The Mighty 4s lose Against Barnes

At Barn Elm Sports Ground, with seemingly 40 minutes before start time, the 4s having recently arrived at the ground, enquired about using the nets for a warm up before the crunch match against Barnes. The toss was amazingly won on a day that threatened to bring rain and a simple plan was hatched: bowl them out, knock off the runs - job done! A few minutes later, Barnes Captain, former Midd Tom Willmore, reminded the team that the game was supposed to start at 12 this week rather than 1230. A quick stocktake revealed that we only had seven players! A few phone calls later revealed the hideous truth: Gaurav was at Clapham Junction, the Veritys were on the North Circular and Joe James was somewhere in Kent on the bus back to London from Brussels.

So, with the plans for a net session abandoned, the seven players assembled for the earlier than expected, later than scheduled start time of 1215. Somehow though, the lack of fielders helped, as runs became hard to come by. Pistol (1/41 off 12) fortuitously picked up the opener, bowled off his thigh pad, then elbow to have them 15/1 off 5 overs when Gaurav arrived. And after a good catch by Gaurav at point, Barnes were 22/2 after 12 overs when the Veritys finally came on, but from there, we definitely let it slip. Poor fielding led to Barnes getting away, their opener hitting a century after being dropped many times. Dykie (1/42 off 7) picked up a wicket and the returning Fergus (2/63 off 16) and Percy (3/47 off 9) both added to their tallies. In the end, Barnes declared after 52 overs at 248, a chaseable total, but one which needed a good run rate to be kept.

Gaurav started in his usual brisk manner, but it was Percy who was first to fall, bowled by a beauty by their opener for 9. And when Gaurav fell for 34 from 36 balls, things still seemed in safe hands with Patrick and Richard at the crease, looking pretty comfortable. But in the space of seven balls, Pat (10 from 12) fell LBW to their spinner, Richard (12 from 18) nicked off then Carl was bowled for a duck, both from the opener who was bowling well. This brought Joe and Jimmy together with the rain starting to fall at 69/6. Jimmy batted well for 13 from 17 balls before trying to hit put an was caught at midwicket. 96/7.

This brought Pistol to the muddy-looking crease, and in a brief, pulsating innings of 48 from 21 balls, the Mighty 4s began to believe that the game was back on. But with Barnes continuing with the seemingly innocuous spinner, Pistol, after striking the ball cleanly for 5 fours and two sixes, spooned a dolly of a catch to point from a long-hop. 156/8.

Alex Thomas came out to bat and played beautifully to match Joseph, who was now hitting his stride. Taking the score past 200 in a fifty run partnership, the result definitely still looked possible. But with Alex falling to a great catch at cover which was seemingly set for the boundary for 21 from 21 balls and Joe, who batted very well in the rainy conditions to pick up MOTM, perishing soon after for 59 from 71 balls, things didn’t look as rosy at 213/9 with six overs to go.

Credit to the team, as at this stage, the Mighty 4s still didn’t give up, as Ferg (9 from 7) and Dykie (1 from 3) kept up the chase. Unfortunately though, Fergus fell to another good catch at cover which looked certain to fly for four, and the 4s were conquered for 222. In the failing light, we had lost by 26 runs, but it was an enjoyable game as always with the Barnes lads, who we’ve had some great battles with over the last few years.

I feel proud that in the position we were in, the 4s went after the runs and came just short when most teams would have shut up shop and played out for a lame draw at 60/5, 90/6 or 213/9. The “bore draw” is within the rules, but its up to the team to play with the spirit of cricket and try to win the game rather than ruin it by blocking out. Otherwise, why are we playing this game?

After winning the league in 2008 and 2009, Runner-up in 2010 and 2011 then winning again in 2012 to move out of the 1987 league. Then Runner-up by one point in 2013 and 2014 on the 3rd and 2nd Divisions of the Middlesex League, it looks like our amazing run is over and that we are mere mortals after all!