Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

Peter Kloss reporting

Washington enjoyed a comfortable victory on Saturday, a glorious day out in the sun, and debutant Max Murray and relatively ‘old timer’ Peter Kloss particularly had causes to celebrate.

After the wet and cold of April and early May it was a welcome relief to see the sun bright in a cloudless sky, and temperatures pushing the high 20s centigrade. This was the first meeting of the two sides, the game arranged through the newly found Fixture List website which has been working well for the Wash this season. The ground was in Barkingside, Essex, not too far from another Wash opposition, Cassowaries based in Fairlop.

The Ilford team were not the strongest, sporting several colts in their line-up, and labelled a ‘development side’. Wash skipper Toby Mariner had an earnest conversation with the oppo captain and an appropriate declaration format was devised. Perhaps at the outset some thought the result a forgone conclusion but as things unfolded this was not always the case, particularly in the 3^rd quarter of the game.

The Washington opened the batting with Shyam Pushpanath and Sudeep Rana. They started well against mediocre Ilford bowling and pushed the score to 26 in the 6^th over before Sudeep pulled extravagantly across the line and was bowled. Shyam was joined by debutant Aussie Max Murray and the run-getting really started in earnest. The bowling didn’t get any more difficult, although there was significant variety, and the batsmen were able to play freely as the field spread. In 21 overs the pair accumulated 146 runs. Murray on debut particularly played well hitting the frequent bad balls to the boundary and blocking the straight ones. He had good style, playing very straight and moving his feet well - a strong prospect for the future.

Shyam was then bowled and Brian White came in for a cameo of 30 runs, supporting Murray as he completed his hundred in style. Mariner decided enough was enough after 37 overs, 38 runs being scored from the last 4 overs.

Murray was left 110 not out, an excellent achievement on debut, although (as was ascertained later) not unique in Wash’s history.

After an excellent tea Toby Mariner (1-4) and Gary Malcolm (0-21) opened the bowling. There was no immediate success for the Wash, but the score crawled along, Ilford clearly not fancying their chances of getting the runs. Despite this though you had to admire the batting of the openers, particularly the young batsman Louis who possessed superb straight bat technique and a strong temperament to have the discipline not to lose his wicket. He eventually was out for 21 having survived 22 overs. The Wash’s cause in this period was not aided by a straightforward dropped catch by Kloss at mid-off.

Andrew Anderson (1-22) got the breakthrough in the 15th over, and with the introduction of the no.3 bat the scoring rate leapt as he threw caution to the wind and hit some shots. Luke Mitchell (1-28) got him bowled for 35, and the score was then around 70 for 2 at the start of the final 20 overs of the declaration game.

This was the point at which you looked at the score and thought a draw was the most likely outcome, Wash needing 8 wickets – one every 15 balls, definitely a tall order. Although Ilford hadn’t scored many runs at all they certainly deserved credit for resisting the fairly penetrative Wash bowling for well over 20 overs. However they hadn’t reckoned with the introduction of Peter Kloss into the attack.

Kloss, as he invariably does, got the ball to swing from the outset despite the cloudless sky. In his first over he induced Louis to play a slightly loose shot which was caught by Mariner at gully. His second over was a bit wayward with some full tosses and a scoring shot for 2. However in the third over 3 wickets fell as Kloss found great accuracy and just enough swing for Murray to take an excellent diving catch at slip, a top edge to be lobbed to short square leg and a plumb in-front LBW. Kloss was on a hat trick in this over but the third ball flashed passed the outside edge with no contact unfortunately.

Kloss took further wickets in his 4^th and 5^th overs, caught behind and bowled, and could have had more had another slip catch been held. Still he ended with figures of 6 overs, 4 maidens, 2 runs, 6 wickets, a personal best ever return (note: the last time Kloss took 6 wickets he was 15!). He had also made a Wash victory virtually certain, as 10 overs remained with now only 2 wickets to get.

And 3 overs later the win was sealed as Ruan Coetzer (1-2) and Mariner returning to the attack took the final wickets. Mariner wrapping things up seemed appropriate as he takes the credit for the decision to play a declaration game, which made for a longer and more competitive game.

Skipper Mariner said after the game: “what a good day out. I’m glad we won, but I wasn’t always sure that was going to be the case. Skippering a declaration game certainly throws up some different challenges for a captain. Really well done to Max and Klossy for outstanding performances – I’m chuffed for them. But everyone played well and in the end, perhaps surprisingly, it needed a team effort in the final 20 overs to get us the win.”

The Wash chatted with the oppo in front of the Ilford clubhouse, beer in hand, and watched the sun go down on Wash’s third victory of the season.

Man of the match: Jointly won by Max Murray and Peter Kloss

Packing the kit: no strong candidates this time