Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

On an oppressively hot afternoon, inserting the opposition was what any sane captain would do: unfortunately, it was Sundowners skipper Mike Herlihy who called correctly, and, Wash who took to the field.

For much of the afternoon, things went their way. Gary Malcolm (1-30) seized an early wicket thanks to a John Roche stumping, and though Herihy (44) and Mohammed (31) then rebuilt the Sundowners’ innings, the bowling was tight and the odd wicket kept falling. Peter Kloss account for Mohammed and then Marty Bock (2-39) swept in to knock over both Herlihy and the dangerous Chris Isles (18).

After 30 overs, Sundowners had 133 on the board, and Wash skipper Paul Irons could feel content. Crucially, however, the visitors had wickets in hand, and in the last 10 overs they accelereated. Chris Moore (53 not) and Mick McGowan (34) launched a massive attack, and scoring at over 8 an over, took the final total to 219-6.

The target of 220 was gettable, but it required a good start. As it was, the Washingotn innings followed the same pattern as the Sundowners’. Dale Bracegirdle (6) fell lbw with only 21 on the board, and then Chris Webb, with a very stylish 39, and Robert Tidey (26), batting with a maturity beyond his 14 years, led a recovery.

However, with 50 on the board, Wash suffered a double blow. Webb danced down the wicket to Dave Cattell (1-17), missed and was bowled, and then Bock (5) mistimed a leg side shot and chipped a simple catch to mid-wicket.

Irons then emerged and struck some sweet blows before falling for 29, and this was followed by the quick dismissal of Kloss (6).

All the time, Tidey had been displaying considerable composure and a good technique; with the run rate rising, however, he was obliged to go for his shots and eventually holed out, providing Mark Nesbitt (1-28) with a wicket.

At the 30 over mark, Washington’s score resembled their opponents: 130-6. However, they were unable to make the same explosive use of the final ten overs, and this proved crucial.

Richard Jones crunched two enormous sixes before unwisely attempting a second run to Isles, and Dan Barrett, batting at 10, played some sizzling strokes in his unbeaten 26.

However, he ran out of partners: Shaun Phelan batted coolly until he was surprisingly bowled for 6, and Malcolm (1), who took the first wicket of the match, provided some symmetry by becoming the day’s final victim.

So, a double sunset for the Wash: all the honours this year have gone to the Sundown Specials.

Wash: Irons (c), Roche (+), Bracegirdle, Webb, Tidey, Bock, Kloss, Jones, Phelan, Barratt, Malcolm.

Man of the Match: Rob Tidey – excellent batting Packing the Kit: Marty Bock: bowled like a hurricane but batted like a puff of wind