Washington Cricket Club - 40th Anniversary Year

‘We never looked like getting him out’ was the reaction of disappointed Wash skipper Peter Kloss: ‘another 50 runs and we might have been able to build some pressure; but even that might not have been enough the way Russ was playing!’

It was not the ending the day’s opening exchanges seemed to augur for Washington. Things began well when Kloss won the toss and elected to bat, saving his team-mates a broiling afternoon in the field.

Openers Tony Harris and Matthew Cragoe put on 77 at a rate of six an over before Cragoe (10) played over a full pitched ball to give David Pike the first of five wickets. Shortly afterwards, Harris moved to his 50, a blazing affair full of powerful drives and emphatic leg-side hitting, and Washington arrived at the first drinks break in a strong position, 98-1 off 15 overs.

Almost immediately after the restart, however, metaphorical clouds began to roll across Washington’s afternoon. Harris holed out at mid on without adding to his 55, and a succession of batsmen then failed to capitalise on good starts: Rob Tidey played stylishly for 27, brother Nick added a dashing 29 – his highest score for the club – and David Gluckman found his form, playing very well for 23.

The regular fall of wickets, however, meant Wash never built the platform for a sustained acceleration. The fact that they ended up with as many as they did was down to some late blows from skipper Kloss.

With a modest total to defend and an outfield like glass, Washington needed early wickets: Terry Tidey gave them the perfect start. After just 4 balls he found the edge of Pike’s bat, and though the ball bounced off Brad Hitchcock’s gloves it went straight to Cragoe at second slip who completed the dismissal.

The veteran seamer went on to claim two further scalps and finished with 3-31. With Southill three down for 114, Wash had a chance – but that was as good as it got.

Their problem was Jones. Kloss, (0- ), Dave Mazza (0-), Lee Foggerty and the Tidey brothers, Nick (0-) and Rob (0-), discovered in turn that wherever they bowled it, Jones could hit it! Glorious cover drives mixed with deft flicks off the pads, ferocious cuts with meaty pulls: it was a magnificent display.

At the other end, Wells rode his luck and was dropped three times, but his patient 30 provided Jones with the perfect foil and together they saw Southill Park home to their first victory over Washington

So no laurels for Wash this time, but as the shadows settled across the Bedfordshire countryside, all parties could agree that the game of cricket, played in the right spirit, had been the emphatic winner. That’s the way things are at Southill Park.

Washington: Kloss (c), Hitchcock (+), Harris, Cragoe, Tidey R., Persaud, Tidey N., Gluckman, Mazza, Foggerty, Tidey T.

Nando’s Man of the Match: Terry Tidey for an inspired spell of bowling. Packing the Kit: Lee Foggerty for catching two Wash players out while subbing for Southill and then dropping a Southill batsmen when fielding for Wash!