James Allsop is more hirsute and made of stronger stuff than most match managers. Thanks to his perseverance, charm and good humour a full Stragglers XI of assorted sizes and facial hair mustered at the 6^th Form Ground at Harrow at the revised time under a blazing sun and cloudless skies. Sye Razvi as skipper for the day won the toss and elected to bat first.

It could be said that this is where the Stragglers’ good fortune ended. Matt Sucking and Tom Russell got the Stragglers innings to a steady start reaching 28 off the first 6 overs before Tom, glancing a ball down the leg side, was adjudged LBW. Without DRS to assist, he had to go. Further misfortune soon followed when Matt was surprised by some extra bounce and skied a shot to point. 28-2. The next pair of Paddy Savage and Conor Brown set about restoring some semblance of calm; Paddy through skilful working of the ball into gaps; Conor through scientific belligerence. Both were enjoyable to watch and they put on 58 before Conor went for one big hit too many and was caught for 44 off 27 balls. Paddy continued his careful accumulation of runs with Chris Brewster (19) before being caught for 32 and some hard smiting by Rob “Biggles” Bell took the Stragglers to 162-7 off their allotted overs. A respectable rather than commanding total and one which would require tight bowling and fielding to defend. Neither of these were much in evidence in the early stages of Harrow’s reply as they raced to 37 in the first three overs before Tom Russell surprised Khan with a straight one which thudded into his pads trapping him LBW. This early wicket did little to stem the run flow as Crawley unleashed an array of shots including a well timed stroke for 6 over extra cover off Sucking while Kapoar rode his luck swatting the ball and thin air in equal measure until he was cleaned up by Matt Suckling for a well-deserved wicket. The introduction of the two Robs – Pollock-Hill and Bell to take the pace off the ball (and to put off the batsmen with their facial hair) brought a couple of quick wickets – the dangerous Crawley holing out to Suckling at deep mid-off and Patel well caught by Sye Razvi at first slip but a dogged innings by Ed Buxton and some dashing strokes by Arjun Chopra drew the Wanderers ever closer to the Stragglers total to the backdrop of the increasingly louder cheers of the Wanderers following the England run chase at Headingley. Around 15 minutes after Ben Stokes struck the winning runs for England, Buxton did the same for the Wanderers to round off an enjoyable, if short match which was followed by drinks in the Field House Club. Thanks to our hosts for a fun day and special thanks to Karen Suckling (mother of Matt) for scoring in the scorching heat.

Team Batting First: Stragglers of Asia CC

FoW: 1-28; 2-28;3-88;4-125;5-127;6-139;7-145

Team Batting Second: Harrow Wanderers

FoW: 1-37; 2-86; 3-106;4-115

Umpires: A. Porter

Scorer(s): Karen Suckling