Sunday 7th June 2009 vs Hollybush C.C.
 
Thunder and Lightning Not Enough to Save the Bush
 
Washington C.C. 171 for 9 (35 overs)
Hollybush C.C. 107 all out (28.4 overs)
 

Peter Kloss reporting.

 

The Washington won convincingly on Sunday versus old rivals Hollybush. On a rain affected wicket, Wash posted a solid score of 171 for 9 from their 35 overs; Hollybush could only respond with 107 all out, much thanks to a 5 wicket haul from spinner Mark Cumming.

 

The match was in doubt mid-morning following very heavy downpours overnight. However a pitch inspection and clear skies and sunshine overhead persuaded the teams to venture out and try and play a game.

 

The strip was certainly damp and soft, but the sun had dried the top surface significantly during the morning, leading one player to observe that this was a “crème brulee of a pitch”! Certainly the surface was extremely slow, with shorter pitched balls popping up high, sometimes erratically.

 

Hollybush (or The Inn on the Bush as they are now known following a local merger) won the toss and stuck the Wash in. David Gluckman (3) and Chad Bhaskar (11) opened up in bright sunshine and the score ticked over slowly for the first few overs assisted by a significant number of wides from bowler French. When Gluckman was out caught at short mid-wicket, Rory Guy (7) helped take the score to a steady 34 for 1 after 10 overs. But then two careless run outs in the 11th over made the scorecard look decidedly worse – Bhaskar and Luke Mitchell (1, first ball going for a second run) the unfortunate batsmen.

 

Ash Cruickshank (15) hit a couple of good 4s, but Elliott Bromley was caught without troubling the scorers before Wayne Bradley came to the wicket. Bradley was making his debut for the club and seemed a little nervous at the crease to start with. However he quickly got into his stride and hit a couple of cracking boundaries later on before he was bowled for 15.

 

Mark Cumming, unusually batting down the order, push the scoring rate on quickly at this stage, including one massive 6 which Chris Gayle, the West Indian opener, would have proud of. But then Mark tried one big-hit too many and was bowled for 41 from only 32 balls. He and Bradley had taken the score on to 101 for 7 in the 26th over.

 

Toby Mariner (12) hit a couple of good shots before he was plumb LBW, and to round off the innings Peter Kloss (13*) and skipper Shawn Hill (20*) put on a quick unbroken 33 partnership in the final 4 overs. Washington’s total was 171, a good score but not unobtainable, being less than 5 runs an over. What the Wash innings lacked was a big partnership, the two highest being only 38 (Bradley/Cumming) and the final 9th wicket one.

 

After an excellent cricket tea, including cheese and Port (!), the Bush’s innings got underway. Luke Mitchell (1-13) and Mark Cumming opened the bowling. Cumming took two wickets in his second over and was promptly removed from the attack by Hill!

 

The mantle was taken up by Wayne Bradley (1-34) and Chad Bhaskar (1-36). On debut Bradley was a little wayward with his medium paced seam/swing bowling. But when he did put it on the spot he bowled several corkers, beating the batsman with some fine lifting deliveries. He was rewarded with an excellent catch at first slip by David Gluckman for his first Wash wicket.

 

By this stage the sunshine had disappeared and dark clouds were moving towards and across the ground, however the rain had held off. There was the sound of distant thunder, but no-one felt in any danger. Chad Bhaskar was bowling leg spin, with some success, although keeper for the day, Hill did comment that there was a bit too much down leg side. Suddenly as Bhaskar released a ball there was a bolt of lightening across the sky and a massive boom of thunder a second later. Some players hit the deck, fearing the worst, and Chad looked at his hand, thinking he must have tweaked that one a little too hard!!

 

The game was interrupted for 15 minutes or so to see what the weather would do next, but the darker clouds passed and the players resumed for the final 15 overs. Cumming (5-10) resumed bowling and completed his 5-fer thanks to 2 Hill stumpings and a catch from Toby Mariner. However there were a few too many drops on this day with at least 3 of the team being guilty, Kloss the worst offender, missing a dolly at mid-on (now we know why he hasn’t taken a catch in a season and a half…).

 

Rory Guy (0-4) and David Gluckman (1-9) completed the bowling, and fittingly the debutant Wayne Bradley took the catch for the final wicket off Gluckman. Hollybush were all out for 107.

 

Skipper Hill said after the game “good to get back to winning ways after 3 losses in a row. I though today was a good all-round performance with everyone chipping in. I’m glad the weather didn’t intervene and spoil the day, although the bolt of lightening was dramatic!”

 

Man of the match: Mark Cumming, 5-fer and top score of 41

 

Packing the kit: Peter Kloss, mucho catching practice required…

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Batting
Player Runs How out
David Gluckman 3 Caught
Chad Bhaskar 11 Run Out
Rory Guy 7 LBW
Luke Mitchell 1 Run Out
Ash Cruickshank 15 Caught
Elliott Bromley 0 Caught
Wayne Bradley 15 Bowled
Mark Cumming 41 Bowled
Toby Mariner 12 LBW
Peter Kloss 13* 
Shawn Hill 20* 
Partnerships
Wkt Runs Batsmen
1 19 David Gluckman  &  Chad Bhaskar
2 16 Chad Bhaskar  &  Rory Guy
3 2 Rory Guy  &  Luke Mitchell
4 0 Rory Guy  &  Ash Cruickshank
5 11 Ash Cruickshank  &  Elliott Bromley
6 15 Ash Cruickshank  &  Wayne Bradley
7 38 Wayne Bradley  &  Mark Cumming
8 20 Mark Cumming  &  Toby Mariner
9 17 Toby Mariner  &  Peter Kloss
10 33 * Peter Kloss  &  Shawn Hill



Fielding
Player Cts Wkt Cts Stmps
Wayne Bradley 1 - -
David Gluckman 1 - -
Shawn Hill - 1 2
Toby Mariner 2 - -
Bowling
Player Overs Mdns Runs Wkts
David Gluckman 1.4 0 9 1
Chad Bhaskar 8.0 0 36 1
Luke Mitchell 6.0 0 13 1
Rory Guy 1.0 0 4 0
Wayne Bradley 5.0 0 34 1
Mark Cumming 7.0 2 10 5
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