Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

Wash skipper Dave Walker shared the generally downbeat mood after the game: ‘I can see it from both points of view’, he said, ‘you could say we didn’t let them into the game, or you could say they didn’t go for it. But it was frustrating that they allowed a slow start to deter them, because our own innings hardly got off to a flyer!’

Indeed, the Specials had won the toss and asked Wash to bat first on a very lively wicket. Opening pair Dom Pilgrim (1-43) and Nick Ketchen (1-33) were almost unplayable for the first hour, and they picked up two great wickets for 25 into the bargain: the former snared Pete Demetri caught and bowled to the first ball of the game, and Steve Brown (10) was undone by a fine inswinging yorker from left armer Q.

However, when these bowlers rested, Washington’s big guns began to open up. Alan Moffat (62) struck a second consecutive fifty and, with Mark Wittet, added 69 for the 4th wicket. Then, at the end, Richard Minion (21 not) and Justin Gurney (43 not) came together to pile on the agony: the last over alone added 23, including three huge sixes from Gurney!

Wash declared at tea on 213-7 off 42 overs, and their bowlers immediately found their rhythm. Nick Tidey, from the pavilion end, and Richard Minion (1-15), from the top end, bowled so tightly that after 20 overs, the Specials had only 39 on the board.

It didn’t get any better. Gurney was almost unplayable on the wet surface, and though a sudden burst from Paul Irons (2-7) offered Wash the glimmer of hope, the pitch went to sleep and the game ground to a halt.

As the asking rate rose above 10 an over, the Specials contented themselves with some gentle batting practice, Mick McGowan and Tony Medlock both scoring 30.

Washington responded by giving some often unseen bowlers an over or two. Walker himself picked up a wicket in the closing overs with his trademark ‘straight-on’ ball, but really, this was a game to forget.